Sustainable Development Goals and Supreme

Audit Institutions
Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals
© Copyright 2018, Tribunal de Contas da União
www.tcu.gov.br

LIABILITY FOR THE CONTENT

Federal Court of Accounts of Brazil/ General Secretariat of the Presidency / Serzedello Corrêa
Capacity Development Institute.

CONTENT AUTHOR

Paula Hebling Dutra

2
 table of contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Introduction to the class

• Learning Goals

Chapter 2: Unit topics

• Concept of sustainable development

• How do we get to the SDGs?
• What is the 2030 Agenda
• Principles of the 2030 Agenda

Chapter 3: Summary of the unit

• Let’s review what we have seen...

• Closing

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1.1 Introduction to the class
Welcome

Screen audio transcript:

Have you ever thought about what “sustainable development” means? Some concepts are used within different contexts
and this can result in its meaning being blurred or lost. This is the case study of the concept of sustainable development,
which we are going to study in this first class. Let’s start by reviewing how the content of this unit is structured. Enjoy
your learning experience!
We will start by examining the concept of sustainable development. Our first approach will be through a hypothetical case
and then we will study the definition. We will then see how we have reached the goals of sustainable development. We will
review the global trends and how the paths of sustainable and human development have evolved.
Later, we will analyse the 2030 agenda, what it is and how does it evolve from the two already mentioned paths,
sustainable development and human development.
Finally, we will focus on the six principles that make up the 2030 agenda.

1.2 Learning Goals

What can you accomplish with this class?

A B C

Describe the concept of sus- Identify the structure of the Find out the principles on which
tainable development. 2030 Agenda. the 2030 Agenda was built on.

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1.2 Learning Goals

Screen audio transcript:

In this unit we are going to work on the following goals...

2.1 1. Concept of sustainable development

Approach to sustainable development

THE DILEMMA

The government of a country must sell a part of its

native forest because it lacks the funds or resources
required to manage it.

The government faces the dilemma of deciding which of the following three possible buyers to sell it to:
A. An environmental organization.
B. A local cooperative.
C. An industry.
Which of the three potential buyers is the best option? Let´s look at the plan for each of them...

OPTION A

The first candidate is an environmental organization.

They want to buy the land because of its ecological importance.

Its goal is to maintain and preserve the land with very little intervention.

Screen audio transcript:

The environment organization will ensure the preservation of local biodiversity and interrupt processes that
could cause environment damage. The benefits provided by the forest ecosystem services will be maintained in
the immediate environment and at the global level. But would local people appreciate it?

Many farmers in the area make a living from activities such as small-scale deforestation but if the environmental
organization demands ecological preservation they will be left without their primary means of subsistence.
On the other hand, we ask ourselves whether the environmental organization will be able to afford to maintain
the protected area… How could they do it?

Perhaps it would open the area to ecotourism to generate funds capable of securing the future of the land and
employing local people. Ecotourism can be an excellent way to provide local people with employment and eco-
nomic benefits by maintaining the natural habitat.

This would be a good option, but beware! There is also a great danger… Opening an ecotourism area without
proper planning, development and control can cause real problems. If an area becomes more attractive to tou-
rism, it could cause its own problems. Now that we have explored this possibility, let’s get back to class!

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2.1 1. Concept of sustainable development - Approach to sustainable development

OPTION B

The second option is a local cooperative.

A group of local people came together to form a cooperative.

They want to buy the land to cultivate it collectively.

Screen audio transcript:

The local people made the important decision to take control of their future. Their plan is to buy the land to grow renewa-
ble products such as vanilla, banana, mango, pepper and coffee. But can the activities of these local cooperatives beco-
me sustainable and profitable? Could they be sustainable while at the same time preserving the forest and biodiversity?

The answers to this question are not clear. To do so they must overcome difficulties such as obtaining the neces-
sary credit to establish a business, have good distribution of their products often through precarious roads …
But let’s be optimistic! Let’s imagen the cooperative´s business is doing well.

