Analyzing the Role of Government in Sustainable Development Goals

This essay comprehensively examines the pivotal role of governments and international alliances in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It begins by defining sustainable development and introducing the SDGs, which are initiatives of the United Nations aimed at achieving global economic growth while preserving natural resources. The essay then delves into the roles of governments and alliances at the international level, highlighting the contributions of the UN, OECD, and IUCN. Specific attention is given to the UN's role in conflict resolution, human rights protection, and humanitarian aid, as well as the OECD's function in monitoring economic development and establishing sustainable policies. The essay also explores the role of IUCN in preserving natural resources. Furthermore, it provides an in-depth analysis of the Australian government's approach to shaping sustainability criteria and goals, including the involvement of CSIRO and the Department of Environment Regulation. Finally, the essay addresses the government's vulnerability to community perception and the impact of diverse government agendas on sustainability, including a discussion of carbon tax policies. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of sustainable development for future generations.

What is the role of government in
relation to the Sustainable
Development Goals?

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction................................................................................................................................1
Role of government/alliances at international level...................................................................1
Role of UN (United Nations).................................................................................................2
Role of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).....................2
Role of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)..........................................4
Role of Government in Australia in Shaping Sustainability Criteria and Goals....................4
Government vulnerability to community perception.............................................................6
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................8

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: OECD working...........................................................................................................3
Figure 2: OECD work structure.................................................................................................4

