Sustainable Development st global goals for the 21

Sustainable Development: st global goals for the 21 century and beyond? Professor Hana Umezawa

Introduction • 1 January 2016 MDGs expired, SDGs started • What does this tell us about global governance about the way the world is run? - Transformation? - From Big ‘D’ to little ‘d’? - Evolution? - Belated response to rising powers? - Meaningless? - ‘development’ remains marginal to the international agenda?

Global goals - From MDGs to SDGs • A long history of UN goal-setting • ‘Failure’ or ‘success’? Many goals not achieved, but some remarkable achievements as well (smallpox eradicated, polio, neglected tropical diseases, literacy significantly reduced, etc. ) • The MDGs were a grand, unplanned achievement – prospects for SDGs? • The establishment of a formal global goal-setting process may be their big contribution

Prehistory of MDGs UN’s four decades of struggle for development • FAO’s "Freedom from Hunger" Campaign (1960) • UN Development Decade: 1961 -1970 • 2 nd UN Development Decade: 1971 -1980 - adoption of International Development Strategy (1971) - the collapse of the Gold Standard and Oil crisis hindered the progress • 3 rd UN Development Decade (1981 -1990) - worsening of the gap between the North and the South - Structural change of strategy

Prehistory of MDGs • UN 4 th Development Decade (1991 -2000) - End of the Cold War: return of UN summits, rise of civil society, declarations galore - New challenges: conflicts, economic transitions • Agenda for Development (1997): a comprehensive document underlining the multidimensional approach of achieving a higher standard of life for all, encompassing various aspects and related elements of development, including peace, economic growth, environmental protection, social justice and democracy. • To sum up: history of UN’s development decades and strategies should not be seen as failures, but incremental steps in the long struggle to address the intractable problem of development and as a sustained attempt

MDGs: adoption and financing • Millennium Declaration (2000): sought to combine numerous efforts to address poverty and economic and social development in a holistic manner. • International Conference on Financing for Development (2002): “Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development” emphasised the need for enhanced commitment by developed countries to achieve MDGs

What are MDGs ? • In September 2000, representatives from 189 countries met at the Millennium Summit in New York and adopted goals known as Millennium Development goals (MDGs) to be achieved by 2015 • 8 goals, 21 targets, and 48 indicators on - Poverty - Promoting gender equality - Education - Environmental sustainability

The MDGs 8 goals and 21 targets

MDGs: HD meets RBM in an unfair world… • The core content of the MDGs is human development (5½ out of 8) • a minimalist basic needs concept: not human rights • The framing is results-based management (RBM) goal/target/indicator – a low trust concept • MDGs reflect the IPE of the Millennium led by developed states with RBM for developing countries, but not for rich countries themselves (Goal 8) • MDG focus: ends not means reflected lack of an international consensus

Understanding the MDGs as Norms • beneficial overall - but limited impact • The focus on selecting and using them for planning, financing and monitoring is misplaced: lack of political will • Analyse MDGs as a vehicle to promote the international social norm of “ending extreme poverty” to create political will

MDGs achievements and shortcomings • Substantial but mixed progress • The target of halving the number of people with extreme poverty (living under $1. 25 -a-day) has been achieved on a global scale, but many states have not • Attribution paradox: overall achievement of MDGs mainly because of the development of China and India (where MDGs have least influence/impact…) • Targets on Universal Primary Education (UPE) and education: significant progress in all regions but 57 million children are still not attending school • quality of education has not been improved

MDGs achievements and shortcomings • Gender equality: close to educational targets, but other targets lagging • Reduced child mortality: 50% reduction, but the targets were not achieved in many countries • Reduced maternal mortality: least progress of all, and problematic in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia • Major diseases: progress but major challenges remain (and shift to non-contagious)

MDGs Achievements and shortcomings • Environmental sustainability: some progress, but negative phenomena witnessed including vast increase of greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, environmental degradation • Global partnership: not enough, to be enhanced in SDGs - ODA increased by 66% (2000 -14), but little progress on FFD (Financing for Development) - Debt burden of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) became much lower - Climate negotiation

What did the MDGs contribute? • many positive contributions • More and better data: greater potential for policy improvements (UN data as transformation? ) • Increased opportunities to pressure stakeholders and attain media attention • MDG processes helped make Doha development round • Direct impacts: e. g. EU accession, Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Zambia, etc.

