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SDGs on inequality reduction, good governance to remain unattained

Says report of CPD, Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh
Star Business Report
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Bangladesh is unlikely to achieve its sustainable development goals (SDGs) of reducing inequality, fighting climate change and establishing good governance by 2030, found a study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh.
The report -- “Four Years of SDGs in Bangladesh: Measuring Progress and Charting the Path Forward” -- reviewed the progress of six out of the 17 SDGs adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030.
Of the six, goals of quality education, decent work and economic growth and partnerships may be partially achieved.
“Achievement of these goals will be challenging since the progress on these goals has been little so far,” said CPD Executive Director Fahmida Khatun while presenting the report at a dialogue styled “Delivering SDGs in Bangladesh: Role of Non-State Actors”.
The CPD in association with The Asia Foundation–Bangladesh, Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation jointly organised the event at the capital’s Lakeshore Hotel yesterday.
A second report -- “Four Years of SDGs in Bangladesh: Non-State Actors as Delivery Partners” -- was also launched.
The CPD and Citizen’s Platform tracked the progress of the six SDGs in line with a High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York last year.
The first report said SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 17 (partnership) were “going in the right direction but require some policy interventions to steer them towards their achievements by 2030”.
SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) are “not going in the right direction and require radical policy changes and significant efforts from all involved stakeholders in order to reverse their trajectories”.
“What comes out very strongly is that three areas are where we are not doing very well,” said Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of the Citizen’s Platform and distinguished fellow at the CPD.
“Any country which is suffering in the area of fragility of rule of law, and in the inequality issue and affected by climate action will never be able to sustain the other achievements elsewhere. So in order to protect other achievements elsewhere, we will have to address these,” he added.
The review report said the situation of SDG 13 (climate change) looked most grim and Bangladesh had not created the issue and global initiatives were needed to reverse the trend.
The report said the number of households affected by natural disasters was rising and the figure was expected to reach around 30 million by 2030.
“The effects of natural disasters in the forms of economic losses to households and the economy, the incidence of sickness and injury, as well as the loss of schooling days are all at high levels, and expected to get worse in the coming years,” it added.
The review report on four years of SDGs in Bangladesh said greenhouse gas emissions were forecasted to increase at faster rates in 2030, which would also be accompanied by warmer average temperatures.
“Overall, the analysis of SDG 13 indicates that Bangladesh is in a precarious situation with respect to climate change and has to take preparations,” it said.
On the SDG 10 related to reducing inequality, the report said the prospects of achieving it appeared to be bleak.
Star
Abul Kalam Azad, sixth from left , chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the planning ministry; Rehman Sobhan, chairman of the CPD; fifth from left ; and Debapriya Bhattacharya, sixth from right , a distinguished fellow; launch a report styled ‘Four Years of SDGs in Bangladesh: Measuring Progress and Charting the Path Forward’ at the capital’s Lakeshore Hotel yesterday.
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