What will happen? Over time, successes will lead farmers to wonder whether it is necessary to invest in more tools
and become increasingly mechanized, to start operating on a large scale… It must also be considered that in order
to expand production, it will be necessary to deforest more land for agriculture purposes.

Well, it can also happen that the cooperative chooses not to expand the business. And what would this imply?
Narrow profit margins: only a few would make a profit and the community as a whole would see minimal benefits.
Nor would they be prepared to deal with problems such as the closure of the market or the failure of crops, which
could wipe out the business.

In conclusion, there are pros and cons to this option. Let’s now continue with our class.

OPTION C

The third option is a company.

A large company is interested in buying the land for possible

future development.

Screen audio transcript:

A large oil corporation wants to take advantage of the opportunity to buy land from the government. And, although ini-
tially there is no development plan in place, it turns out the company finds oil in the area! The land is perfect for mining!

The corporation decides to carry out a strategic development plan for the area and, while deploying its facilities, commits
to preserving large tracks of rainforest.

The local inhabitants are hired as employees of the oil company and the firm also develops infrastructure for the com-
munity, such as school, hospitals and channels of communication channels. Although, it is necessary to carry out defo-
restation in order to exploit oil, biodiversity is preserved in the forest areas that have been conserved.
This option seems wonderful, but, what would happen if the world economy suffered a slowdown? This could lead the
oil company to make some difficult decisions, for example, reducing the number of employees, eliminating projects that
do not provide large profit margins such as those that are ecologically rational.

This option also involves big risks. Back to class!

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2.1 1. Concept of sustainable development - Approach to sustainable development

REVIEW

The previous experience shows us how difficult it

is to reconcile two concepts that seem contradic-
tory as is the case of development and sustaina-
bility.

There is no “right answer” when dealing with such complex

issues that can evolve in an unpredictable nature.

So, how should we proceed?

We invite you to reflect about this question.

Sustainable development in your daily life.

Have you ever calculated your ecological
footprint?

You can apply the sustainable development concept

to your daily life and “feel it in practice” by calculating
your ecological footprint.

The calculation is made by measuring the amount of land

and water necessary to guarantee your lifestyle, conside-
ring all the material and energy resources you use.

To find out more... myfootprint.org/es/

If you want to know what your ecological footprint is , you can use the questionnaire of
the Center for Sustainable Economy, in which they objectively look at the area needed to
absorb carbon emissions generated by your home energy use and transportation.

Screen audio transcript:

The combination of the words “development “ and “sustainable” make us think of great challenges...
But we are also inspired by an optimistic attitude. This is because sustainable development is related to models
of progress that are more inclusive and respectful of natural limits. But what is sustainable development? We
are going to take a first step to understanding the concept by visualizing a hypothetical scenario.

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2.2 1. Concept of sustainable development
What is sustainable development?
Concept of sustainable development
Sustainable development is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future gene-
rations to meet their own needs.

Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission): Our Common
Future (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987).

Meeting all the needs of all people?

When we talk about sustainable development being related to meeting the needs of all
people, first, we need to determine what we mean by needs.

For example, think of the following statement: “Everyone in the world must own a car!”

Now, is a car really a necessity? No, the need is that people have mobility. It is not
feasible that every individual owns their own car: could you imagine the number of
roads required globally in such a scenario for all cars to circulate, could you calculate
the amount of fuel burned if this were to happen?

Thus, understanding the need for mobility through the lens of sustainable deve-
lopment means, for example, imagining models that substitute individual cars
with collective models that do not use fossil fuels.

Sustainable development implies a long-term concern.

The decisions we take now may have serious consequences in the future. Sometimes
their consequences will be irreversible for future generations.

A good example of how our generation is already beginning to feel the consequences
of past decisions is the frequency and intensity with which extraordinary climate
events occur according to current scientific reports. If we bear in mind the classical
definition of sustainable development, how does this affect the satisfaction of
our needs?

