The summit, held at the UN general headquarters in New York concluded on Sunday after the historic adoption of the new 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and 169 accompanying targets. They will replace the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set in 2000, at the end of this year.
The goals include commitments to sustainable water sanitation, the construction of resilient infrastructure and action to combat climate change.
The official adoption came shortly after Pope Francis addressed the UN General Assembly calling the SDGs “an important sign of hope”.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said: “The new agenda is a promise by leaders to all people everywhere. It is a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world.
“It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms. It is an agenda for shared prosperity, peace and partnership [that] conveys the urgency of climate action [and] is rooted in gender equality and respect for the rights of all. Above all, it pledges to leave no one behind.
“The true test of commitment to Agenda 2030 will be implementation. We need action from everyone, everywhere. Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals are our guide. They are a to-do list for people and planet, and a blueprint for success.”
