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Sheikha Lubna to speak on sustainable development at UN

More than 150 world leaders are expected at UN Headquarters to formally adopt at a three-day summit that begins Friday 25 September, an ambitious new sustainable development agenda. The Conversation is looking at how we got here, and how far we have to go.

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Christian, Islamic and Jewish leaders gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on 18 September to urge the Prime Minister to ensure the United Kingdom plays its part in achieving new global goals to tackle poverty and inequality and protect the environment in every country.

The world could effectively end extreme poverty if it emulated the achievement of the top 10 performing countries in recent years, which averaged a 92 percent reduction between the early 1990s and the late 2000s, the report noted.

So, what are these global goals all about?

The MDGs did not specifically address economic development or infrastructure and were not seen as relevant to developed countries. Some will be more relevant to New Zealand than others but just how aspirational they will be is the big question – and our challenge as players working for a healthier, more equal society. Malala Yousafzai will then share a message alongside 193 young people representatives from all UN Member States.

The LAKAJI-NEXTT project will be a platform for the attainment of seven of these proposed goals when finally adopted particularly goals number 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, and 15. We need to move from indifference and cynicism to an enthusiastic commitment to work for aspirational national targets that will truly make a difference by 2030, the lifetime of the SDGs. Mobile technology Drives extraordinary economic growth and new ways of delivering education, health and rural development.

“In Imphal too we are putting together a cultural afternoon to welcome the SDGs and to urge our leaders to Light the Way!”. They seek to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

And the SDGs seek to raise incomes of the bottom 40% of the population faster than the rest – the opposite of what has been happening in Australia.

The signing of the goals, coupled with the change of leadership in Canberra, provides the opportunity for the Turnbull government to rethink aid budget cuts, Ms Mostyn said.

Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

And with some of the world’s highest carbon emissions per person, the goals of sustainable modern energy (goal 7), sustainable consumption and production (goal 12) and action to combat climate change (goal 13) are clearly relevant.

It will be up to the scientific community to identify simpler indicators and policies that will promote progress, says Stafford Smith, who chairs the scientific committee of Future Earth, an global clearing house for sustainability research. Some targets are now goals in the SDGs.

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Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo said “In order to implement the sustainable development agenda all available resources need to be mobilised in addition to the public financing” he said.

Can the UN protect the planet and humanity