Importance of sustainable development

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are 17 goals that all 193 UN Member States have committed to achieving by the year 2030. In September 2015, international leaders endorsed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which binds them to end poverty and achieve sustainable development by the following 15 years.A new set of objectives guarantees not only the necessity of

progress, but also that it must be sustainable and promote equality. Development must be universally relevant to all nations and cannot leave anyone behind while taking into account national realities. While the majority of the Goals expressly recognise that national governments are responsible for localization and implementation, it is ultimately the responsibility of local and subnational governments to provide the majority of the progress that is required. In addition to the fact that SDG 11 specifically focuses on urban sustainability, all of the Goals need to further mainstream local sustainability activity. There will be more clarity after the indicators for tracking the goals' and their targets' progress have been chosen (a final proposal is anticipated in March 2016), Additionally, the nations determine when, who, and how much money will be used to achieve the goals.

The impact of these objectives on global sustainable expansion or growth will largely depend on how well the globe is able to transition to new governance for sustainability that recognises the roles and responsibilities of local and subnational governments.
Local governments in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas are well-positioned to link all global goals within their areas of responsibility in order to serve their best to the local people of the place.

As the world's population shifts more and more to urban regions, cities will ultimately determine the success or failure of nations. For cities and human settlements to be inclusive, resilient, sustainable, and secure, urban communities must effectively interact with their peri-urban and rural neighbours to manage resource and service supply.

Due to their close contact to the public, local governments have the ability to comprehend and influence individuals' opinions and behaviour. Local governments need more political and financial power to execute new changes in order to become catalysts of change, whether in addressing poverty, gender equality, or framework that is sustainable

Aspects of sustainable development that are social, economic, and ecological are addressed by 17 more aims
The five Areas of Critical Importance (5Ps) are linked to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development target.

•People
−No Poverty (Goal 1)
−Zero Hunger (Goal 2)
−Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3)
−Quality Education (Goal 4)
−Gender Equality (Goal 5)
−Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal6)
•Prosperity
−Affordable Clean Energy (Goal 7)
−Decent Work and Economic Development (Goal 8)
−Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (Goal 9)
−Reduce Inequalities (Goal 10)
−Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal 11)
−Responsible consumption and production (Goal 12)
•Planet
−Climate Action (Goal 13)
−Life below Water (Goal 14)
−Life on Land (Goal 15)
•Peace and Partnerships
−Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (Goal 16)
 −Partnerships for the goals (Goal 17)

The appeal of the objectives is that everybody can participate, and every contribution—no matter how modest or significant—will have an effect on the globe. We have observed how the goals have positively changed the business environment in our sector. A total of US$ 23 trillion in business prospects for climate-smart investments have been made available to emerging markets thanks to the Paris Agreement alone.

Working largely in developing and transitional nations, we are able to observe the impact of the goals and how they are assisting in the creation of better possibilities for the local populations, as well as the negative impact of the changing environment and the rise in inequality. We must capitalise on this momentum and continue working toward reaching the objective in order to improve the world for us all.

The following is a list of sustainable development goals:

• to inform customers about their daily purchases and to raise environmental consciousness among consumers.
• providing businesses with incentives and other benefits to make items that would lessen environmental risks
• to reward businesses by giving them incentives to produce environmentally friendly items.
• in order to stimulate and increase the use of sustainable resources to educate the public about making purchases that will not have a negative impact on the environs.

Our understanding of sustainable development helps us use resources wisely. It demonstrates how the needs of the present can be satisfied without compromising those of future generations. Crop rotation and the use of other environmentally friendly fertilisers and sowing techniques are encouraged by sustainable development. This will stop soil pollution from erosion. It discourages the use of fossil fuels and encourages the use of greenhouse fuels. This will stop the climate from changing. Resources should be distributed to everyone in accordance with their requirements, according to sustainable development. It supports the preservation and maintenance of our biodiversity. .

Additionally, it promotes the substitution of fossil fuels with clean energy sources like solar and wind energy. It promotes reforestation to replace any trees or other plants that have been cut down. This helps to stop soil erosion and will contribute to a cleaner, more environmentally friendly future. Making wise use of water and preserving every last drop of it are equally important. In order to prevent water wastage, it is crucial to install jet spray, head showers, and hand showers.

As a conclusion, it can be claimed that sustainable development promotes consistency in the demands placed on the environment. Future generations can use the resources because of it. A fantastic strategy for conserving the resources that nature provides is sustainable development. This can be done by utilising environmentally friendly materials and technology that won't have a significant negative influence on the environment. We must use the resources that are at our disposal sustainably to prevent their extinction for use by future generations.

By-
Sriparna Mukherjee
Amity University, Kolkata