A global frame of reference

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all 193 UN member states on 25 September 2015. It entered into force in 2016 with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and constitutes the new global and universally applicable frame of reference for sustainable development. All UN members states have declared their willingness to join forces to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

The 2030 Agenda is an important milestone for sustainable development. It is the culmination of all the UN's conferences on sustainable development (held in 1992, 2002 and 2012) and the pre-2015 Millennium Development Goals. The 2030 Agenda is the new universal frame of reference for national and international efforts to jointly solve major global challenges such as extreme poverty, climate change, environmental degradation and health crises. The agenda applies to all states – whether in the North or South – and sets out the priorities for sustainable development until 2030.

At the heart of 2030 Agenda are the 17 SDGs and their 169 targets, which are divided into five guiding principles known as the '5 Ps': people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. The aim is to ensure human well-being, economic development and environmental protection, and to address certain aspects such as peace, the rule of law and governance, which are also fundamental to sustainable development. The fifth principle encompasses the partnership approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda.