Sustainable development

ABOUT

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a universal development agenda for all countries to use as a blueprint of actions for social inclusion, environmental sustainability and economic development. The agenda is driven by 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), associated Targets, and a Global Indicator Framework. Collectively, these elements require countries to measure, manage, and monitor progress on economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Earth Observation is increasingly being recognised as a reliable and essential source of information to monitor the progress towards the SDGs by the UN specialised agencies and programmes and many institutional users, from local authorities to National entities. ESA is investing a lot in pioneering EO-based solutions and supporting their adoption by the various stakeholders into their operational practices. UN specialised agencies have a key role in global norms and in setting international standards on specific development topics (e.g. FAO on agroforestry), while UN programmes act as catalysts in promoting sustainable development practices (e.g. UNEP on environment, UNDP on development, UN Habitat on human settlements). Furthermore, International Financial Organizations (IFI), such as the World Bank Group (WBG) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), have the institutional mandate to provide and catalyse investments in development assistance and are providing the financial means (though grants and loans) accompanied by technical assistance to help countries achieve their national development priorities.

ESA is collaborating with UN specialised agencies and programmes, and with International Financial Organisations, to support countries’ efforts to realise the full potential of EO solutions when defining their development targets and priorities, planning their interventions, and monitoring progress, which collectively contribute toward achieving the SDGs.