Sustainable development goals

In 2015, 193 countries agreed on 17 UN-led goals to eradicate poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change.
The 17 SDGs cover the full range of development issues in all countries, such as climate, biodiversity, energy, water, poverty, gender equality, economic prosperity, peace, agriculture, education, etc.

The 17 sustainable development goals

SDG 1 - NO POVERTY

End poverty in all its forms everywhere
SDG 2 - ZERO HUNGER

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
SDG 3 - GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG 4 - QUALITY EDUCATION

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
SDG 5 - GENDER EQUALITY

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
SDSG 6 - CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDG 7 - AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
SDG 8 - DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
SDG 9 - INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
SDG 10 - REDUCED INEQUALITIES

Reduce inequality within and among countries
SDG11 - SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
SDG12 - RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
SDG13 - CLIMATE ACTION

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
SDG14 - LIFE BELOW WATER

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
SDG15 - LIFE ON LAND

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
SDG16 - PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
SDG17 - PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

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

These objectives have been taken up by France in its Agenda 2030 and translated into commitments and concrete proposals around 6 challenges:

 

For higher education and research

Developing science for sustainable development goals

 
  • Set up a national action plan to develop a "Science for the SDGs", involving the general public and decision-makers (public, private, associations, etc.) to evaluate, inform and experiment
  • Strengthen and decompartmentalise European and international cooperation initiatives, particularly with the least developed and developing countries
  • Promote global scientific expertise (such as IPCC, IPBES, CFS, HLPE)


Designing educational programmes and systems around the SDGs
 

  • Participate in the SDSN-France network: school-university-business-research network
  • Integrate the SDGs in the training and multidisciplinary pathways of students (curricula, theses, projects...), and in particular of future teachers
  • Open more multidisciplinary courses to address issues that span the different SDGs
Published on October 11, 2021 Updated on March 4, 2025