Environmental needs
Economic needs

Social needs

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2.2 1. Concept of sustainable development - What is sustainable development?

Some of the environmental needs are:

• Biological diversity.
• Natural resources.
• Maximum capacity allowed.

Some of the economic needs are:

• Services.
• Households needs.
• Industry growth.

Some of the social needs are:

• Equity.
• Participation.
• Self-determination.

One way to represent the concept of sustainable development is by reconciling economy,

society and environment.

To think about
Taking into consideration social, economic and environmental needs, we invite you to think about the following
questions:

Can the long-term economic goal of sustainable agricultural growth be achieved if the ecological goal
of preserving biological diversity is not met?

What happens to the environment in the long term if large numbers of people are currently unable to meet
their basic needs?

If you didn’t have access to drinking water and needed firewood to boil river water so you or your
children wouldn’t get sick, would you worry about deforestation?

If you have to drive a long distance to work every day, would you be willing to move to another city or
change jobs in order to avoid contaminating the air with your car exhaust fumes?

If we don’t try to balance our social, economic and environmental goals in the short term, how are we
going to sustain our development in the long term?

What sustainable development dilemmas do you and your family face every day?

Screen audio transcript:

The World Commission on Environment and Development's definition of sustainable development
tells us that it is about meeting people’s current needs without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet theirs.
Now, all the needs of all people? And what about future generations?

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2.3 2. How do we get to the SDGs?
Global Trends
The UN Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) published in 2014 summarized some pro-
minent advances in the dimensions of sustainable development, but also emphasized worrying
trends that could impede future advances.

Global Sustainable Development Report, 2014. Available in English at UN website.

People

The global population has reached 7.1 billion people in 2012, and 80 million are added each year.

Human life expectancy has been extended by 22 years, but with persistent gaps between regions and a
widening gap between men and women and since 1950.

There is better global health and shifting disease, but more years of injury and illness.

The 2000s were the first decade since 1980 when both the absolute numbers and the proportion of
people in absolute poverty declined. However, the number of relative poor in the developing world has
continued to increase since 1980.

850 million people suffer from hunger, which is slightly more than in 1990 but 150 million less than in 1970.

Universal primary education has been achieved in most parts of the world. The literacy rate of 15–24-year-
olds in developing countries reached 88% in 2011.

In stark contrast to 20 years earlier, today women dominate tertiary education in most parts of the world.

740 million people lack access to safe drinking water (500 million fewer than in 1990) and 2.4 billion
people lack access to basic sanitation (650 million more than in 1990). Water pollution continues to claim
the lives of millions.

There have been great improvements in modern energy access since 1990, but in 2010 there were still
1.27 billion people without access to electricity and 2.59 billion without access to clean cooking fuels.

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2.3 2. How do we get to the SDGs?

Ageing has increased, even in many developing countries. 810 million people are now over 60 years
old. In 2010 there were 215 million international migrants (59 million more than in 1990) and 740 million
internal migrants.

383 million employed people are getting by on less than US$1.25 per day - half the number of 1990, but
there has been no reduction in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.

Intergenerational social mobility earning, wage and educational mobility varies widely across countries.
There has been mixed progress on human security and human rights.

The overall well-being of people - as measured by the human development index - has substantially
improved since 1950.

There are now more State-based armed conflicts than during the cold war.

Yet the number of deaths from non-State armed conflicts, including terrorism, has been greatly reduced.

The diversity of cultural heritage, traditions, and traditional knowledge - and 90% of indigenous langua-
ges - are threatened, but there are indications of some revivals.

Developed and developing countries alike have seen extraordinary changes in terms of values, attitudes,
and behaviour, in particular the attitudinal and behavioural shifts in sex and reproduction, the role of wo-
men, the environment and human rights.

