How can the ICT help to achieve the SDG?

ICTs & SDGs

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.

These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

The SDGs work in the spirit of partnership and pragmatism to make the right choices now to improve life, in a sustainable way, for future generations. They provide clear guidelines and targets for all countries to adopt in accordance with their own priorities and the environmental challenges of the world at large. The SDGs are an inclusive agenda. They tackle the root causes of poverty and unite us together to make a positive change for both people and planet. 

More videos!

ICTs for Sustainable Development

ICTs for a sustainable world

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University have released a new report highlighting ICT’s role in accelerating achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The report, ICT and SDGs: How Information and Communications Technology Can Accelerate Action on the Sustainable Development Goals, includes:

• An assessment of the current state of broadband deployment: approximately 90 percent of the world’s population will be covered by mobile broadband in 2021, although much remains to be done to achieve universal coverage that includes public facilities such as schools and clinics.

• Five ways in which ICT can be a powerful means of implementing change: speed and scale of uptake; reduced deployment costs; growth in public awareness; delivery of innovation, connectivity, productivity and efficiency gains across sectors; rapid upgrade rates.

• Case studies illustrating how ICT can support achievement of the SDGs: including breakthroughs in digital education, e-governance and health care, mobile money as a tool for financial inclusion and new business models to connect the unconnected.

• An analysis of current SDG indicators: highlighting the current lack of adequate measurements to capture technological transformation and the need for new indicators.

• Recommendations for each highlighted sector to leverage ICT effectively to achieve the SDGs by 2030: for technology and innovation to deliver transformational change at the pace and scale required, three key supporting aspects need to align – an enabling policy framework, strong Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and sufficient public and private investment.

REFERENCES

1. International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

2. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

3. UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)