Dr..Eng. Ali Mohamed Al-Khouri

As a culmination of the efforts that lasted for more than half a century of many international and non-commercial institutions, including the United Nations and its institutions, the United Nations has approved the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 17th 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development entered into force on January 1, 2016, and was approved by world leaders in September 2015 at a historic UN summit. Over the next 15 years, countries will act—with these new goals in mind, which are universally applicable to all.

We will urgently review the most important goals of each topic, as these goals focused on mobilizing efforts for the following four main themes, from which the seventeen goals are branched:

• Elimination of all kinds of human suffering:

Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Goal 2: End hunger, provide food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages.

Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Goal 6: Ensure the availability of water and sanitation services for all.

Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and between countries.

Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions.

2. Addressing adverse environmental impacts:
   1. Goal 13: Take urgent action to address climate change and its impacts.
   2. Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
   3. Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
3. Modern Cities and Energy:
   1. Goal 7: Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy services
   2. Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
4. Economic Management for a Better Life for Humans:
   1. Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
   2. Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, stimulate inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and encourage innovation
   3. Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
   4. Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Thus, these seventeen goals dealt with the human being as the most important goal, and with his surrounding environment, including the housing environment in which he lives or the economic environment from which he works and makes a living. Neglecting some aspects of this strategy, and focusing on others, may cause an obstacle to sustainability and even cause a disruption and distraction to the overall efforts for sustainable development, which will have a detrimental impact on the human life system and the environment with which it interacts.

Dr..Eng. Ali Mohamed Al-Khouri

Advisor to the Council of Arab Economic Unity and President of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy