OR/17/064 Prioritising the UN Sustainable Development Goals
| Gill, J C, and Mankelow, J. 2017. Workshop report: earth and environmental science for sustainable development (Lusaka, September 2017). Nottingham, UK, British geological Survey, OR/17/064. |
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an ambitious set of 17 goals and 169 targets, agreed by members of the United Nations in September 2015. Over a 15-year timeframe (2015–2030), the SDGs aim to: (i) eradicate global poverty, (ii) end unsustainable consumption patterns, and (iii) facilitate sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, and environmental protection (United Nations, 2017[1]).
This workshop used activities to determine stakeholder perspectives on development priorities in eastern Africa, using the SDGs as a reference tool. Activities were then used to help identify areas where Earth and environmental science could make a significant contribution to sustainable development.
Participants first shared their individual perspectives on high priority SDGs using a matrix worksheet (Individual perspectives on priority SDGs). Small groups then discussed the SDGs, coming to a consensus on their relative importance and the highest priority SDGs in an eastern African context (Group perspectives on priority SDGs). Participants also documented specific challenges associated with priority SDGs (Characterising specific challenges) and identified themes that they believe Earth and environmental science could make the biggest contribution to delivering, as well as stating what that science may be (Earth and environmental science). These results are discussed in the context of development needs assessment (Discussion and limitations).
Individual perspectives on priority SDGs
Overview and method
Using a blank matrix (Figure 2), participants were asked to identify (i) four SDGs that they consider to be of highest importance in an eastern African context, and (ii) four SDGs that they consider to be of highest importance in a Zambian/Malawian/Zimbabwean context (depending on their nationality). Participants were encouraged to do this individually, ensuring that every workshop participant had their perspectives recorded.
Results
20 participants submitted completed worksheets for this exercise, with 15 (75%) of these including information on eastern Africa and Zambia, 2 (10%) including information on eastern Africa and Malawi, 1 (5%) including information on eastern Africa and Zimbabwe, 1 (5%) including information only relating to Zimbabwe, and 1 (5%) being void due to it being incorrectly completed. Figure 3 shows the results of this exercise for eastern Africa and Zambia. Numbers in the columns labelled 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th relate to the number of participants selecting the SDG as a priority. The column labelled ‘Weighted Total’ sums the number of participants in each column, applying a weighting depending on whether participants selected it as their 1st, 2nd… choice. The formula expressed in Equation 1 outlines this weighting. Orange shading is used in Figure 3 to help visualise the relative Weighted Total values.
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 4[𝑛1𝑠𝑡] + 3[𝑛2𝑛𝑑] + 2[𝑛3𝑟𝑑] + 1[𝑛4𝑡ℎ] Equation 1
Using Figure 3, we can identify the SDGs with the highest Weighted Total (WT) values. This is indicative of the group collectively considering the SDG to be a high development priority.
| Eastern Africa | Zero Hunger (SDG 2, WT=41) emerges as being the highest development priority, followed by Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16, WT=26), Quality Education (SDG 4, WT=21), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6, WT=15), and Climate Action (SDG 13, WT=13). Together these five SDGs represent the first choice (highest priority) SDG of 63% of participants, and 55% of all possible selections. |
| Zambia | Zero Hunger (SDG 2, WT=31) again emerges as the highest development priority, No Poverty (SDG 1, WT=20), Quality Education (SDG 4, WT=15), and Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) and Climate Action (SDG 13) both having a WT=14. Together these five SDGs represent the first choice (highest priority) SDG of 69% of participants, and 53% of all possible selections. |
| Zimbabwe | Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3, WT=6), Zero Hunger (SDG 2, WT=5), and Climate Action (SDG 13, WT=4) were identified as being priorities by the two Zimbabweans represented. |
| Malawi | Zero Hunger (SDG 2, WT=7), No Poverty (SDG 1, WT=4), and Quality Education (SDG 4, WT=4) were identified as being priorities by the two Malawians represented. |
These results are a reflection of the expertise and experience of those attending the workshop, with perspectives from at least 14 diverse organisations included. We discuss these results in Discussion and limitations.
Group perspectives on priority SDGs
Overview and method
Another insight into development objectives in eastern Africa was documented by asking small groups of participants to discuss and form a consensus on SDG priorities. Mixed-sector groups determined the four SDGs that they believed to be of greatest importance in eastern Africa. Group discussions were prolonged and dynamic, with groups critically examining why they (and others) considered key SDGs more relevant and important than other SDGs (Figure 4).
