We live in world driven by rapid growth and technological development. This growth has resulted into rapid consumption that puts a strain on the planet we live on. To address the issues associated with irresponsible consumption and to protect the planet's resources for the future generation, the global leaders represented by the United Nations came forward with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015.
SDGs are comprised of 17 goals that nations and leaders have pledged to achieve by the year 2030. The goals combine a wide range of targets that we need to achieve to ensure economic development does not compromise the future of this planet and to protect the interest of future generations. These goals ensure the planet has time to heal and replenish the resources necessary for life on earth.
These goals are an amalgamation of responsible consumption, renewable energy, gender equity, sustainable cities, life on earth and below water, eradication of poverty, ensuring education and healthcare for all and preserving world peace. Together, these 17 goals address a wide array of problems in today's world and attempt to undo our past mistakes by raising awareness and implementing change.
According to the Sustainable Development Report 2021, East and South Asia has progressed more on the SDGs than any other region, both since 2010 and since the adoption of the goals in 2015. Bangladesh is one of the top 3 countries that have progressed most on the SDG index since 2015.
India' s progress on SDG is also well placed. Both the countries have integrated SDGs into sectoral action plans and have identified indicators to monitor the implementation of the SDGs. In Bangladesh 40 and in India 306 such indicators have been identified.
It is also important to note that countries like Bangladesh and India have a high Spillover Index that signifies a positive effect along environmental, social and economic dimensions on other countries' abilities to achieve sustainable development. Not only this, other indicators such as multidimensional poverty saw fastest annualized absolute reduction in South Asia. However, the pandemic has worsened the situation and hampered the targets of achieving sustainable development.
While we do not know how far we are in consuming the planet's resources or whether we are close to the point of no return (PNR) where the planet fails to recover and heal back? Even with these ominous assumptions, there is hope, hope that with proper implementation and accountability, we can save our future.
Now, that influences the decisions we make today in terms of economic, social and infrastructural development. Bangladesh has been enjoying strong economic growth for the past few years and has been dubbed the Asian Tiger. With a small landmass and a 160 million population, Bangladesh has to steer very carefully to grow without compromising on the sustainable development goals.
Similarly, despite the setback posed by the pandemic, India with a population of 1.32 billion has made significant progress towards sustainable development goals. And, it needs to ensure a proper build back better strategy. This is not an easy task, especially considering the region, the culture and the demographics.
Asia is home to a large population, especially South Asia region needs to make the most change to adapt to the new narrative and promote institutional, national and communal collaboration to educate, make aware and implement the behavioural and policy changes we are expecting to see in order to properly implement the SDGs.
A report on achieving the SDGs in South Asia published in 2021 by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) highlighted the emergent need for the renewed and integrated approach to SDG implementation. The report also communicated that policy level coherence at the regional level and regional cooperation is an important way towards implementation of the SDGs and can inspire broader coordination at the global level.
Despite our efforts and achievements, it must be noted that this region still has room for improvement. No development effort is be sustainable without consideration towards the welfare of the future generations. Our leaders need to have sustainability agenda as a compass to guide into the new decade in order to survive and thrive from challenges such as climate change, something that greatly impacts the region.
We have already entered the Decade of Action. If South Asia has to truly achieve the philosophy of "Leaving no one behind" and accelerate sustainable actions, regional cooperation is the first step. Countries in the South Asian region needs to collaborate, cooperate and make conscious collective efforts towards the goals of Agenda 2030.
Quazi Tafsirul Islam, Lecturer of Strategy & Human Resources, North South
University; Researcher, Speaker and Management Consultant.
Dr Divya Singhal, Professor, Goa Institue of Management (GIM), Goa, India & Chairperson- Centre For Social Sensitivity and Action (CSSA).
