These are the four SDGs (sustainable development goals) we need to agree on to help the planet
Tackling indoor air pollution, protecting coral reefs, boosting R&D in cleaner energy and ending subsidies for fossil fuels are the most important sustainable development goals for safeguarding the environment.
The governments of the UN’s 193 member states are gearing up to select a set of development and environmental targets for the next 15 years to replace the millennium development goals (MDGs) that expire this year. These targets will influence the £1.6tn in development aid the OECD predicts will be needed by 2030 and countless trillions in national budgets – as well as set the tone for corporate green spending.
Together with targets focusing on poverty, health, hunger and education, environmental targets are on the shortlist. These range from relatively niche (“devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism”) to very ambitious (“endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation”).
After a process of haggling and horse-trading, the UN has a working list of 169 targets – a whopping 151 more than the 18 MDGs that I believe changed the world. This is a mistake. Having 169 priorities is like having no priorities at all.
The Copenhagen Consensus Center asked 60 teams of top economists, including Nobel laureates Finn Kydland and Thomas Schelling, to evaluate the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of the proposed targets. Their analysis highlights some of the best investments we could make for the planet, guiding policymakers, philanthropists and socially-minded businesses.
Economic analysis shouldn’t be the only tool that we use, but it is a vital input to help decision-makers – whether politicians or business leaders – to make informed decisions. Among the environmental goals, the economists’ analyses show that reducing indoor air pollution, cutting coral reef loss and increasing energy research and development are among the most cost-effective targets.
Source: The Guardian
Date: August 2015
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