There are fewer stable families in most developed and developing countries than in past decades. In
developed countries, the crude marriage rate halved since 1970 and the divorce rate increased. The
average duration of marriages has stayed constant, at 10-15 years.

There is widening governance and globalization. Power has shifted from the nation state upward to the
global level and downward to the local level, and at all levels from the public to the private. There is now
a crisis of multilateralism. In most countries where a high level of societal consensus existed on interge-
nerational equity, it has been lost or has come under pressure.

Economy

Affluence has increased amid persistent poverty. The world economy doubled since 1990, to US$69 tri-
llion in 2012. The per capita genuine progress indicator has slightly decreased since 1978.

Consumption remains grossly inadequate for the poorest people.

Greater material consumption and less per unit of value, but progress in technology access and perfor-
mance has fallen far short of the requirements for sustainability.

From 1988 to 2008, all gains in real income have been reaped by the very wealthy in all countries and
by the rising middle class in developing countries.

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2.3 2. How do we get to the SDGs?
Economy

Income inequality is growing in many parts of the world.

Trade has grown at more than twice the rate of economic growth since 1950.

Total assistance to developing countries more than doubled compared to 2000, to US$126 billion in 2012.

The proportion of net official development assistance to donors’ gross national income regained their
1990 levels of 0.32% in 2010, up from 0.22% in 2002.

Estimates for 2012 are 0.29%.

Energy almost tripled between 1970 and 2010, reaching 493 EJ. Renewable energy share increased
from 5.4% in 1970 to 7.0% in 2000 and 8.2% in 2010.

Water withdrawals are increasing, but slowing down.

Environment

There is evidence of anthropogenic interference in half of terrestrial ecosystems and one quarter of the
world´s fresh water supply.

Biodiversity continues to decrease at rates 100 to 1,000 times pre-human levels.

Global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning, cement manufacture and gas flaring have increased at an
accelerated rate. They increased from 24.8 GtCO2 in 2000 to 35.1 GtCO2 in 2012 – the largest increase
in any decade in human history.

41% of the oceans showed high human-induced impacts on marine ecosystems in 2012.

Human settlements now cover 7% of the world’s ice-free land cover, and croplands another 21%.

The protected terrestrial and marine areas have been greatly expanded in developed and developing countries.

Half of the world’s forests have been lost to domestication. Tropical forests declined at around 12-14
million ha per year in both the 1990s and 2000s, and a similar amount have been degraded.

In contrast, temperate and boreal forests have been undergoing reforestation since the 1980s.

Global arable land and permanent crops expanded by 160 million ha since 1961, due to expansion in
developing economies, but the world likely reached peak of farmland by 2010.

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2.3 2. How do we get to the SDGs?

Humanity claims about 24% of global terrestrial net primary production, more than ever before.

Local and regional freshwater shortages and water stress are widespread in one third of the planet.

The proportion of overexploited fish stocks tripled from 10% in 1970 to 30% in 2012.

Many concentrations of local air pollutants have decreased, but the health burden of local air pollution
remains large, especially in megacities of developing countries.

The ozone layer is in a long-term path stabilization by 2020/2030.

Coastal zones where half the world’s population lives, are degraded.

The convergence of two paths

The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable
Developments Goals (SDGs)

The complexity of the problems we have seen in

the alarming trends and the need for joint solutions
have long been discussed by the international
community.

The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) are a direct result of
the convergence of two different processes that
began many decades ago: the road of sustainable
development and the path of the Millennium
Goals.

Screen audio transcript:

Do you think we are moving towards sustainable development?
Are we going in the right direction?
There are lights and shadows in our tendency, particularly in relation to people, the economy and
the environment.

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2.4 2. How do we get to the SDGs?
The road to sustainable development

The 1960s The 1970s '80s '90s '00s '10s

The 1960s

• In 1962 the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is published.

• The book highlights the health and environmental effects of large-scale pesticide use. It also alerts about the
trends in overuse of natural resources.

