Dec 4, 2014 — Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet. Synthesis Report of the Secretary-General. On the Post-2015 Agenda.
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Table of Contents 1. A universal call to action to transform our world b eyond 2015 2. A Synthesis 2.1. What we have learned from decades of development ex perience 2.2. What we have learned from the post-2015 process 2.3. Shared ambitions for a shared future 3. Framing the new agenda 3.1. Setting the stage 3.2. A transformational approach 3.3. Six essential elements for delivering on the SDGs 3.4. Integrating the six essential elements 4. Mobilizing the means to implement our agenda 4.1. Financing our future 4.2. Technology, science, and innovation for a sustainab le future 4.3. Investing in sustainable development capacities 5. Delivering our agenda: a shared responsibility 5.1. Measuring the new dynamics 5.2. Lighting the way: the role of data in the new agend a 5.3. Gauging our progress: monitoring, evaluation, and r eporting 5.4. Making the UN fit for a sustainable future 6. Conclusion: together in a universal compact
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fiWe recognize that people are at the centre of sust ainable development and, in this regard, we strive for a world that is just, equitable and incl usive, and we commit to work together to promote sustained and inclusive economic growth, social dev elopment and environmental protection and thereby to benefit all.fl Rio+20 Outcome Document, The Future We Want 1. A Universal Call to Action to Transform our Wor ld beyond 2015 1. The year 2015 offers a unique opportunity for globa l leaders and people to end poverty, transform the world to better meet human n eeds and the necessities of economic transformation, while protecting our environment, e nsuring peace and realizing human rights. 2. We are at a historic crossroads, and the directions we take will determine whether we will succeed or fail on our promises. Wi th our globalized economy and sophisticated technology, we can decide to end the age-old ills of extreme poverty and hunger. Or we can continue to degrade our planet an d allow intolerable inequalities to sow bitterness and despair. Our ambition is to achi eve sustainable development for all. 3. Young people will be the torch bearers of the next sustainable development agenda through 2030. We must ensure that this trans ition, while protecting the planet, leaves no one behind. We have a shared responsibili ty to embark on a path to inclusive and shared prosperity in a peaceful and resilient w orld where human rights and the rule of law are upheld. 4. Transformation is our watchword. At this moment in time, we are called to lead and act with courage. We are called to embrace chan ge. Change in our societies. Change in the management of our economies. Change in our r elationship with our one and only planet. 5. In doing so, we can more fully respond to the needs of our time and deliver on the timeless promise made at the birth of the Unite d Nations.
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6. Seventy years ago, in adopting the Organization™s f ounding Charter, the nations of the world made a solemn commitment: fito save suc ceeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental hu man rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and wo men and of nations large and small, to establish conditions under which justice and res pect for international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and bett er standards of life in larger freedom. ifi 7. Building on this core promise, the Declaration on t he Right to Development (1986) called for an approach that would guarantee the meaningful participation of all in development, and the fair distribution of its benef its. 8. Humankind has achieved impressive progress in the p ast seven decades. We have reduced violence and established global instit utions, a code of agreed universal principles, and a rich tapestry of international la w. We have witnessed stunning technological progress, millions upon millions lift ed from poverty, millions more empowered, diseases defeated, life expectancies on the rise, colonialism dismantled, new nations born, apartheid conquered, democratic pract ices take deeper roots, and vibrant, economies built in all regions. 9. Since the 1992 fiEarth Summitfl in Rio de Janeiro, we have identified a new pathway to human wellbeing Œ the path of sustainabl e development. The Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals ar ticulated in the year 2000 placed people at the center, generating unprecedented impr ovements in the lives of many around the world. The global mobilization behind the MDGs showed that multilateral action can make a tangible difference. 10. Yet conditions in today™s world are a far cry from the vision of the Charter. Amid great plenty for some, we witness pervasive po verty, gross inequalities, joblessness, disease and deprivation for billions. Displacement is at its highest level since the Second World War. Armed conflict, crime, terrorism, persec ution, corruption, impunity and the erosion of the rule of law are daily realities. The impacts of the global economic, food and energy crises are still being felt. The consequence s of climate change have only just begun. These failings and shortcomings have done as much to define the modern era as has our progress in science, technology and the mob ilization of global social movements.
