Jump to content

Subscribe

Regular email updates. What’s new on the subjects you are interested in.

More

Topics

Global monitoring report 2008: MDGs and the environment: agenda for inclusive and sustainable development

Towards an inclusive and sustainable agenda? Progress and challengesfor the MDGs and the environment

Authors: Z. Qureshi; P. Chuhan; M. Cropper
Publisher: World Bank Research, 2008

Full text of document

This report assesses progress and priorities in the development and environmental agenda to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also addresses the interrelated challenges of development and environmental sustainability. Based on its assessment, the report sets out an integrated agenda for development that aims to be inclusive and sustainable.

The authors stress that urgent action is needed to help the world meet the MDGs by 2015 and to combat climate change that threatens the well-being of all countries. Assessment of the MDGs at midpoint presents a mixed picture, one of both significant progress and formidable challenges. To expedite and broaden progress toward the MDGs, and to ensure the sustainability of that progress, the report proposes a six point agenda for inclusive and sustainable development:

  • sustain and broaden the growth momentum - strong and inclusive economic growth must be at the centre of the strategy to achieve the MDGs
  • achieve better results in human development - more spending on education and health programmes is needed
  • integrate development and environmental sustainability - environmental sustainability must be integrated into core development work, maximising synergies
  • scale up aid and increase its effectiveness - it is time to deliver on aid commitments to support the effort to meet the MDGs
  • harness trade for strong, inclusive, and sustainable growth - the international community must aim for a successful outcome of the Doha trade negotiations in 2008
  • leverage international financial institutions' support for inclusive and sustainable development - they have a crucial role to play in supporting this interrelated development and environment agenda through their financing, knowledge, and coordination services.