Introduction
Sustainable development is process of economic development in which natural
resources are not depleted. In other terms, sustainable development is an organizing principle
to structure the human development objectives parallel to preserving of natural resources so
that next generation can effectively get the benefits of natural resources. The sustainable
development goals (SDGs) are designed to undertake the practices those can transform the
world. Initially the concept is aligned to overcome the poverty but it also focuses on the
requirements of the next generation with natural resources to grow and sustain. SDGs are
initiatives of United Nations to attain the sustainable goals in economic growth. The goals are
contained in paragraph 54 United Nations Resolution A/RES/70/1 of 25 September 2015.
These included improving health and education, ending poverty and hunger, protecting
oceans and forests, combating climate change and making cities more sustainable (Griggs
et.al, 2013). The agenda is proposed to be attained in year 2030 towards the future we want.
Globally the sustainability is considering seriously the preserving of resources and
offering the natural resources for maximum time of availability. With 169 member countries
and global community, the agenda is being accepted towards the sustainable economic
growth. Local as well as international government and alliances are pushing the practices
more aligned to the benefits of everyone in natural environment.
Role of government/alliances at international level
Government and alliances play a vital role to attain the goals specified for sustainable
development. The government is setting and implementing water quality policy standards and
frameworks, wastewater management, regulating the discharge of pollutants into the
environment, recycling and reusing resources. Government of United Nations works as the
controller for the goals and directions to ensure the sustainable development of human with
their objectives without depletion of natural resources in exhausted manner. The two major
bodies for the sustainable development goals and their implementation are: United Nations
organization and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) (Hák
et.al, 2016). The government and alliances are working together to overcomes the issues of
poverty, resource utilization, proper distribution of benefits to all human beings and
protection of rights.
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Role of UN (United Nations)
The government has the role to settle the international conflicts among countries so
that war and attacks like conditions can be eliminated. The results of wars and perspective
fights is finally bearded by the people of countries in the form of poverty, reduced medical
services, down going economic development and lesser the services and scopes to sustain.
United Nations has role to settle the peace and security for other countries to flourish the
nations with better environment for peoples and development (Leggett & Carter, 2012).
United Nations has role to protect and promote the human rights so that individual can
be promoted towards the sustainable goals. It is required to protect the human rights to avoid
the issues of personal conflicts with government and local authorities so that a better living
culture can be developed in economic progress model. The government of United Nations is
also promised to deliver the humanitarian aid in which economic, personal, social, cultural
and humanitarian characteristics of individual are promoted (What we do, 2017). It is
proposed to handle the issues of humanitarian practice conflicts in war and natural disasters
so that counties can be helped to rebuild the values.
United Nations also uphold the international laws so that all the countries should have
to follow the rules and regulations. It makes the organization liable to control and monitor the
underlying countries for the delivery of sustainable development goals. The role of United
Nations is to confine the broken links with international laws to preserve the authority in
actions, security in growth and sustainable use of resources available naturally for all.
Without being sticky to race, sex and region, United Nations ensures the sustainable growth
of the world towards the future full of natural resource to keep continuity on planet (Sachs,
2012). United Nations promotes greater social well-being, prosperity and economic
opportunity, and protection of the environment everywhere to make the path simple for
peoples in living.
Role of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
The organization has role and responsibility to monitor the economic development in
all the member countries and outside area. It includes regular projections of short and
medium-term economic developments in member countries. The OECD Secretariat has the
role to collect and analyze data after which committees discuss policy and framework
regarding the information, council makes decisions and then governments implement
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recommendations (Ayre & Callway, 2013). In this manner the OECD works to ensure the
sustainable development in member countries.
Figure 1: OECD working
(Source: OECD.org, 2017)
Better policies and frameworks are formed under the control of council, committees
and secretariat of the organization. The organization has responsibility to take the decisions
by considering the evidence and practices towards the optimal and green utilization of natural
resources in economic development. The international countries have to follow the rules and
policies to preserve the goals for attainment as according to sustainable development goals
2030 agenda (Who does what, 2017).
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Figure 2: OECD work structure
(Source: OECD.org, 2017)
Role of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
The organization is working to preserve the natural resources and ensuring the use in
efficient manner so that sustainability can be attained. The organization gathers data, analyze,
research, field projects, advocacy, lobbying and education to promote the sustainable growth
in various countries. The organization has role to instruct and offer the information to
government and other alliances to reduce the consumption of natural resources. Besides
conservation, the organization is also focusing on the poverty alleviation gender equality and
sustainable business in projects (Rodríguez et.al, 2012). The organization has role to
implement the international conventions on natural conservation and biodiversity with the
help of United Nations.
Role of Government in Australia in Shaping Sustainability Criteria and Goals
There is an utmost requirement of sustainable development all over the world as the
unsustainable development will endanger the lives of our future generations. The leading
countries of the world have time and again taken initiatives for sustainable development all
over the world as they realise that s is important to ensure development that lasts until our
future generations come to life (Mason, 2013). The sustainable development is no more like
walking in the dark or inviting risks and the leading governments have realised that now. The
governments all over the world are starting to shift to the methods of development that result
in sustainable results and they are being inspired by the governments that have already taken
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steps towards sustainable development such as Australia and Netherlands. Within Australia
the major steps towards sustainable development are taken by two organisations CSIRO
(Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) and Department of
Environment Regulation (DER). These organisations are said to be responsible for most of
the activities related to the sustainable development in Australia.
Australia has a plan for sustainable development. The Australian government is
known to invest in sustainable development by putting in a considerable amount of funds
from CSIRO which is the most important industry research and science organisation. CSIRO
is developing a programme for future scenarios for the country with the help of assessment of
Australia’s energy and material flow so as to ensure a better understanding of the
improvements in productivity of resources (Hobbs, & Saunders, 2012). The flagship
programmes of CSIRO are developed so as to fulfil the requirements of accomplishment of
ecologic sustainability with the help of leading the light metals age, preventive health, food
