UN member states urged to 'turbocharge' sustainability action

United Nations member states are “heavily off-track” in terms of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will, among other things, uplift impoverished communities globally, and need to intensify efforts in spite of the various wars raging in the world today.

- Varun Karthik

With only six years to achieve these global targets, a lot more needs to be done to attain them, UN General Assembly (UNGA) president Dennis Francis said on July 19, in a media interview during an official visit to Singapore.

The goals under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in 2015 are designed to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030, by addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, climate change, peace and justice.

“Even as the issues of peace and security linger without there being a definitive solution at this period of time, we cannot suspend and/or ignore the need for sustainable development,” the career Trinidad and Tobago diplomat added.

With wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine dominating the world’s attention in recent years, UN member states have put more resources towards security.