The 1970s

• The United Nations conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972 was the first
international environmental conference.

• This conference brought to the table governments of several countries and permanently included the environment
on the international discussion.

• The negotiations during the event showed a strong division between countries. Developed countries emphasized
the mitigation of the consequences that post-war growth was bringing such as acid rain that was affecting Europe.
This group was also concerned about population growth, mainly in the poorest countries. In contrast, developing
countries defended their sovereignty and the right to develop.

• In 1972, The Club of Rome group published the report “The limits to growth”, using computer simulation of
exponential economic and population growths. This work made alarmist predictions about the finite nature of earth’s
resources limiting economic and population growth worldwide.

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2.4 2. How do we get to the SDGs? - The road to sustainable development
'80s

• During the 1980s, the international environmental agenda evolved with the negotiation and signing of several
multinational environmental agreements. Among them, the Montreal Protocol on substances that destroy the ozone
layer and part of the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer stand out as a good example of
international coordination.

• In 1987, The World Comission on Environment and Development (WCED), also known as the Brundtland
Commission was created with the responsibility for articulating the concept of sustainable development, present in
its report “Our Common Future”.

'90s

• In 1992, The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was held Río de Janeiro. The
international context at that time was positive for the strengthening of global cooperation due to the end of the Cold
War, and this was a great boost to the Conference.

• As a result of Rio 92, agreements were reached such as The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Both aim to change production
and consumption, by setting the economic and strategic importance of genetic resources.

• Another outcome of the Conference was the establishment of an Action Plan to achieve sustainable development:
Agenda 21.

• These agreements, together with the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (final document of this
event), have consolidated important principles of environmental governance such as common but differentiated
responsibilities (principle 7) and the precautionary principle (principle 15).

'00s

• In 2002, countries met again at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

• Ten years after the Rio Conference, the Summit aimed to review the state of the global environment and to
discuss the progress made in the implementation of commitments agreed on in previous conferences and
multilateral environmental agreements.

• Aware of the gap in the process of internalization of commitments, the result of the meeting was an implementation
plan based on the reaffirmation of previously assumed goals and commitments.

'10s

• The goal of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) was not only to discuss the
implementation and fulfillment of past agreements and commitments, but also to look at future challenges. As a result
of the conference, it was determined that these challenges must be summarized in goals and targets to be achieved
by all countries: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were negotiated within the framework of
the United Nations General Assembly and adopted in 2015, came into force in 2016.

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2.5 2. How do we get to the SDGs?
The path of human development
The history of sustainable development begins with the impact of technological innovations on human health,
since this concern sows the seed of the environmental discussion.

Over time, what was limited to the “environment” and

its impact on human well-being became a broader
discussion of development models and strategies.
For this reason, we now speak of sustainable
development.

As you can imagine, sustainable development

dilemmas do not only affect individuals
and families. There are collective dilemmas
and therefore on government agendas as well.
Furthermore, as they are of a very broad nature,
they are not restricted to ministries, departments
or environmental secretariat of a country but are
discussed at an international level in global
conferences.

The track record that we have seen so far,

although identified as “sustainable development”
remains closely linked to environmental issues.
However, other issues, with a focus on human
development, could not be excluded from
international discussions.

The path of the MDGs

In the 1990s, seven other global conferences, such as Rio 92, addressed the issues of children, human
rights, population, social development, housing and food along with environmental issues. The consensus
emerged at the 90s Summit was reflected in the Millennium Declaration, adopted by heads of state in 2000.
This Declaration is the basis of the Millennium Developments Goals (MDGs), the first global results
framework for development policies.

What are the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

They are a set of goals and targets adopted by UN Member States in the early 2000s. They expired in 2015, so
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that we will see later, in some way, succeeded the MDGs. We say “in
some way” because you will see that the SDGs are much broader than their predecessors.

