Students participate in TY Academy. Photo: Jason Kennedy / Concern Worldwide.

The Global Goals

In 2015, leaders from 193 different countries ratified the Sustainable Development Goals – 17 goals they felt the world needed to achieve by 2030. They mapped out a 15-year plan to tackle poverty and inequality, to protect our planet from climate change, and to ensure no one person should be left behind.

These goals offer an inclusive agenda to make our world work better for everyone. They offer a framework that can help us tackle everything from malnutrition in the world’s poorest countries to issues like homelessness and growing economic inequalities in Ireland.

Our shared responsibility

Each goal sets clear targets for all countries to achieve and each comes with guidelines and indicators to help us measure progress. Our governments have signed up to the task, and it’s our shared responsibility to make sure they stick to their commitment.

Ireland's role

Ireland played a pivotal role in making the Global Goals happen. Our UN Ambassador, David Donoghue, facilitated the final negotiations between governments, a role he shared with Kenya’s UN Ambassador, Macharia Kamau. Together, they helped to ensure that all 193 member states of the United Nations made the extraordinary commitment to end poverty and inequality and to tackle climate change head-on.

But Ireland's role does not end there. As a country, we must live up to our own commitment and make sure that the Global Goals do not slip down the government's agenda. After all, without sustained effort, there's no guarantee that the Goals will be achieved.

Coalition 2030 is an alliance of civil society organisations committed to and working towards upholding Ireland’s commitment to achieving the SDGs. Over 100 organisations are working together to ensure that the government delivers on its promises but as individuals, we can’t leave it up to others. We all have a role to play.