Sustainable Development Goals in USA

Last Updated : 19 Mar, 2024

Sustainable Development in USA: The United States aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. These goals focus on improving economic opportunities, ensuring fairness, and protecting the environment. They’re also known as the Global Goals. The SDGs urge worldwide action to eliminate poverty, safeguard the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all by 2030. They emphasize the importance of meeting current needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

In this article, we are going to discuss the Sustainable Development in USA in detail.

Sustainable Development in the USA

A 2021 report indicates that US states are not progressing quickly enough to meet the SDGs by 2030. In every state, at least 20 percent of indicators are moving in the wrong direction. The report highlights shortcomings in protecting the environment, reducing inequality, and ensuring healthy lives. In 2015, 193 countries in the United Nations agreed on a plan called the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This plan is like a roadmap for making the world better by 2030. It focuses on 17 goals for things like ending poverty, protecting nature, and promoting fairness.

Goal	Goal Description
1	No Poverty – Making sure everyone has enough money to live well.
2	Zero Hunger – Making sure everyone has enough food to eat and stay healthy.
3	Good Health and Well-being – Making sure people are healthy and can get medical help.
4	Quality Education – Making sure everyone gets a good education.
5	Gender Equality – Making sure men and women are treated fairly and have the same chances.
6	Clean Water and Sanitation – Making sure everyone has clean drinking water and good toilets.
7	Affordable and Clean Energy – Making sure everyone can get energy without harming the environment.
8	Decent Work and Economic Growth – Making sure everyone has a good job and the economy gets better.
9	Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – Making sure buildings and machines are made better and new ideas are used.
10	Reduced Inequalities – Making sure everyone is treated fairly, no matter who they are.
11	Sustainable Cities and Communities – Making sure cities and towns are safe and good places to live.
12	Responsible Consumption and Production – Using things wisely and making things in a good way.
13	Climate Action – Doing things to stop the Earth from getting too hot and causing problems.
14	Life Below Water – Protecting animals and plants in the sea.
15	Life on Land – Protecting animals and plants on land.
16	Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Making sure there is peace, fairness, and strong organizations.
17	Partnerships for the Goals – Working together with others to make good things happen.

Sustainable Development in the USA – No Poverty

Everyone should have enough money for basics like food, housing, and clothes. Jobs that pay well are crucial for people to afford what they need. It’s important to support those who are struggling financially or otherwise. Programs that assist people in tough situations are vital. We need to make the economy work for everyone, not just a select few. Fairness is important so that everyone has similar opportunities and resources. Providing education and skill-building opportunities can empower individuals and communities to improve their lives.

The 2030 Agenda aims to end severe poverty globally by 2030.
Severe poverty means living on very little money each day.
Progress in reducing severe poverty has been good in recent years.
But the COVID-19 pandemic stopped this progress and made severe poverty worse.
Even before the pandemic, the rate of reducing poverty was slowing down.
By the end of 2022, about 8.4% of the world’s population, or around 670 million people, were still extremely poor.
This setback erased about three years of progress in helping poor people.
If things don’t change, about 7% of the world’s people, or around 575 million, could still be extremely poor by 2030.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Zero Hunger

Make sure everyone has enough food to eat every day. Help farmers grow more food in a way that doesn’t hurt the Earth. Make it easier for farmers to sell their food. Use food more efficiently and don’t waste it. Make sure everyone gets good nutrition, especially kids and pregnant women. Support small farmers and their families. Put more money into farming and helping rural areas. Make sure food is cheap enough for everyone, especially those who need it most.

Goal 2 aims to end hunger worldwide by 2030.
Hunger and food insecurity have worsened since 2015 due to factors like the pandemic, conflict, climate change, and inequalities.
In 2022, about 735 million people (9.2% of the world’s population) suffered from chronic hunger, a significant increase from 2019.
Approximately 2.4 billion people faced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2022, a rise of 391 million compared to 2019.
The persistent rise in hunger requires urgent global action to address this humanitarian crisis.
Hunger and malnutrition hinder sustainable development, trapping individuals in poverty.
2 billion people lack regular access to safe and nutritious food.
In 2022, 148 million children experienced stunted growth, and 45 million children under 5 suffered from wasting.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Good Health and Well-being

Everyone should have access to doctors and medicines. People need to stay clean to avoid getting sick. Exercise and eating healthy food are important for staying strong. Making sure mothers and babies get good care during pregnancy and after birth. Teaching people about diseases and how to prevent them. Helping people with mental health problems get support and care. Making sure everyone has clean water to drink and good sanitation to prevent illnesses. Providing vaccinations to protect against diseases.