In the MDGs the greatest concern was the eradication of extreme poverty. The Millennium Declaration and the
MDGs would provide a strong impetus to address social challenges.

Characteristic of MDGs

The MDGs are pioneers, they were the reference for setting out results in development policies. They included an
integrated set of quantitative targets to reduce poverty and address other issues of social development, such as health,
education and women´s empowerment, within a specified period of time. Most had 2015 as a deadline and would use 1990
as the main reference point.

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2.5 2. How do we get to SDG? - The path of human development
MDGs Evolution

The MDGs mobilizing power made them a success story. However, progress on the different goals was varied,
including on the targets of Goal 8 (develop a global partnership for development).

According to some analysts, the limitations of the MDGs are related to two erroneous interpretations of their objectives:

- The MDGs were frequently understood as ideal goals

Actually, the MDGs targets were defined through the analysis of the average global progress in different
areas over the last 30 years, based on which projections were made to define future targets in a realistic way.
In other words, the MDGs were not ideal goals, but realistic ones.

- MDGs targets were often interpreted as national targets rather than collective
By definition the MDGs targets were global, therefore, they were not supposed to be achieved by each coun-
try with the same level of progress. In other words, each country should set its own national targets. Such
generalization was considered inappropriate, given the different circumstances and initial conditions among
countries.

With a focus on human development, the main subjects of the MDGs were developing countries, especially
the least developed.

MDGs outcomes

The development community considered as a success the strategy of defining a global agenda with the focus
on priority issues and common challenges, translated into specific and objective goals, easily disseminated. In-
ternational contributors and global and regional organizations gradually organized themselves around this agenda.

The results achieved by countries started to appear in UN reports, and were compared to neighboring countries and
the rest of the developing world. This practice was an incentive for governments not to fall behind. Therefore, by the
end of 2015, a significant improvement was observed in the indicators for all countries in the areas covered
by the MDGs.

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2.6 3. What is the 2030 Agenda
What is the 2030 Agenda?

A path

The 2030 Agenda is a development plan that goes

beyond a results framework as was the case with the
Millennium Development Goals. It sets out a path
towards a vision of the future.

It is structured in 17 goals and 169 targets to be

achieved by 2030. It is organized into different elements:

Vision and Principles, which are reflected in the

Declaration.

Results framework, which are the goals and

targets known as Sustainable Development Goals.

The implementation strategy, which involves

a global alliance and the so called “Means of
Implementation”.

Follow up and Review.

The 5P formula

Building on the successes of the Millennium Declara-

tion, the international community decided to broaden the
strategy; beyond focusing on developing countries, there
is a challenge for a global qualitative change toward sus-
tainable development.

This doesn´t mean giving up the previous approach to

basic human development issues, which is still very ne-
cessary in many countries, but addressing this and other
problems in a comprehensive manner.

The current proposal is to include the social dimen-

sion to the other dimensions considered until then
in sustainable development: economic and environ-
mental, along with the search for peace. All this should
be achieved through global alliances. This leads to a
broader vision of sustainable development, which we
can determine by applying the 5P formula: People,
Prosperity, Peace, Partnership and Planet.

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2.6 3. What is the 2030 Agenda

To learn more about it... The UN General Assembly

Do you know what the UN General Assembly is for? It is the representative,
regulatory, deliberative organ of the UN, and the only one with universal representation
because its 193 Member States are present. Each year, in September, they gather
for the annual session, which takes place in the General Assembly Hall in New York
City. The General Assembly occupies a central position as the principal deliberative,
policy making and representative body of the United Nations.

Screen audio transcript:

In order to achieve the goals of sustainable development, representatives of global priorities and
common challenges to all countries, the UN promoted a broad negotiation process.
From this process emerged the publication of the document “Transforming Our World: The 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development”, also known as the 2030 Agenda.
Let´s see what this is about.

2.7 4. Principles of the 2030 Agenda

The principles of the 2030 Agenda

Let's have a look at the six principles of the 2030 Agenda declaration.