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11. Our globalized world is marked by extraordinary pro gress alongside unacceptable Œ and unsustainable Œ levels of want, fear, discrimination, exploitation, injustice and environmental folly at all levels. 12. However, we also know that these problems are not a ccidents of nature or the results of phenomena beyond our control. They resul t from actions and omissions of people Œ public institutions, the private sector, a nd others charged with protecting human rights and upholding human dignity. 13. We have the know-how and the means to address these challenges. But we need urgent leadership and joint action now. 14. These are universal challenges. They demand new hei ghts of multilateral action based on evidence and built on shared values, princ iples, and priorities for a common destiny. 15. Our global commitments under the Charter should com pel us to act. Our sense of empathy and enlightened self-interest should com pel us to act. Our responsibilities as stewards of the planet should equally compel us to act. None of today™s threats respect boundaries drawn by human beings Œ whether those bo undaries are national borders, or boundaries of class, ability, age, gender, geograph y, ethnicity, or religion. 16. In an irreversibly interconnected world, the challe nges faced by any become the challenges faced by each of us Œ sometimes graduall y but often suddenly. However, facing these vexed challenges is not only a burden; it is far more an opportunity to forge new partnerships and alliances that can work togeth er to advance the human condition. 17. The MDG experience provides compelling evidence tha t the international community can be mobilized to confront such complex challenges. Governments, civil society and a wide range of international actors co alesced behind the MDGs in a multi- front battle against poverty and disease. They gene rated innovative approaches, vital new data, new resources, and new tools and technology f or this struggle. Transparency was enhanced, multilateral approaches were strengthened , and a results-based approach to public policy was fostered. Sound public policies inspired by the MDGs, enhanced by collective action and international cooperation, le ad to remarkable successes. In two decades since 1990, the world has halved extreme po verty, lifting 700 million out of
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˘ extreme poverty. Between 2000 and 2010, an estimate d 3.3 million deaths from malaria were averted, and 22 million lives were saved from fighting tuberculosis. Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected peopl e has saved 6.6 million lives since 1995. At the same time, gender parity in primary sc hool enrolment, access to child and maternal health care, and in women™s political part icipation improved steadily .ii 18. We must invest in the unfinished work of the MDGs, and use them as a springboard into the future we want Œ a future free from poverty and built on human rights, equality and sustainability. This is our d uty and it must be the legacy we strive to leave for our children. 19. In our quest to shape a global sustainable developm ent agenda for the years beyond 2015, the international community has embark ed upon an unprecedented process. Never before has so broad and inclusive a consultat ion been undertaken on so many matters of global concern. In two short years sinc e the Rio + 20 Conference laid the cornerstone for the Post-2015 process, all Member S tates, the entire UN system, experts, and a cross-section of civil society, business andŠ most importantly– millions of people from all corners of the globe, have travelled this crucially important journey. This, in itself, is reason for great hope. The creativity an d shared sense of purpose that has emerged from across the human family is proof that we can come together to innovate and collaborate in search of solutions and the comm on good. 20. Having now opened the tent wide to a broad constitu ency, we must recognize that the legitimacy of this process will rest in si gnificant measure on the degree to which the core messages that we have heard are reflected in the final outcome. This is no time to succumb to political expediency, or to tolerate the lowest common denominators. The new threats that face us, and the new opportunities that present themselves, demand a high level of ambition and a truly participatory, r esponsive and transformational course of action. 21. This includes tackling climate change. As underscor ed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change exac erbates threats. It makes delivering on the sustainable development agenda more difficul t because of reversing positive trends, new uncertainties, or mounting costs of res ilience.
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ˆ 2. A Synthesis fiAll that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.fl Albert Einstein 2.1 What we have learned from two decades of develo pment experience 26. There is much that is new, and, indeed, transformat ional in the global conversation on a Post-2015 Agenda. But the roots o f this conversation are deep, and extend to the experience of the development communi ty in the last twenty years, and the visionary outcomes of the global conferences of the 1990s, the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Millennium Summit and the MDGs of 2000, the 200 5 World Summit, the 2010 MDG Summit, and the lead up to the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. 27. The cornerstone for the current global process of r enewal was established in Rio de Janeiro in June of 2012, with the adoption of th e outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development fiThe Future We Want.fl The document described the lessons learned from two dec ades of development experience, and provided an extensive assessment of the progres s and gaps in the implementation of the sustainable development agenda. 28. While insufficient and uneven, progress has been re markable. Only two short decades ago, close to 40 per cent of the developing world lived in extreme poverty, and the notion of poverty eradication seemed inconceiva ble. Following profound and consistent gains, we now know that extreme poverty can be eradicated within one more generation. The MDGs have greatly contributed to th is progress, and have taught us how governments, business, and civil society can work t ogether to achieve transformational breakthroughs. 29. We have witnessed significant progress in several L east Developed Countries (LDCs) in the past two decades. In the same period, middle-income countries have become new engines of global growth, lifting many o f their own citizens out of poverty and creating a sizeable middle class. Some countrie s have shown real progress in reducing inequalities. Others have attained univers al health coverage. Still others have evolved into some of the world™s most advanced and digitally connected societies. Wages have increased, social protection has been expanded , green technologies have taken root,
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˙ and education standards have advanced. Several cou ntries have emerged from conflict and made steady gains on the road to reconstruction , peace and development. These wide- ranging experiences demonstrate that vulnerability and exclusion can be overcome, and what is possible in the years ahead. 30. New demographic trends are changing our world. We a re already a global family of seven billion people and are likely to re ach nine billion by 2050. We are an ageing world, as people live longer and healthier l ives. We are increasingly an urban world, with more than half the world™s population l iving in towns and cities. And we are a mobile world, with more than 232 million internatio nal migrants Œ and almost one billion when internal migrants are counted. These trends w ill have direct impacts on our goals and present both challenges and opportunities. 31. We see how new technologies can open up more sustai nable approaches and more efficient practices. We know that the public sector can raise significantly more revenues by reforming tax systems, fighting tax eva sion, correcting inequities, and combatting corruption. We know that there is an eno rmous amount of untapped and wasted resources that can be directed to sustainabl e development. We know that forward- looking companies are taking the lead by transformi ng their business models for sustainable development, and that we have only scra tched the surface of the potential for ethics-driven investment by the private sector. Wit h the right incentives, policies, regulations and monitoring, great opportunities cou ld abound. We know that a data revolution is unfolding, allowing us to see more cl early than ever where we are and where we need to go, and to ensure that everyone is count ed. We know that creative initiatives across the world are pioneering new models of susta inable production and consumption that can be replicated. We know that governance at both the national and international levels can be reformed to more efficiently serve 21 st century realities. And we know that our world today is host to the first truly globaliz ed, interconnected, and highly mobilized civil society, ready and able to serve as a partici pant, joint steward, and powerful engine of change and transformation. 32. We have already begun to correct our course towards transformation. 33. The discussion on the Post-2015 Agenda has stressed the importance of the specific conditions of each country, an advance in perspective from the MDG framework.
