As the countdown begins for the UN summit in New York in September, governments are now discussing a new set of universal goals that UN member states will use to frame their development agendas and policies until 2030.

The 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will succeed the previous Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which had been agreed upon in 2000 and are set to expire this year.

In comparison, the SDGs are more comprehensive and have been built upon possibly the largest consultation process in history to gauge public opinion on what the new goals should include. The SDGs, which are further broken down into 169 targets, include such pillars as ending poverty and hunger, ensuring quality education for all, achieving gender equality, and combating climate change.

If governments agree on the draft of the 17 goals at the summit this September, then the SDGs may soon begin transforming the world.

Draft Sustainable Development Goals

 1.

 End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

 2.

 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

 3.

 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

 4.

 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

 5.

 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

 6.

 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

 7.

 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

 8.

 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

 9.

 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

 10.

 Reduce inequality within and among countries.

 11.

 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

 12.

 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

 13.

 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

 14.

 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

 15.

 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

 16.

 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

 17.

 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.