National Ownership

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were

developed on a global level which is why their adap-
tation is required to define national goals accor-
ding to the priorities and circumstances of each
country. For this reason, the 2030 Agenda states that
the national ownership of SDGs is essential for com-
mitment to be rooted in national policies and for
them to be implemented by countries.

The 2030 Agenda explicitly recognizes the importance

of national ownership for development strategies. The
SDGs aim to address key structural factors, while
preserving domestic policy and national priorities
within a participatory framework.

In order to ensure real ownership of the agenda, it is

important to carry out national participatory proces-
ses that allow the goals to be taken from a global to
local level, and consolidate a commitment to the
implementation of sustainable development goals.

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2.7 4. Principles of the 2030 Agenda
Inclusive and participatory approach

The process of formulating the 2030 agenda at the global level has been highly participatory and inclusive, reflecting
the importance of connecting on a “human” level to ensure that the new Agenda is truly people-oriented.

A broad range of stakeholders, representatives of civil society, business, some local authorities, universities, and
scientific community were consulted. Vulnerable groups and citizens in general were also consulted.

Civil society, vulnerable groups and the private sector have an important role to play in the adoption of the agen-
da. Participation in national decision-making processes will be necessary to provide a place for the free, meaningful
and active involvement of civil society and individuals at all stages of the process of design, implementation,
monitoring and review of the SDGs.

In fact, the new Agenda cannot be implemented solely by governments. Different stakeholders play important
roles, such as resource mobilization, creative solutions and innovations, changing production patterns and lifestyles,
advocacy, responsibility to express concern for vulnerable people and help identify and address problem areas.

The implementation of an inclusive and participatory approach at national and subnational levels ensures from the
begining a strong commitment by stakeholders to national planning processes. This approach will be a precondition
for the successful implementation of the SDGs. After all, the principle of national ownership means that the
Agenda belongs to the people.

Universality

The introduction of the 2030 Agenda indicates the following:

"This Agenda has an unprecedented scope of importance. All countries accept and abide to all of them, but conside-
ring the different realities, capacities and levels of developments of each and respecting their national policies and
priorities."

The principle of universality was enshrined in the Rio +20 outcome document, which reaffirmed that these goals
are global in scope and universally applicable. The nature and scale of today´s global challenges mean that it is no
longer possible to adopt a new agenda predominantly focused on developing countries. Sustainable development
requires all stakeholders to review the particular circumstances of their country as well as the impact on other
states in all dimensions. Thus, the focus has shifted from the north-south development paradigm alliance to a
universally applicable Agenda due to the MDGs.

The concept of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) is often used to describe the concept of univer-
sality. The CBDR were formalized at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio 92) in
the context of discussions about responsibilities and different levels of contribution to environmental degradation.

The principle of universality implies answering the following questions:

How can the universal agenda be relevant to diverse groups of countries with different needs and resources?

How can sustainable development be appealing to least developed countries or small island developing sta-
tes?

What does the new Agenda mean for middle income countries? Could they perceive it as a liability that ham-
pers their growth potential and possibly burden them with aid commitments?

How realistic is the transition from a low-carbon economy in the North, given the political difficulties and eco-
nomic structures?

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2.7 4. Principles of the 2030 Agenda
Leaving no one behind

The SDGs place the principle of equality and non-dis-

crimination at the heart of the new Agenda, with the aim
of ensuring the inclusion of marginalized, unempowered
and excluded groups, as well as reducing inequalities
between countries.

Many of the SDGs targets require monitoring progress

for different groups through data disaggregation. Many
targets focus specifically on the needs of the most vul-
nerable. Improved information on rates of progress for
different population groups can help to address structural
factors and meet the needs of vulnerable groups. In ad-
dition, SDGs 10 specifically addresses the reduction of
inequalities between countries.

