Agenda 2030 is an action plan that sets out 17 Sustainable Development Goals. To measure the progress of the efforts made in each objective we have the annual reports of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These reports are available on the official website and inform us of both the areas in progress and those where action is needed to ensure that no one is left behind.

The 2020 Sustainable Development Goals Report highlights both the progress that has been made and the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  In a short time, an economic, social and health crisis has been unleashed, which has obviously affected the achievement of these goals.

The accomplishment of these objectives in the construction sector leaves us with a series of unfavorable data:

One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus is to wash your hands. However, in 2017, only 60% of the world’s population had this service. This figure dropped dramatically to 28% when looking at the least developed countries. In addition, not only does it affect households, water service is not always available in health care facilities or schools. Addressing these differences is vital to containing the spread of IDVOC-19.

The deficiencies in electrical energy in the health systems have been accentuated due to the health crisis we are experiencing. A survey in 2018 indicates that a quarter of the health centers in Africa and Asia were without power and another quarter suffered unscheduled interruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for reliable and affordable electric power and universal access.

Employment and economic growth have also been affected by the health crisis. The world is facing the worst economic crisis since 1929, causing GDP per capita to fall and resulting in the loss of 400 million jobs.

As a consequence of the previous crisis, industries such as manufacturing and transportation have been affected causing interruptions in value chains and product supplies. The effects of COVID-19 threaten to halt or even reverse progress on Sustainable Development Goal 9.

Uncontrolled urban growth has led to inadequate infrastructure and services, as well as air pollution. More than 90% of COVID-19 cases occur in these densely populated urban areas. The pandemic, as we can also see in other objectives, affects with greater force the most vulnerable that are in marginal districts and do not have basic services.

In contrast, sustainable awareness has been driven by the pandemic, due in large part to the decrease in pollution that we have seen during the confinement, leaving us with encouraging data:

• New National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs) to strengthen resilience and adaptation to climate change have been encouraged by developing countries. As of December 2019, 81 countries had submitted 83 proposals, a large increase over previous years.
• The pandemic has prompted a positive rethinking of our cities as urban planning is crucial to improving public health and mitigating people’s vulnerability to other hazards. New municipal and national plans are emerging.
• The decline in human activity caused by the health crisis provides an opportunity for the oceans to recover. It is also a great opportunity to ensure policies for sustainable improvements and harmony in the natural environment.

The United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, calls us to action and urges us to move forward:

“I call for renewed ambition, mobilization, leadership and collective action, not only to defeat COVID-19 but to recover better and together, so that we can win the race against climate change, decisively address poverty and inequality, truly empower all women and girls, and create more inclusive and equitable societies everywhere.”

From ITeC we want to be your institution of reference in training, innovation and sustainability applied to the construction sector, which struggles every day to meet, with you, with the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, we have a series of tools and services at your disposal.

See how to give solution to the ODS in our computer graphics.

 

For more information contact us at ambiental@itec.cat