USA doing better at keeping young children healthy.
HIV treatment has helped reduce the number of people dying from AIDS.
Some diseases that weren’t getting much attention before are being taken care of in many places.
But, not everyone has the same access to healthcare.
The COVID-19 pandemic and other big problems have slowed down progress.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Quality Education

Making sure every child has a good school to go to. Ensuring teachers are well-trained to teach children effectively. Making education available for everyone, from children to adults. Creating safe and welcoming places for students to learn. Making sure education is available to children regardless of where they live or their background. Providing schools with books, technology, and other resources they need to teach well. Encouraging children to ask questions and explore new ideas. Teaching practical skills alongside academic subjects to prepare students for the future.

Before COVID-19, progress toward better education was already slow, but the pandemic made it worse.
COVID-19 affected education badly, causing many students to fall behind in learning in most of the 104 countries studied.
Without extra help, about 84 million kids might not go to school by 2030, and roughly 300 million students might not learn basic math and reading skills they need.
By 2030, the goal is to give all boys and girls free schooling from primary to high school. They also want to make sure vocational training is affordable for everyone, erase differences in education between boys and girls and rich and poor kids, and make sure everyone can go to good colleges.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Gender Equality

Making sure men and women have the same chances and rights. Ensuring that girls and boys get equal opportunities for education. Promoting fair treatment and pay for men and women doing the same jobs. Stopping discrimination against women and girls in all areas of life. Encouraging women’s involvement in decision-making processes. Providing access to healthcare and support for women’s reproductive rights. Combating violence and harmful practices against women and girls. Creating policies and laws that promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Gender equality means ensuring that all individuals receive fair treatment, regardless of their gender.
It is crucial for fostering peace, happiness, and justice in society.
Despite some recent improvements, we are still far from achieving full equality by 2030. Both boys and girls constitute half of the world’s population and possess equal potential. However, pervasive gender disparities persist, impeding societal progress.
Globally, women often receive lower wages than men for identical work and bear a disproportionate burden of household chores and caregiving responsibilities without compensation.
Issues such as sexual violence, unequal distribution of domestic duties, and limited opportunities in politics and employment remain significant challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, with heightened reports of sexual violence, increased caregiving duties for women due to school closures, and a predominance of female workers in healthcare and service professions.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Clean Water and Sanitation

Make sure everyone can drink clean water. Improve toilets and how we get rid of waste. Teach people why clean water and staying clean are important. Keep water sources safe from dirt and bad things. Give clean water and toilets to people in villages and poor city areas. Use new technology to clean water and waste better. Help communities to make their water and toilets clean. Check water often to make sure it’s safe to drink.

Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is crucial for human health and well-being.
Billions of people will lack access to these basic services by 2030 if progress doesn’t increase dramatically.
Demand for water is rising due to population growth, urbanization, and increased needs from agriculture, industry, and energy sectors.
Half of the world’s population already faces severe water scarcity for at least one month per year.
Water scarcity is expected to worsen with rising global temperatures caused by climate change.
Investments in infrastructure, sanitation facilities, and ecosystem protection are essential for ensuring universal access to clean drinking water by 2030.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Affordable and Clean Energy

Energy that doesn’t cost a lot for people to use. Energy made in a way that doesn’t hurt the environment. It helps everyone, no matter where they live, to have energy. We need to use energy carefully so we don’t run out of it. Energy from things like sunlight and wind is good for the Earth. Making energy sources cleaner helps to reduce dirty stuff in the air and water. Using energy sources like sunlight and wind power that won’t run out. Everyone should have the chance to use energy without hurting nature.

