17 April 2014: The Co-chairs of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have issued a revised working document in preparation for the OWG’s 11th session. The new document represents the latest revision to the set of “focus areas” under consideration in the OWG. It includes 16 focus areas and 140 targets.

Focus Area 1, on Poverty eradication, building shared prosperity and promoting equality, calls to “End poverty in all its forms everywhere,” and includes a target to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. Focus Area 2, on Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition, calls to “End hunger and improve nutrition for all through sustainable agriculture and improved food systems,” and includes a target that all people have access to adequate (safe, affordable, diverse and nutritious) food all year round.

Focus Area 3, on Health and population dynamics, calls for “Healthy life at all ages for all,” and includes a target to, by 2030, reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 40 per 100,000 live births, end preventable new-born and child deaths and reduce by x% child and maternal morbidity. Focus Area 4, on Education and life-long learning, calls to “Provide quality education and life-long learning for all,” and includes a target to, by 2030, ensure universal, free, equitable access to and completion of quality primary and secondary education for all girls and boys, leading to effective learning outcomes.

Focus Area 5, on Gender equality and women’s empowerment, calls to “Attain gender equality and women’s empowerment everywhere,” and includes a target to, by 2030, end all forms of discrimination against women of all ages. Focus Area 6, on Water and sanitation, calls for “Water and sanitation for a sustainable world,” and includes a target to, by 2030, provide universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, especially for women and girls.

Focus Area 7, on Energy, calls to “Ensure access to affordable, sustainable, and reliable modern energy for all,” and includes a target to, by 2030, ensure universal access to sustainable modern energy services. Focus Area 8, on Economic growth, employment and infrastructure, calls to “Promote sustainable, inclusive and sustained economic growth and decent jobs for all,” and includes a target to sustain income growth of the bottom 40% of the income distribution of each country to reduce income inequalities by 2030.

Focus Area 9, on Industrialization and promoting equality among nations, calls to “Promote sustainable industrialization and equality among nations,” and includes a target to ensure adequate policy space and a conducive policy environment for industrial development, including encouragement of industrial entrepreneurship and enterprise formation with inclusion of SMEs. Focus Area 10, on Sustainable cities and human settlements, calls to “Build inclusive, safe and sustainable cities and human settlements,” and includes a target to, by 2030, ensure universal access to adequate and affordable housing and basic services for all, and eliminate slum-like conditions everywhere.

Focus Area 11, on Sustainable Consumption and Production, calls to “Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns,” and includes a target to, by 2030, achieve sustainable management and use of natural resources. Focus Area 12, on Climate change, calls to “Take urgent and significant action to mitigate and adapt to climate change” and “Build a climate change goal based on the outcome of COP21 of the UNFCCC.” It includes a target to hold the increase in global average temperature below an x°C rise in accordance with international agreements.

Focus Area 13, on Conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, oceans and seas, calls to “Take urgent and significant actions for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, oceans and seas,” and includes a target to, by 2030, prevent, control and reduce by x% marine pollution and marine disposal of waste and tailings, including from land-based activities. Focus Area 14, on Ecosystems and biodiversity, calls to “Protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems and halt all biodiversity loss,” and includes a target to, by 2020, halt the loss of all biodiversity, including habitats, and protect threatened species, and to, by 2030, achieve a land degradation neutral world.

Focus Area 15, on Means of implementation/Global partnership for sustainable development, calls to “Strengthen global partnership for sustainable development.” It identifies as means of implementation: Trade; Technology transfer, technological capabilities; Financing and debt sustainability; Capacity building; and Strengthened global partnership for sustainable development, with targets under each category. Focus Area 16, on Peaceful and inclusive societies, rule of law and capable institutions, calls for “Peaceful and inclusive societies, rule of law and capable institutions.” It includes targets on “Creating peaceful and inclusive societies” and on “Rule of law, capable institutions.”

Each focus area also notes “appropriate means of implementation,” in addition to Focus Area 15.

Endnotes to the document indicate the level of support for targets, attribute suggested targets to specific Member States, and note potential indicators, inter alia.

In a letter to all UN Member States, OWG co-Chairs Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya, and Csaba Kőrösi, Permanent Representative of Hungary, recall that at OWG 10 it was agreed that they also would compile Member States’ proposals on goals and targets, to “serve as a comprehensive reference as we work through the working document” at OWG 11. They invite delegations to make written submissions for this compilation by 30 April.

OWG 11 will convene in New York, US, from 5-9 May 2014. [Letter from Co-Chairs] [Working Document for OWG 11] [OWG Website] [IISD RS Coverage of OWG 10]