Page 63 - U4SSC Factsheet, Mashhad, Iran (Islamic Republic of), September 2021

U4SSC in the International Context

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

‘A smart sustainable city is an innovative city that uses information and communication
technologies (ICTs) and other means to improve quality of life, efficiency of urban operation
and services, and competitiveness, while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and
future generations with respect to economic, social, environmental as well as cultural aspects.’

(ITU and UNECE, 2015)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United
Nations (UN) in 2015 as an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a
global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go together
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with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth
– all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The goals are broad and somewhat interdependent, yet each has a separate list of targets to
achieve. The SDGs cover social and economic development issues that include poverty, hunger,
health, education, climate change, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, economic growth,
innovation, sustainability, responsible consumption, environment, social justice and partnerships.
There are 169 targets for the 17 goals; achievement of all targets signals the accomplishment of
all 17 goals. Twenty of the targets are quantitative in nature, while the majority are more qualitative.

The SDGs were presented as part of the ‘Transforming our World: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development’. The 2030 Agenda was developed to succeed the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs), which ended in 2015. Unlike the MDGs, the SDGs framework does not distinguish between
‘developed’ and ‘developing’ nations; instead, the goals are meant to apply to all countries.

Localization, i.e., implementation of the SDGs, started worldwide in 2016. To further the progress
of this localization, the SDGs are being promoted globally through several initiatives and advocacy
platforms that are coordinated and supported by various UN programmes and agencies, including
U4SSC in cities.

Meeting the SDGs is important for any city – particularly aspiring smart sustainable cities – because
the SDGs framework is designed to help cities recognize priorities and establish long-term goals.
The SDGs are designed to reveal the interdependent dynamics within various facets of sustainable
development such as economic, social, and environmental conditions. The goals are meant to show,
for example, how continued reliance on fossil fuels affects not only climate change and air quality
but also public health, which then negatively impacts poverty rates and economic opportunities.
By working within the SDGs framework, policymakers can get to the root of their cities’ issues.
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