One of the main outcomes of Rio+20 was the agreement by UN Member States to launch a process to develop a set of sustainable development goals (UN General Assembly, 2012), which should build on the Millennium Development Goals and converge within the so-called post-2015 development agenda, thus contributing to the achievement of sustainable development and serving as a driver for implementing and mainstreaming sustainable development in the UN system as a whole. As part of the process, the UN General Assembly convened the Open Working Group to discuss and develop sustainable development goals and targets. This was accompanied by a multitude of global, regional and national dialogues and developments. The Open Working Group has met 13 times, with one thematic session on human health. By the time the General Assembly opened in September 2014, all the work since Rio+20 – including the development of a set of 17 sustainable development goals and 169 targets – formed the basis
for a report by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly; Box 1 lists the 17 goals proposed by the Open Working Group.
The UN Secretary-General launched the final intergovernmental process at the Sixty-ninth session of the UN General Assembly in September 2014 (UN General Assembly, 2014); this will be followed a year later, by the Heads of State and/or Government Summit.
The UN post-2015 development agenda is expected to be a single framework – including a set of goals and measurable targets, and mechanisms for implementation, cooperation, technology development and financing.
As a follow-up on the global Millennium Development Goal debate, the need for addressing noncommunicable diseases was recognized for the health goal, as was that for ensuring universal health coverage and health system strengthening. In addition, there has been a strong drive to: consider health
Box 1. Open Working Group’s proposal for sustainable development goals
The following are the Open Working Group’s 17 sustainable development goals:
1. end poverty in all its forms everywhere;
2. end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture;
3. ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages;
4. ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all;
5. achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls;
6. ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all;
7. ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all;
8. promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all;
9. build resilient infrastructures, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation;
10. reduce inequality within and among countries;
11. make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable;
12. ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns;
13. take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts;
14. conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development;
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;
16. promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and
17. strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Source: Adapted from UN General Assembly (2014:10).
equity systematically; give increased attention to sexual and reproductive health, especially for young people;
and consider health as a fundamental right. Explicit reference to human health seems to be gaining more prominence (WHO, 2014). In the final Open Working Group document, health is included as Goal 3, with nine targets and two
additional targets (see Box 2). This is in line with the principle that sustainable development is only possible if people are healthy.
Additional work is required to place health as an outcome of all sustainable development goals through targets and indicators that show both changes in
exposure to health-related risks and progress towards healthy sustainability (Dora et al., 2014). For example, reducing exposure to urban air pollution can reduce death and disease among urban
city dwellers and improving nutrition can contribute to reducing obesity and thus reduce noncommunicable diseases and health care costs.
Box 2. Goal 3: ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
“3.1 by 2030 reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
3.2 by 2030 end preventable deaths of newborns and under-five children 3.3 by 2030 end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases
3.4 by 2030 reduce by one-third pre-mature mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and well-being
3.5 strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
3.6 by 2020 halve global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.7 by 2030 ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes 3.8 achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
3.9 by 2030 substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination 3.a strengthen implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries as appropriate
3.b support research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and noncommunicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the TRIPS agreement regarding flexibilities to protect public health and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all
3.c substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States 3.d strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health
risks”
Source: Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (2014).