The global community is presently grappling with numerous challenges arising from past industrial, economic, and agricultural activities. Some of the recorded trends, such as the loss of habitats and overuse of natural resources, have made the global environment unsustainable and incapable of supporting future human life. To ensure that the planet is capable of supporting people’s prosperity today and in the future, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly formulated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the year 2015. SDG 17 interconnects all the other 16 goals by promoting cooperation among key stakeholders to support the delivery of sustainable results. The consideration of success stories and progresses made in different parts of the country can help more countries establish new international partnerships to deliver meaningful and sustainable development.
UN Goals: Vulnerability
The UN examines and monitors a wide range of trends at the global level to understand what is affecting vulnerable populations. In 2015, the formulation of SDGs was informed by the predicaments many people were facing and the possible destruction of natural habitats. For instance, Montiel et al. (2021) indicate that the waves of globalization and industrialization led to unique economic models that focused primarily on producing a wide range of consumer products. This model was insensitive to numerous social and environmental problems that had the potential to affect future generations, including poverty, habitat losses, overuse of resources, and increasing levels of pollution (Moallemi et al., 2020). Those in power throughout the 20th century ignored most of these concerns: poverty rates, desertification, food insecurity, educational outcomes, and environmental conservation (United Nations, 2022). The end result has been an unsustainable global environment that might disorient the fate of more lives.
These trends have led to numerous vulnerabilities that call for evidence-based solutions. For instance, more people are being displaced due to the changes recorded in the natural environment. Key triggers include chaos associated with the reducing levels of resources and increasing human population (Montiel et al., 2021). Extreme weather and climate patterns have led to numerous challenges, such as heavy downpours and droughts that have affected the integrity of agricultural fields (Montiel et al., 2021). Cases of poverty, lack of resources, poor health outcomes, diseases, and conflicts have emerged in different parts of the world.
Cycle of Vulnerability
SDG 17 stands out as a powerful goal intended to promote partnership for improved sustainability. Montiel et al. (2021) reveal that the international community needs to mobilize and allocate adequate financial resources in an effort to meet the demands of emerging economies. However, the level of collaboration has remained low due to the divergent aims and economic models of the involved countries. Additionally, bilateral trade arrangements appear to support nations with large economies while ignoring small ones (Montiel et al., 2021). In the fields of innovation and technology, a unique disparity exists between the developed and the underdeveloped world.
Emerging nations and communities remain vulnerable since they do not have access to modern scientific resources. The existing leadership models in such countries tend to be ineffective due to corruption and nepotism. The established business practices tend to remain unsustainable or incapable of addressing the other SDGs (Montiel et al., 2021). On top of these issues, poverty index, pollution, and economic performance levels remain below acceptable levels. Similarly, most of the developed countries continue to promote economic and trade approaches that are competitive in nature. Consequently, it has become hard for majority of them to cooperate and focus on the best approaches to take sustainability to the next level.
International Partnerships and Challenges
The promotion and success of SDG 17 depends largely on various attributes, including the availability of economic resources and politics of coordination. The concept of global or international partnership has the potential to help developing companies to implement better economic models that are realistic and sustainable (Maltais et al., 2018). The model increases chances for managing debt and financial resources while at the same time improving investment. The case of the European Union (EU) reveals how development assistance programs can meet the needs of emerging countries and eventually deliver positive economic outcomes.
Economic resources are critical since they can guide more countries to improve their performances and address noticeable challenges. For instance, technologies have the potential to improve cooperation and ensure that more states are able to achieve their social and economic objectives. The provision of raw materials, ideas, scientific knowledge, and leadership models could help most of the emerging countries to take the issue of sustainability seriously (Ordonez-Ponce et al., 2021). SDG 17 would become the best guiding principle for ensuring all the goals are aligned and capable of delivering positive outcomes.
Politics of coordination emerges as a powerful approach for fostering international partnerships. Such efforts need to integrate all key stakeholders at the international level, including governments, regional economic blocs, civil society groups, private sectors, and global agencies. These players will present guidelines for ensuring that most of the wealthier countries are involved and ready to support poorer economies (Ordonez-Ponce et al., 2021). They will offer technical, scientific, and financial resources to mitigate most of the recorded obstacles and increase chances of promoting sustainable efforts.