What did the MDGs contribute? • Also various not-so-positive (or even negative) effects • Limited impact on national plans and budgets in poorer countries: effect of WB/IMF’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) approach questionable… • Gross exaggeration of the role of ODA • Negative norm creation/reinforcement: lack of political will and commitments of the developed countries to achieve the goals • Global partnership or business as usual? Short term ‘self’ interest defines negotiations.

What did the MDGs contribute? • Mixed picture: hard to put these positive and negative contributions into a common unit • On balance, MDGs and surrounding processes could be regarded as a step forward for humanity and development • Quite a long way to go from what was initially promised at the Millennium Moment

What is sustainable development? • The Brundtland/WCED definition (1983) “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” • The sustainability model is a challenge to conventional forms of development seeks to reconcile three dimensions of development, now and into the future acknowledges bio-physical limits to growth and prizes the preservation of eco-system services agenda of social justice within and across current and future generations

Sustainable development: three dimensions

Historical background: Concept of sustainability • In the end of 1960 s birth of environmentalism • Not a totally new phenomenon – local environmental problems, e. g. water pollution – conservation of nature, wilderness (national parks and conservation areas have been set up all over the world since the beginning of 19 th century) • Environmentalism was a more holistic approach – environmental problems were no longer perceived as separate controllable/manageable issues – it was seen that there was a total crisis between society and environment – fears that the conditions for human existence were being jeopardised

Crisis of Sustainability: Wake-up calls • Rachel Carson (1962): Silent Spring chemicalisation of environment, particularly use of pesticides in agriculture humans are part of the food chain also exposed to pesticides and other chemicals in environment • The Club of Rome (1972): The Limits to Growth population growth, exploitation of natural resources warning of reaching limits: collapse of society • Nuclear weapons fear of radioactive pollution

Ecological crisis: beyond the boundaries [Rockstrom et al. , 2009. A safe operating space for humanity. Nature. 461, 472 -475] Nitrogen (agriculture) Biodiversity (urbanisation, agriculture)

History of “sustainable development” • Assembly of the World Council of Churches (1975) - sustainable development and its three dimensions : cultural, social and environmental economics • World Conservation Strategy – Living Resource Conservation for Sustainable Development (1980): the report published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) • Caring for the Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living (1991): follows-up the 1980 World Conservation Strategy, published in partnership among various institutions including some of the major conservation organisations, Asian Development Bank, FAO, International Institute for Environment and Development, ILO, OAS, UN agencies (UNDP, UNESCO, UN Fund for Population Activities), World Bank, WHO, etc.

The World Commission on Environment and Development • UN General Assembly in 1983 set the World Commission on Environment and Development (“the Brundtland Commission”) - to create a global agenda for change - to propose long-term environmental strategies for achieving sustainable development by 2000 and beyond • Led by Gro Harlem Brundtland

Our Common Future • Report of the Commission Our Common Future was published in 1987 • Combined environment and development • “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ” “It contains within it two key concepts: • the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and • the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs. ” 24

Milestones of international politics on sustainable development • The UN Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, 1992) • based on Our Common Future • the idea of sustainable development was acknowledged on a high political level for the first time • Rio declaration and Agenda 21 • The World Summit on Sustainable Development (South Africa, Johannesburg 2002) • Rio + 10 follow-up on Agenda 21 • Declaration and Plan of implementation • emphasis on the three dimensions of sustainable development

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro http: //www. uncsd 2012. org/rio 20/ • Rio + 20 • 20 -22 June 2012 • Main themes: • green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication • the institutional framework for sustainable development • End result: New declaration (The Future We Want), but no binding agreements or commitments

The SDGs: Global Goals?