futures, wealth from country's energy and oceans transformed and water for a healthy
country.
The statements of CSIRO have focused on the partnership, collaboration and
teamwork on national levels which prove to be the major reasons behind the success of the
activities of CSIRO towards sustainable development. The organisation has also stated the
importance of critical mass with respect to the competition with the best countries in the
world that is very important for the future of Australia. The flagships in Australia are
partnerships of research organisations, Australian scientists as well as corporate organisations
(Bass, & Dalal-Clayton, 2012). The forces that are responsible for defining the future of
Australia are the environmental, economic and special aspects of the country. CSIRO has
always focussed on the competitiveness on a global level, social equity, ecological
sustainability as well as progress that is sustainable.
The DER in Western Australia was developed with the objective of implantation of
the policies regarding the assurance of sustainable development in Australia. The department
has always focussed on the outcomes that are sustainable not only for present but also for the
future generations. The major function of the department is that it increases awareness
regarding sustainable development on a national level as well as offers guidance regarding
the sustainable development activities in government, industries as well as communities of
the country. The department is also accountable for support and promotion of execution of
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activities and policies related to sustainability within Western Australia (Reid, 2013). The
local government, private organisations, state agencies as well as non-governmental
organisations are also responsible for implementation and development of a variety of
initiatives related to sustainability. The academic institutes, individual households as well as
community groups are also taking initiatives regarding the sustainable development under the
influence of the departments and have been known to adopt practices and pursue initiatives
that contribute towards a sustainable development all over Western Australia.
Government vulnerability to community perception
Communities are at the foremost place to face the hazardous situation so therefore it is
important to have their perceptions. There are different factors by which the community
perception defers. Take the perception of drinking water scarcity of the community. This is
dependent on the socio-economic characteristic that includes age, gender, occupation,
incomes and education level. Socio-economic conditions also influence the vulnerability by
decreasing or enhancing it and allowing or protecting the individual to make particular safe
measures during the scarce durations (Nemec jr et.al. 2013). Different countries face different
crisis as per the economical, social and natural conditions of the countries. Numerous groups
forces for the new governance structure that gives the prevention for water resources.
Different governments have different agendas when it comes to sustainability
Distinct government has distinct role and objectives when it comes to sustainability.
Some countries focuses in eradicating the poverty while some focuses on providing health
and education services. The country like Australia focuses on removing the carbon tax and
introducing the Emission reduction fund that would be paid by the tax payers from their
revenue. Carbon tax is applicable on the carbon contents of the fuel and it is just like carbon
pricing. It provides cost effective way of lowering greenhouse emission and can be proved as
the regressive tax that majorly impact on the lower group income (Hsu, 2012).
To offset the influence of the tax on the community, the Australian government
lowered the income tax and enhanced the pensions and other welfare activities to cover the
price rise for introducing the carbon tax for some affected industries. From the statistics it has
been seen that Australia biggest yearly reduction in greenhouse emissions in last 24 years in
2013 as the carbon tax reduces the greater proportion of pollution especially in electricity
sector.
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The goal and targets of the countries as well for the individual will include following
agenda for the next fifteen years:-
People: In this, the government agenda is remove the poverty and hunger in the entire form to
assure that all human being lives the normal and equality life in the healthy and safe
environment.
Planet: The government agenda for the planet is degradation that includes consumption and
production, managing the human resources, climate change for the current as well future
generation (Ploeg & Withagen, 2014).
Prosperity: It includes human being prosperity with social, economic and technological
progress in achieving this objective.
Peace: To ensure sustainability, peaceful, healthy and safe environment that should be free
from violence and fear. To assure sustainable environment, this factors are needed to be
considered by every government.
Partnership: The main agenda of the government is to ensure the mobilization of available
resources through entering into global partnership for sustainable development and it is
dependent on the global solidarity (Hallsmith, 2013). The main focus is on the wants of the
poor people who are mostly vulnerable to it and it can be resolved by taking into account all
type of stakeholders of the countries. With this the entire process will get organised.
CONCLUSION
In the current scenario, the essay had given the definition and explanation about
sustainability. In the next part, it had taken into account the role of government in shaping the
sustainability criteria and goals at an international level along with the role of government in
Australia with respect to commonwealth and Western Australia. Further, the essay had
discussed the role of government is vulnerable to community perception and different
governments have different agendas when it comes to sustainability - use carbon tax by
Federal Labour being subsequently removed by the Liberal Government and also taken into
account various agenda of the government.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ayre, G., & Callway, R. (2013). Governance for sustainable development: a foundation for
the future. Earthscan.
Bass, S., & Dalal-Clayton, B. (2012). Sustainable development strategies: a resource book.
Routledge.
Griggs, D., Stafford-Smith, M., Gaffney, O., Rockström, J., Öhman, M. C., Shyamsundar, P.,
... & Noble, I. (2013). Policy: Sustainable development goals for people and
planet. Nature, 495(7441), 305-307.
Hák, T., Janoušková, S., & Moldan, B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals: A need for
relevant indicators. Ecological Indicators, 60, 565-573.
Hallsmith, G. (2013). The key to sustainable cities: Meeting human needs, transforming
community systems. New Society Publishers.
Hobbs, R. J., & Saunders, D. (Eds.). (2012). Reintegrating fragmented landscapes: towards
sustainable production and nature conservation. Springer Science & Business Media.
Hsu, S. L. (2012). The case for a carbon tax: Getting past our hang-ups to effective climate
policy. Island Press.
Leggett, J. A., & Carter, N. T. (2012, June). Rio+ 20: The United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development, June 2012. Library of Congress, Congressional Research
Service.
Mason, J. (2013). Review of Australian government health workforce programs.
Nemec jr, J., Nigg, J. M., & Siccardi, F. (Eds.). (2013). Prediction and perception of natural
hazards (Vol. 2). Springer Science & Business Media.
Ploeg, F., & Withagen, C. (2014). Growth, renewables, and the optimal carbon
tax. International Economic Review, 55(1), 283-311.
Reid, D. (2013). Sustainable development: an introductory guide. Routledge.
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Rodríguez, J.P., Rodríguez-Clark, K.M., Keith, D.A., Barrow, E.G., Benson, J., Nicholson, E.
and Wit, P., 2012. IUCN Red List of ecosystems. SAPI EN. S. Surveys and
Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society, (5.2).
Sachs, J. D. (2012). From millennium development goals to sustainable development
goals. The Lancet, 379(9832), 2206-2211.
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http://www.oecd.org/about/whodoeswhat/> [Accessed On: 7th April, 2017]
What we do, 2017 [Online] [Accessed through]
<http://www.un.org/en/sections/what-we-do/index.html> [Accessed On: 7th April, 2017]
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