Results
Following small group discussions, each group had 10 voting stickers to allocate to their four priority SDGs. Voting was undertaken by placing stickers on appropriate SDG posters, with the 10 stickers being allocated in the proportion best suited to the group conclusion (e.g., 4-3-2-1, 3- 3-2-2, or 4-2-2-2 were all allowed). The distribution of group votes is presented in Table 2, with different colours used to represent the four groups. From Table 2, we note that the SDGs ranked highest are Quality Education (SDG 4, 10 votes), No Poverty (SDG 1, 7 votes), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6, 5 votes), Zero Hunger (SDG 2, 4 votes) and Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3, 4 votes). Together these five SDGs represent 30 of 40 (75%) possible votes.
These results differ from those presented in Individual perspectives on priority SDGs in both the order of the SDGs and the spread of votes. After opportunity for detailed group discussion, where participants had to justify their prioritisation of key SDGs, groups converged on a smaller range of priority SDGs than in Individual perspectives on priority SDGs. When summing individual perspectives (Individual perspectives on priority SDGs), the top five SDGs represented 55% of all possible votes, whereas the results in this section show the top five SDGs representing 75% of all possible votes.
Table 2. Group Prioritisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Different colours (red, blue, green and purple) are indicative of different groups voting choices.
This second exercise allowed the capture of narrative on why certain SDGs were prioritised over others. One group examined interactions between the SDGs, and considered which interventions would have the greatest impact on a spread of relevant SDGs. Improving access to quality education (SDG 4), for example, was noted to underpin the delivery of many of the other SDGs. Other groups considered hierarchies of need to determine top priorities. For example, tackling hunger, improving health and ensuring access to education and clean water and sanitation (so called ‘basic needs’) underpin economic growth, tackling poverty, and reducing inequality. A summary of comments justifying the selection of specific SDGs is provided in Table 3.
| SDG | Summary | Votes | Justification for selection |
| 4 | Quality Education | 10 | Education is critical, and links to innovation and infrastructure. It improves access to jobs, which enables investment in health. When you are educated, you develop critical thinking skills, and are able to make informed choices. |
| 1 | No Poverty | 7 | Other goals are dependent on ending poverty. If the population have no money, then they cannot gain access to healthcare and education. Poverty results in environmental degradation. |
| 6 | Clean Water and Sanitation | 5 | Other goals are dependent on ensuring access to clean water and sanitation. |
| 2 | Zero Hunger | 4 | None stated |
| 3 | Good Health and Well-Being | 4 | Health links to clean water and sanitation. |
| 8 | Decent Work and Economic Growth | 3 | Jobs and economic growth provide security for families and communities. |
| 5 | Gender Equality | 2 | This will improve access to facilities for half the population. |
| 9 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | 2 | Fundamental to economic growth. |
| 11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities | 2 | Need sustainability of cities to ensure continuation of development progress. |
| 13 | Climate Action | 2 | Climate links to food security, which depends on the effective tackling of climate change. |
Emerging themes are the interconnectedness of the SDGs, and differences between resources needed immediately for survival (i.e., short-term development) and activities relating to long-term sustainable development. These results are further discussed in (Discussion and limitations).
Characterising specific challenges
This exercise asked individuals and groups to add notes to SDG posters on specific challenges in eastern Africa associated with priority UN Sustainable Development Goals. Table 4 outlines the challenges identified for each SDG. While groups were encouraged to focus on priority SDGs (See Group perspectives on priority SDGs), they were free to add comments on specific challenges to any of the SDG posters.