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Special attention was required for the most vulnera ble, in particular African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing co untries and the small island developing States. Particular attention should also be given to the challenges faced by the middle-income countries and countries in situations of fragility and conflict. 34. Member States have emphasized that sustainable deve lopment must be inclusive and people-centred. They underscored the importance of ecosystems to people™s livelihoods, their economic, social, physical and m ental well-being, as well as their cultural heritage Œ fiMother Earthfl as it is known i n many traditions. 35. Member States have also underscored the need to imp rove measures of progress, such as gross domestic product, in order to better inform policy decisions. While acknowledging the natural and cultural diversity of the world, they have also recognized that all cultures and civilizations can contribute to sustainable development. Finally, they have called for holistic and integrated approaches to sustainable development that will guide humanity to live in harmony with the planet™s fragile ecosystems. 2.2 What we have learned from the post-2015 process 36. The international community has come a long way in its deliberation on the new development agenda. In July 2013, further to a requ est by the General Assembly, I submitted to the membership my report A Life of Dignity for All . In it, I recommended the development of a universal, integrated and huma n rights-based agenda for sustainable development, addressing economic growth, social jus tice and environmental stewardship and highlighting the link between peace, developmen t and human rights Œ an agenda that leaves no one behind. I called as well for rigorou s review and monitoring, better and more disaggregated data, and goals and targets that are measurable and adaptable. I outlined a number of transformative actions that wo uld apply to all countries iii . 37. Many voices have informed this debate, and there ha ve been valuable inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. (a) People around the world aired their views through t he unprecedented consultations and outreach efforts of organized civil society gro ups as well as the global conversation led by the United Nations Development Group on A Million Voices: The World We Want , Delivering on the Post-2015 Agenda: Opportunities at the
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National and Local Level, and MY World Survey. Millions of people especially young persons, took part in these processes, throug h national, thematic, and on-line consultations and surveys, as mirrored in the Global Youth Call and the outcome of the 65 th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference . The direct and active engagement of parliamentarians, business and civil society has al so been critical. (b) The leaders of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-201 5 Development Agenda called for five fitransformative shiftsfl that leave no one behind by 1) ending extreme poverty, 2) placing sustainabl e development at the core, 3) transforming economies for decent jobs and inclusiv e growth, 4) building peaceful societies as well as open, transparent, accountable governance, and 5) forging a new global partnership for sustainable development. (c) The academics and scientists convened through the Sustainable Development Solutions Network recommended the adoption of a science-based and ac tion- oriented agenda, integrating four interdependent di mensions of sustainable development (economic, social, environmental, and g overnance). (d) The key role of business in the post-2015 agenda wa s distilled in the report of the UN Global Compact . Companies are ready to change how they do busine ss and contribute by transforming markets from within and making production, consumption and the allocation of capital more inclusive and su stainable. (e) The report of the Regional Commissions highlighted the importance of regional efforts in adapting globally agreed goals and polic y priorities to nationally specific realities. (f) The experiences and expertise of the UN system were put forward in the report of the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 Agenda and the work of the Techni cal Support Team (TST). (g) At the Principal level, leadership and guidance was received through the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination . (h) The members of the High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability recommended a sustainable path to enhance human well-being, furth er global justice, strengthen gender equity and preserve the Earth™s life-support systems for future generations. 38. Throughout 2014, Member States exchanged views and consolidated their ideas through the work of existing UN development entitie s. ECOSOC and its functional and regional commissions, committees and expert bodies have identified the potential
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