Sustainable Development Goals

The Global Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. 

The 17 Goals were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which set out a 15-year plan to achieve the Goals.

The importance of forests and social forestry for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals are highlighted in many publications. Social forestry can contribute to the Goals through shared objectives in:

• Achieving poverty alleviation, food security and employment (Goals 1, 2 and 8)
• By generating income and improving health care and educational opportunities (Goals 3 and 4) 
• Fostering social inclusion and gender equality (Goals 5 and 16)
• Producing sustainable energy (Goals 7)
• Mitigating climate change (Goals 13)

Social forestry is successful when it achieves the multidimensional social, economic and environmental outcomes in an effective, efficient and equitable way. By asking questions rooted in the 3E criteria, practitioners can make progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.