The Magic Key To Sustainable Development Goals

“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. ” (UNDP, 2018) September 25th, 2015 marked the day that 193 countries came together to make a promise: a promise to build a more sustainable, equitable and healthy future. They stated 17 crucial goals that we are all working towards to build our better future. I truly believe that one of the most important goals of this vision is SDG #8: it focuses on building an environment for decent work and economic growth. The ideal future of this goal is to abolish human trafficking, slave labour, forced labour and sweat shop working conditions.

Replacing them with legitimate and productive business that contribute to the economic growth of the country. I chose this topic because I honestly believe increased entrepreneurial activities in third world countries can make an incredible impact on a wide range of issues in the country. Increased economic growth would slowly but surely decrease poverty (#1), hunger (#2) and unsanitary living conditions (#6). With these basic needs people could start taking care of their health (#3), they would have the time and resources to educate their families at the high school and college levels (#4). In my opinion SDG #8 is the magic key because financial and economic growth has so much influence on every aspect of human life, that success in this area would very quickly flow to the other links in the chain. Farmerline is a business that aims to empower and educate young small-scale farmers to manage their farms as profitable businesses to put food on the table but also to earn and extra income to support themselves and others while delivering quality food products to the marketplace. Alloysius Attah’s vision for the company is to “connect farmers to information, markets and services. ” (Attah, 2017) Their services help farmers with information such as market-prices, the weather, and agronomic tips, it also allows them to connect with people in the industry to help their businesses grow. I believe this is a crucial business for the development of SDG #8 because “Farming is the primary source of food and income for Africans and provides up to 60 percent of all jobs on the continent. ”(Diop, 2016) Therefore, if small scale farmers can continue to grow their fields and businesses at a rapid rate it would increase the amount of jobs, economic growth, import and exports of goods and services and really make allow the economy of third world countries to flourish. The second business that is making an interesting impact is Sunexchange. The idea behind Sunexchange is to crowd fund access to solar panels for people in need.

For example, Sunexchange just launched a campaign where they partnered with Nioro plastics, a company that focuses on recycling plastics and making bottles, plastic containers, etc. Their goal is to have a recycling companies that run 100% off of solar power in order to reduce the impact that the plastics industry has on the planet. This business has a big impact on SDG #8 because it increases the use of green energy, is helping business reduce their impact on the environment, encouraging the recycling of plastics, creating the ability for people to invest into solar energy and is helping third world countries leap frog into the future of sustainability. Social sustainability: Due to the increased economic growth because of SDG #8 there would be increased opportunities for men and women alike to take charge of their future by not only barely surviving but overcoming poverty. Because people would have legitimate ways of making a living so that they build a better future for themselves and their families, they would not be forced into situations that are not humane, moral or legal. As a result, there would be a decreased child slavery, sweat shops, human trafficking and gangs, etc. With increased economic growth there is also the invitation of a functional justice system that brings peace and justice to those who are victimized by those in our society who do not deserve to be (#16). People would start to have a regular income, allowing them to keep their children fed (#2), with the proper budgeting the would become wealthier (#1). They would have the time and resources to become educated (#4), they would have the resources and infrastructure to maintain good health and wellbeing (#3). In conclusion, increased economic growth leads to a more accountable and moral society.

Economic sustainability: If entrepreneurship is and encouraged by funding, teaching and helping developing nations, the impact would change many generations to come. SDG #8 has an impact on: responsible consumption and production (#12), affordable, clean energy (#7), sustainable cities and communities (#11) industry, innovation and infrastructure (#9) and many other areas of life because all the SDG’s are interconnected with each other and the three pillars of sustainability. Economic growth allows people to cover their basic needs; once those are met, they can be conscious about their society, their economy and their environment. Consumers could spend their money on sustainably sourced materials because they are conscious that their resources are finite. Businesses would work towards more sustainable methods of production and clean, green energy is becoming more and more affordable to the average consumer which allows them to power their lifestyles while off the grid and using sustainable power sources. To sum up, studies show that people who have their essential needs met, can make more conscious and healthy decisions regarding all aspects of their life, which leads to better economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability: Economic prosperity means that people and businesses are not forced to find illegal, dangerous, damaging or unethical solutions to their problems. Instead, they in a position to purchase something that is sustainably made. A business may choose to manufacture their product in a more sustainable fashion because they are not being forced to use environmentally damaging practices that are cheaper, but in the long run are substantially more expensive on the environment, the people, the business and the world. With economic prosperity comes an increased awareness and action towards keeping our oceans clean (#14), our forests growing (#15), reducing our impact on the climate (#13), and maintaining clean water sources (#6). To conclude, financial prosperity leads people and businesses to lead healthier more conscious lives that have a positive impact on others.

I chose SDG #8 because I have the mind of a businessman and I see the incredible opportunities that business and economic growth can bring to the world. The whole purpose of businesses is to find a need and serve that need more efficiently, rapidly, and economically than the competition. This means the more competition, the cheaper the products will be for the consumers. Now that these consumers are employed and have discretionary income to spend to circulate into the economy, they can start breathing life into the economic circle of life. Once the money starts flowing from person to person, slowly but surely more and more opportunities will start to appear; creating the spark that sets the fire ablaze. With the proper guidance fire can spread to the other SDG’s, effecting positive change across all 17 goals. But there is one crucial element, the community must work together as an interconnected beehive so that one baby step at a time, we walk a marathon to global sustainability.