The world is progressing towards sustainable energy goals, but not swiftly enough.
Approximately 660 million people are projected to still lack electricity access by 2030.
Nearly 2 billion people will continue relying on polluting fuels for cooking by the same year.
Energy consumption is the leading contributor to climate change, accounting for about 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Access to electricity increased from 87 percent to 91 percent of the global population between 2015 and 2021.
Achieving universal access to affordable electricity by 2030 requires investing in clean energy sources like solar, wind, and thermal.
Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology in developing countries for clean energy provision is crucial for both economic growth and environmental preservation.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Decent Work and Economic Growth

Everyone should have a job that pays enough for a good life. We need to make more jobs for people who want to work. Workers should be treated fairly and not be taken advantage of. Businesses should grow in a way that helps the economy and doesn’t harm nature. Education and training should be available so people can learn the skills they need for good jobs. Small businesses should be helped to grow and do well. We should make sure that economic growth helps everyone, not just a few people. Governments should make rules that help create jobs and make sure work conditions are fair.

Various challenges threaten the global economy.
Predictions suggest a slowdown in global real GDP per person growth in 2023.
Increasingly tough economic conditions are driving more individuals toward informal employment.
Globally, labor productivity is on the rise, and unemployment rates are decreasing.
Additional efforts are required to enhance job opportunities, especially for youth, and diminish informal employment.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Make better buildings and roads. Come up with new ideas to make things work better. Build faster and safer ways to travel. Improve internet access for everyone. Create jobs in new industries. Use technology to solve problems. Make sure everyone can use modern technology. Build things in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.

Preceding the COVID-19 outbreak, global manufacturing, a pivotal economic force, experienced a gradual decline due to tariffs and trade tensions.
The pandemic-induced downturn in manufacturing has had profound effects on the global economy, aggravated by factors such as soaring inflation and energy price fluctuations.
Persistent disruptions in the supply chain for raw materials and intermediate goods have further compounded the challenges.
Despite notable advancements in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) in Asia, African LDCs must significantly hasten their progress to meet the 2030 targets.
Nevertheless, sectors specializing in medium-high and high-technology have exhibited resilient growth rates.

Sustainable Development in the USA – Reduced Inequalities

Treat everyone equally, no matter who they are. Make sure everyone has the same chances to do well. Help people who are treated unfairly because of their race, gender, or where they come from. Make laws that protect people from being treated unfairly. Make sure everyone can go to school and see a doctor, no matter who they are. Make jobs for everyone, no matter how much money they have. Help people who are poor or left out to make their lives better. Encourage communities to work together and help each other, no matter what makes them different.

Injustice threatens long-term social and economic progress, undermining poverty alleviation efforts.
Emerging evidence indicates that COVID-19 may have hindered the positive trend of decreasing within-country disparities.
The pandemic has led to the largest increase in between-country inequality in three decades.
To address inequality, fair distribution of resources, investment in education and skill development, and implementation of social safety measures are essential.
Combatting prejudice, supporting marginalized groups, and fostering international cooperation are also crucial for reducing inequality.

FAQs on Sustainable Development in the US

What is USA doing for sustainable development?

On behalf of the American people, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) leads the U.S. Government’s international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises.

What is the US doing about sustainability?

Reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 50-52% below 2005 levels in 2030. Reaching 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035. Achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. Delivering 40% of the benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities.

How sustainable is the USA?

The USA has a diverse landscape, including forests, mountains, deserts, and coasts. The US also has a large economy, which consumes natural resources at an alarming rate. The US is not environmentally sustainable. The country has the world’s largest economy and the world’s second-largest carbon footprint after China.

Is US economic growth sustainable?

Cooling inflation, continued economic growth, and a strong labor market exemplify the sustained resilience of the U.S. economy, particularly compared with other advanced economies.

What is the green plan in the US?

In 2006, a Green New Deal was created by the Green New Deal Task Force as a plan for one hundred percent clean, renewable energy by 2030 utilizing a carbon tax, a jobs guarantee, free college, single-payer healthcare, and a focus on using public programs.

What are the three main phases of sustainability in the United States?

Sustainability is commonly characterized in terms of the interdependence among three broad dimensions—environment, economy, and society—while considering both present and future generations.

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