| SDG | Summary | Specific challenges |
| 1 | No Poverty | Job opportunities for new graduates; impact of droughts and floods; desertification in Western Province; lack of quality education; dependence on traditional ways of making money, and the need to consider preparing people for entrepreneurial careers in modern unconventional areas; lack of enabling environment to support farming; limited access to good/improved technologies by smallholder farmers and high costs; less meals per day and no balanced diet; resilience to climate shocks and natural hazards; malnutrition in under 5s and adults; lack of key nutrients (Vitamin A). |
| 2 | Zero Hunger | Poor farming methods and irrigation, causing soil degradation; loss of workforces due to disease; not enough use of irrigation for small-scale agriculture; food security is hard for many families — especially in rural areas — due to climate change, will need to look at local crops for genetic solutions; high input costs of fertilisers and seeds in production; lack of access to markets; hidden hunger, need for good nutrition and better quality and diversity of food; lack of food and people skipping meals or going without food altogether; rising populations; soil degradation and erosion; new pests and crop diseases; dry spells and droughts; low agricultural productivity; rural to urban migration results in a loss of labour; animal nutrition; market prices are too low (economics). |
| 3 | Good Health and Well-Being | Lack of access to quality health facilities; insufficient numbers of medical personnel like doctors; lack of facilities and personnel in rural areas; lack of good knowledge and habits in nutrition (junk food); hidden hunger; access to healthcare; lack of clean water causing disease; lack of proper access to health services in rural areas; few clinics; few doctors; lack of drugs; poor health infrastructure; unavailable drugs; rising rates of disease (e.g., AIDS and cancer); unexploited local nutritional diversity; access to nutritional and health information. |
| 4 | Quality Education | Not enough qualified teaching staff; not enough funds allocated to education (all levels, including vocational); poor reading culture; lack of proper libraries; lack of infrastructure for formal schools; need for proper science educational capabilities; access to tertiary and vocational education; research and development within tertiary education; funding for infrastructure; too few schools and teachers; need for skills development; girls dropping out due to lack of adequate sanitation facilities, lack of study materials such as books. |
| 5 | Gender Equality | Under-representation of women in responsible positions; female children disadvantaged by culture and society; deserves renewed attention especially in the governance of our countries; involvement of women’s perspectives is necessary for prosperity; females are dropping out of higher education; archaic traditions and lack of deliberate policies to promote female child education. |
| 6 | Clean Water and Sanitation | Untreated water; distance to water sources; drilling not regulated; unplanned city expansion; use of agrochemicals; unmatched provision of water to infrastructure (housing); contamination with faecal matter; unregulated pit latrines and septic tanks; groundwater contamination from mining; lack of access to clean water in urban areas; lack of sanitation impacts on access to education for girls; on site sanitation causing contamination; regulation of groundwater resources; large scale and industry abstraction of groundwater is unregulated; contamination with sewage; lack of understanding, data and knowledge of water resources in Zambia; pollution of water (and soils) from mine tailings; water is untreated and long distances from homes; growing irrigation could threaten water resources and cause pollution if not managed well; conflicting demands on water resources (e.g., industry vs. residential); lack of laws that give people the right to access water. |
| 7 | Affordable and Clean Energy | Power is not stable; common to lose power; greater need for shift to sustainable energy sources; lack of institutional support for renewables; lack of technical skills for renewables; lack of human resources for renewables; poor awareness of renewables potential; lack of alternative energy sources for rural households; identification of appropriate technology energy options. |
| 8 | Decent Work and Economic Growth | Little prioritisation of occupational health and safety; corruption that sways policies to suit individuals; women spending too much time collecting water and having no time for economic activities. |
| 9 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | Lack of access to markets due to no good roads; lack of access to required infrastructure to facilitate growth in innovation; lack of industries; few jobs related to improving infrastructure. |
| 10 | Reduced Inequalities | None stated. |
| 11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities | Unplanned settlements; rural to urban migration; land encroachments; unplanned cities; no roads; no electricity; limited knowledge on sustainable industrialisation; lack of coordinated planning; unplanned cities with urban sprawls (slums). |
| 12 | Responsible Consumption and Production | Too much plastic waste and not enough action on this; lack of proper recycling centres; deforestation for charcoal production. |
| 13 | Climate Action | Deforestation; open burning; lack of awareness of communities about climate change and the impacts of certain actions on the environment. |
| 14 | Life Below Water | No interest in aquaculture. |
| 15 | Life on Land | Biological degradation; deforestation; loss of productive agricultural land and connections between this and food security. |
| 16 | Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | None stated. |
| 17 | Partnerships for the Goals | Lack of proper linkages; lack of funding and time for proactive development of partnerships. |
Comments presented in Table 4 (together with the information in Earth and environmental science) were a starting point for designing Earth and environmental science activities to support the delivery of the SDGs (Thematic working groups). Further discussion of these challenges, in the context of other results in this section, is included in (Discussion and limitations).