However, various challenges are evident that might affect the implementation and realization of SDG 17 at the global level. First, the instabilities experienced in some of the countries across the world make it impossible for stakeholders to experience true partnership. Second, recent crises associated with poverty and changing climatic patterns are compelling economies to limit their partnerships and focus on domestic issues (Ordonez-Ponce et al., 2021). Third, some of the problems experienced at the global level, such as the Ukraine-Russian crises and the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have disoriented most of the cooperative efforts that had already been put in place. Fourth, predicted financial crises might have disastrous impacts on the overall global economy, thereby limiting the level of international partnerships.
Additionally, the presence of inequitable trade deals appears to affect most of the nations in the developing regions, such as Asia and Africa. Countries relying on agricultural products receive reduced income, thereby being able to pursue their sustainable development goals (Ordonez-Ponce et al., 2021). Bilateral trade agreements between China and the U.S. appear to disorient the goals and performance of emerging countries. The EU has gone further to establish a unique trade and economic bloc that appears to lock out other nations. A renewed focus on equitable trade deals could help address this issue and make sustainable development possible.
Opportunities and Initiatives
Several opportunities expected to maximize the overall level of partnership and take more countries closer to SDG 17 are already in place. For instance, different protocols and guidelines have presented timely targets for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, maximizing forest cover, and cutting the use of coal. Additional targets include increasing use of renewable energy sources and promoting electric or hybrid vehicles (Ordonez-Ponce et al., 2021). Through the power of these targets, countries and international agencies have identified key indicators that denote the milestones achieved in the field of sustainability. For instance, lessening global temperatures, increasing use of renewable energies, and sustainable cities are some of the key indicators to consider when supporting SDG 17.
Amnesty is an evidence-based idea in economic terms that helps countries start to focus on various developmental goals. When debts are canceled, economics can start to pursue additional strategies, promote cooperation, and eventually make the global environment sustainable. There is a need for all partners and stakeholders to identify and promote this goal since it has the potential to deliver desirable results (Moallemi et al., 2020). Local initiatives could present a new opportunity for pursuing most of the SDGs.
The consideration of some of the progresses made so far is a good practice for more countries to continue pursuing SDG 17. Specifically, the EU is one of the regions that has helped member states and emerging economies to acquire new scientific knowledge and technology. The end result has been an increasing level of cooperation that has the potential to transform the global economy and make it sustainable (Moallemi et al., 2020). Countries across the globe can focus on these success stories and take the idea of partnership to the next level. Stakeholders can examine how some countries have pursued international trade, strengthened revenue collection, and embraced innovation to support overall economic development.
Conclusion
Sustainable development at the global level is a unique goal that all countries need to take seriously. SDG 17 provides a unique framework for guiding stakeholders to establish meaningful partnerships that could help address most of the recorded challenges, such as poverty and climate change. The partners will examine what has worked positively in the past and replicate it in different regions. Supportive mechanisms will ensure that more nations are involved and ready to capitalize on the existing opportunities to promote sustainability, such as increasing technological breakthroughs, amnesty programs, and progresses made elsewhere.
References
Maltais, A., Weitz, N., & Persson, Å. (2018). SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals: A review of research needs. Stockholm Environment Institute.
Moallemi, E. A., Malekpour, S., Hadjikakou, M., Raven, R., Szety, K., Ningrum, D., Dhiaulhaq, A., & Bryan, B. A. (2020). Achieving the sustainable development goals requires transdisciplinary innovation at the local scale. One Earth, 3(3), 300-313. Web.
Montiel, I., Cuervo-Cazurra, A., Park, J., Antolín-López, R., & Husted, B. W. (2021). Implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in international business. Journal of International Business Studies, 52(5), 999-1030. Web.
Ordonez-Ponce, E., Clarke, A., & MacDonald, A. (2021). Business contributions to the sustainable development goals through community sustainability partnerships. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 12(6), 1239-1267. Web.
United Nations. (2022). SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. Web.