IIW 2023 Welded Art Book

Introduction to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations (UN), has 193 countries as members and with the challenges of improving the quality of life in countries, in 2015, world leaders agreed for the UN to implement 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at low and middle income countries. The full Sustainable Development Report 2022 giving the Global SDG Index and country reports is on Sustainable Development Report 2022 (sdgindex.org) Each UN country is supposed to measure its progress on an annual basis against the targets and indicators set against each SDG. The title of each SDG and its description together with the number of targets and indicators for each SDG are shown at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goals The 17 UN SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those of poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030. nSDG Targets and Indicatorsn Each SDG has a clear Goal with targets to be achieved by 2030 and indicators for measuring, monitoring and evaluating progress against the Goal. It is not just countries which are being asked to implement the SDGs but also companies, organisations of all types

and even individuals. Since the Goals are interconnected, contri butions into one Goal can have a positive effect on other Goals. There are well documented criticisms and challenges regarding the targets for the UN SDGs not being achieved by 2030. Although some of these may be true, it does not prevent the welding industry in a country attempting to progress the SDGs and give benefits to their populations which might not have arisen without having the focussed SDG approach in place. nIIW Linking the National Welding Capabilityn nand the Sustainable Development Goalsn The International Institute of Welding (IIW) has linked its National Welding Capability (NWC) project and the SDGs so that strategies can be introduced by a country including implementing a Flagship Programme with a single global focus “To Assist the Country to Establish, Sustain and Improve Its National Welding Capability and Progress its UN Sustainable Development Goals”. Such a Programme may have many initiatives and projects associated with it but all related to the single global focus. Improving a country’s National Welding Capability can make a significant contribution to, and have a very positive effect on, many national and international programmes including the SDGs which also build on various existing national and international agreements.

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Welded Art PHOTOGRAPHIC Exhibition – IIW 2023 Digital Collection