Earth and environmental science
In addition to identifying priority SDGs in eastern Africa (Individual perspectives on priority SDGs–Group perspectives on priority SDGs) and specific challenges associated with these (Characterising specific challenges), participants were then asked to reflect on where Earth and environmental science can make the greatest contribution to development impact. Many of the SDGs require geological research and practice. Each workshop participant was given four voting stickers to place on the SDG posters they considered had a high requirement for Earth and environmental science research. The distribution of votes can be seen in Table 5.
From Table 5, we note that the SDGs ranked highest in terms of a role for Earth and environmental science are Climate Action (SDG 13, 12 votes), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6, 10 votes), Zero Hunger (SDG 2, 9 votes), and Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), and Life on Land (SDG 15), each with 8 votes. Together these six SDGs represent 69% of all possible votes.
In addition to voting, participants added further notes to SDG posters on specific ways in which Earth and environmental science cam support the delivery of the SDG in eastern Africa. Table 6 outlines these areas of Earth/environmental science input for each SDG. Further discussion of these results is included in (Discussion and limitations).
| SDG | Summary | Potential earth and environmental science inputs |
| 1 | No Poverty | Use of science to support cheaper and sustainable livelihoods; reduction of hunger. |
| 2 | Zero Hunger | Sustainable agriculture; increase crop yields through crop resistant seeds; assessment of environmental pollution due to animal waste; improving nutrition and food security through research; technologies to increase crop yields while maintaining high environmental standards; soil mapping; research into natural fertilisers; micronutrient rich food crops; development of rural infrastructure development. |
| 3 | Good Health and Well-Being | Research into micronutrient deficiencies. |
| 4 | Quality Education | Embedding of contemporary Earth science ideas into education, to help improve public reactions to issues such as climate change. |
| 5 | Gender Equality | None stated. |
| 6 | Clean Water and Sanitation | Monitoring and understanding of groundwater; understand health risks from contaminated ground and surface water; identify and access clean/quality water; regulation of groundwater drilling in Lusaka; integration of hydrogeological and GIS skills; understanding of water and soil contamination to reduce pollution; improve sanitation facilities; guidelines for groundwater protection zones; natural geologic contaminants; groundwater education; research into efficient irrigation. |
| 7 | Affordable and Clean Energy | Exploration of geothermal energy; carbon capture and storage; advocate for greener growth economics; energy storage; solar pumping; bioenergy and competition for land/food with crops. |
| 8 | Decent Work and Economic Growth | None stated. |
| 9 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | Innovation in development minerals can create wealth and jobs for society, including products for construction; environmental considerations for infrastructure development. |
| 10 | Reduced Inequalities | None stated. |
| 11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities | National planning; integration of urban planning information into geological survey work; mapping of areas with poor drainage to avoid construction of settlements; understanding of links between sub-surface and surface water to support drainage and flood management. |
| 12 | Responsible Consumption and Production | Identify resources; reduce environmental pollution and related ailments; improve recycling of resources through understanding of raw materials; improved technologies in the mining sector; planned resource use to support future generations. |
| 13 | Climate Action | Impacts of climate change on agriculture, poverty and disasters; understanding of climate dynamics to help manage changes; predicting/mitigating/adapting to climate change; building resilience to disasters; help switch to low carbon energy; sustainable land management; understanding of science to support decision making; research on efficient crop varieties to survive in water-stressed environments; evidence for past climates; help develop climate records using groundwater as a proxy; potential for droughts; research into traditional practices that may help with climate change resilience. |
| 14 | Life Below Water | None stated. |
| 15 | Life on Land | Provide evidence and ways of sustaining land resources; sustainable agriculture and crop production; methods to reduce soil degradation; manage land resources for sustainable productivity; understanding of groundwater and potential contamination pathways; prevention of water pollution; prevention of soil pollution; |
| 16 | Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | None stated. |
| 17 | Partnerships for the Goals | None stated. |
Discussion and limitations
Summary of key observations
From sections (Individual perspectives on priority SDGs – Earth and environmental science), we can make the following observations and conclusions:
- Priority SDGs
Across both prioritisation exercises (Individual perspectives on priority SDGs and Group perspectives on priority SDGs), SDGs consistently selected as being of high importance (ranked in the top five) in eastern African were Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6). When focusing on Zambia (in contrast to eastern Africa), these three SDGs were again included in the top five. The highest priority SDG using the method in Individual perspectives on priority SDGs was Zero Hunger (SDG 2), with the highest priority SDG using the method in Group perspectives on priority SDGs being Quality Education (SDG 4).