Human rights-based approach

The principle of leaving no one behind and the human rights-based approach are two sides of the same coin.
Human rights provide a general framework of what governments aim to achieve for their citizens.

To ensure that everyone is entitled to all human rights, governments agree to integrate them into their policies,
service provision and outcome monitoring, the principle of leaving no one behind, as well as to update regulatory
framework that do not respect the principles of equality and zero discrimination.

• Human rights in Rio+20

In 1986, the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development proclaimed that development is
a right that belongs to everyone. In the framework on the sustainable development process, the Rio +20
outcome document made explicit reference to human rights, suggesting that the SDGs be “consistent with
international law” and emphasized a number of specific human rights, including:

The right to an adequate standard of living.

The right to food.

The right to water and sanitation.

The right to health.

The right to development.

The right to personal security.

All human rights in the context of sexual and reproductive health.

The right to decent employment including fundamental rights at work.

Gender equality.

The right to self-determination.

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2.7 4. Principles of the 2030 Agenda
Human rights for development (UN, 2013)

The human rights-based approach to development according to the United Nations system (2013), includes
the following aspects:

People-centred development.

A development centred on culture and identity that respects and incorporates traditional knowledge.

Attention to root causes.

Broad public participation.

Inclusion

Accountability.

Non-discrimination.

Reducing inequalities.

Empowerment, Rule of Law.

Democracy, personal security.

Good governance.

Access to justice.

Access to information.

The active role of civil society.

Levels of social protection.

Effective international cooperation.

The SDGs refer to international human rights standards. Several targets of the SDGs directly refer to different rights,
such as the right to economic resources, labor rights, etc.

The human rights perspective is also expressed through reference to the following elements:

Equal access for different population groups.

Universal access to public services or universal coverage for all (health).

Free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.

The quality of public services (learning).

The social, economic and political inclusion of all, among others.

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2.7 4. Principles of the 2030 Agenda
Integrated approach to sustainable development

An integrated approach is basically the recogni-

tion that the different dimensions of sustaina-
ble development (social, economic and environ-
mental) should not be considered separately,
but in an integrated manner, in other words,
interlinked and equally important.

Screen audio transcript:

In order to achieve the goals of sustainable development, representatives of global priorities and
common challenges to all countries, the UN promoted a broad negotiation process.
From this process emerged the publication of the document “Transforming Our World: The 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development”, also known as the 2030 Agenda.
Let´s see what this is about.

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3.1 Let’s review what we have seen...
Let's review what we have covered…
Throughout the first class we have studied the concept of sustainable development, the 2030 Agenda
and the principles on which it was built. Let´s review the key points of what we have studied so far.

Concept of sustainable development

We started with a first approach to sustainable development and learned how complex it is to combine deve-
lopment and sustainability with a view to the future of people, the economy and the environment. We studied
the classic concept of sustainable development which is defined as meeting people’s current needs without com-
promising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Current trends and developments

Later, we discussed the current trends reported by the UN in the 2014 Global Sustainable Development Report.

We reviewed the evolution and history of sustainable development and how we have arrived at the 2030 Agenda
declaration, one of the key topics of this unit.

The 2030 Agenda

It is a development plan that introduces us to a path towards a vision of the future.

We end this first unit by focusing on the first of the elements that make up the 2030 Agenda: vision and principles.
These are mentioned in the specific parts of the declaration but are also dispersed throughout the text, making re-
ference to the principles of other international agreements. The six principles on which the 2030 Agenda has been
built:

1. National property.
2. Inclusiveness.
3. Universality.
4. Leaving no one behind.
5. Human rights-based approach
6. Integrated approach to sustainable development.

Liability and authorship of this content

© Copyright 2016, Tribunal de Contas da União

www.tcu.gov.br

Liability for the content

Federal Court of Accounts of Brazil/ General Secretariat of the Presidency / Serzedello
Corrêa Capacity Development Institute.

Content Author
Paula Hebling Dutra

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3.2 Closing

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