So what has changed? : content • Most obvious change: the number of goals • From 8/20/60 to 17/169/1000 s goals/targets/indicators • Many additions • energy • growth and jobs • reducing inequality • peace and justice (governance) • many more environmental goals

What has changed? : content • Holistic: poverty and inequality, economic growth and jobs, peace and ‘governance’ • Leave nobody behind: from $1. 25 -a-day poverty reduction to multi-dimensional poverty eradication • Universal: for all states, not just poor countries • National ownership • Emphasis: much stronger on sustainability and the environment

What has not changed? • Non-binding agreement as 2000. . . not a treaty • National sovereignty and political independence – countries keen to avoid any possibility of imposition of SDGs • Global partnership – key mechanism to deliver the goals is a grand, unspecified, multistakeholder set of partnerships • multilateralism

What has changed? : Processes • The processes – big changes • From informal to formal ‘global governance’ • Involvement of various non-state stakeholders in the dialogue process: academics, NGOs, science community, private sector, local communities, etc. • From goals set by rich countries and aid agencies to goals set by all UN member states • MDGs were driven by OECD and aid agencies • Post-2015 development agenda is a global agenda, not just an aid agenda

So what has not changed? • Non-binding agreement: not a treaty – MS keen to avoid any possibility of imposition of SDGs • Results-based management format: primary focus is on delivery, not on social norms or negotiating structural change • Global partnership: the key mechanism is an unspecified, multi-stakeholder ‘partnership(s)’

Understanding Change Robert Cox’s historical structure

Understanding Change: Material Capabilities • Global shift of productive capacity from West to East and South underpins MDG to SDG shift • Rise of the BRICs: especially rise of China and ambition of Brazil as an international leader • Emerging middle powers: countries such as Colombia, Indonesia and Turkey more engaged • Africa: empowered by economic growth and access to finance from China and BRICS

Understanding Changes: concepts and ideas • Continuity: poverty, human development, RBM, partnership, etc. – stronger sustainability • lots of “new” ideas as well… • Growth and jobs (inclusive and sustainable) • Peace and reduced violence • Governance, justice, institutions • Inequality reduction within and across countries

Understanding Change : concepts and ideas

Understanding Changes: Institutions World Bank/IMF = reduced influence

Understanding Changes: Institutions • UN = arena for super-goal setting • Actors empowered by new material capabilities – AU, Brazilian and Colombian governments • New financial institutions – AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank), NDB (New Development Bank), BRICS CRA (Contingent Reserve Arrangement). • NGOs – from mobilising civil society to professional advocates?

Transformation or Evolution? • Content: could be referred as a transformation (i. e. inclusion of inequality reduction, peace/conflict, governance/institutions: sustainability-related goals) • process: more an evolution, but an accelerated evolution (i. e. involvement of BRICs, “Rio” and OWG) • Since January 2016 “development” is no longer defined by donor nations • The players are changing: game has not?

What does this mean? • Structural factors (material capability and institutions): corporate and elite interests, national self-interest will continue to shape the progress and implementation of SDGs • Human agency can have significant influence on ideas and concepts (i. e. inclusivity). SDGs could serve as a mechanism for changing social norms, not just a planning tool • Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will

Way forward – Strong political commitment by all – Adequate financing mechanisms – SDGs holistic approach: based on enhanced awareness and understanding of the public, rather than elite conversations only – Multi-sectoral approach with engagement of all governmental sectors at the highest level – Inclusive platform and partnership with key non-state stakeholders including civil societies, academics, science community, local authority, etc. should be enhanced – Accountability and close monitoring, using the global and regional targets and indicators that are harmonised with the SDG indicators From the Millennium Development Goals to the sustainable development goals in the post-2015 development agenda 41

Discussion questions • What are the MDGs? What were their strengths and weaknesses? To whom do they apply? • What will be the desired outcome of the SDGs? What will the targets mean to the various parts of the world? • How will/should the world endeavour to reach these numerous goals and targets, given the different starting points of each country and region? • What mechanisms are in place to enforce and track the SDGs? From the Millennium Development Goals to the sustainable development goals in the post-2015 development agenda 42