- Consistency of results
The results presented in Individual perspectives on priority SDGs differ significantly from those arising from the group discussion exercise (Group perspectives on priority SDGs). This is indicative of people changing their mind after reflecting on the group discussion. The group discussions provided an opportunity for participants to confront their pre-existing ideas of principal development priorities with information from other sectors and disciplines. This resulted in Quality Education (SDG 4) rising from third to first, with votes from all four groups. No Poverty (SDG 1) rose from sixth to second in the group rankings, being allocated a high share of votes by two groups. In contrast, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) was ranked second in Individual perspectives on priority SDGs, but this received no votes in the group exercise, Group perspectives on priority SDGs. Zero Hunger (SDG 2) was initially ranked first; with approximately 57% more votes than the second placed SDG. This may be a function of many participants coming from an agriculture research and policy background. After group discussion, this was ranked joint 4th, and only selected by one of four small groups.
- Interconnectedness of SDGs
During the group discussions (Group perspectives on priority SDGs), an emerging theme was the interconnectedness of the SDGs. For example, actions to support one SDG could help reinforce or support another. Participants highlighted how Quality Education (SDG 4) can help improve access to Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), End Poverty (SDG 1), and reduce inequalities (e.g., SDG 5 and SDG 10). Development interventions or research projects could feasibly support multiple SDGs. For example, projects related to agriculture could relate to SDGs on poverty, food, water, and climate. In their discussions, many groups were considering which SDGs were focal points, and would support the implementation of other SDGs.
- Immediate vs. long-term development
Many of the SDGs identified in Individual perspectives on priority SDGs and Group perspectives on priority SDGs as being high-priority SDGs are ‘basic needs’ and critical for survival (e.g., food and water). These are likely to be of immediate importance to participants; necessary for daily survival. Both immediate (humanitarian) and long-term (development) solutions are required to address these ‘basic needs’. Additional exercises could be developed for future workshops that ask participants to consider priority challenges in 10, 20 and 50-years from now. This would encourage participants to think beyond the current development landscape, and reflect on long-term development.
- Earth and environmental science
In the context of eastern Africa, SDGs ranking highest in terms of a role for Earth and environmental science (Earth and environmental science) were Climate Action (SDG 13), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), and Life on Land (SDG 15), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), and Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3).
- Overlap of priority and science needs
SDGs identified as being both a high priority and having a significant role for Earth and environmental science (Individual perspectives on priority SDGs, Group perspectives on priority SDGs and Earth and environmental science) were therefore Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), and Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3).
The information gathered during this two-day workshop provides additional context to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and other records of development priorities. For example, the African Agenda 2063 and Zambia Vision 2030 offer regional and national scale visions for sustainable development. The latter includes three broad objectives of economic growth and wealth creation, social investment and human development, and creating and enabling an environment for sustainable social economic development. Relevant themes for these three objectives, taken from the Zambia Vision 2030 document, are included within Table 7.
| Objective | Key themes |
| Economic growth and wealth creation | Agriculture, land, tourism, manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, energy, science and technology, information and communications technology, and employment and labour. |
| Social investment and human development | Education and skills development, health, food and nutrition, housing and settlements, water and sanitation, social protection, and arts and culture. |
| Creating and enabling an environment for sustainable social economic development | Macro-economy, governance systems, foreign relations, information services, public safety, population dynamics, HIV/AIDS, gender, and the environment and natural resources. |
The priorities identified and discussed by participants through Prioritising the UN Sustainable Development Goals map on to these themes. In Characterising specific challenges and Earth and environmental science, we provide additional context about the specific challenges associated with them, and the role of Earth and environmental science in tackling these challenges.
Uncertainties and limitations
The perspectives discussed through Section 3 are a function of the sectors, disciplines, personal expertise, and experience of individuals attending the workshop. While a high diversity of sectors and disciplines were present, some key groups were under-represented. For example, while agricultural scientists were well represented, there were fewer participants from other environmental sciences (e.g., economic geology, hydrogeology) and broader disciplines (e.g., political economy, social and economic sciences) present. There was also limited diversity in terms of nationality, with 85% of the participants being from Zambia. Additional perspectives from participants from Malawi and Zimbabwe (15% of participants) were included in all workshop exercises. These perspectives can be confronted with other perspectives gathered beyond Zambia to explore if there is a regional consensus on development priorities, challenges and solutions.
References
- ↑ UNITED NATIONS. 2017. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [online]. [Cited 29 November 2017]. Available from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld