The United Nations General Assembly approved the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. The SDGs are significant for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to:
- The scope of the SDGs is comprehensive, covering a range of interrelated actions that challenge the public and private sector, including poverty alleviation, hunger, climate change, and access to clean water, education, and health care, to name a few.
- The SDGs were approved by 193 countries and are intended to apply to both developed and developing counties, including the US, China, Japan, the UK, and members of the European Union.
- The SDGs are not legally binding, however, governments in developed economies regularly address these issues and establishing national and subnational metrics which align with the 17 goals helps to highlight their importance.
- California is currently in the process of transitioning to a carbon neutral economy. The the extent that this transition is to be inclusive and not exacerbate historical disparities, the will likely be a need to the address the 17 SDG challenges.
In this space, the Assembly Jobs Committee, with the assistance of the other stakeholders, will share information on how the SDGs impact the California economy, our trade partners, and long-term economic growth.