Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 will cost a staggering $11.5 trillion—yes, thousand billion dollars.
Right now, 800 million people worldwide live below the poverty line. An equal number suffer from chronic malnutrition, 6 million children die annually before their fifth birthday, and 620 million remain illiterate, according to the UN’s Bosnia and Herzegovina office. Poverty, hunger, healthcare access, and education are just a few of today’s most pressing global crises. The UN has identified 17 such challenges, including gender inequality, clean water scarcity, sustainable energy, and economic growth worthy of human dignity. Add to this innovation gaps, urban sustainability failures, resource overconsumption, climate change, biodiversity collapse, armed conflicts, and fragmented solutions—the picture looks bleak.
Yet humanity isn’t idle. Four years ago, UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda, transforming these 17 urgent issues into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a blueprint for people and planet.
Of course, it’s easy for governments to pledge their citizens’ money, especially without robust accountability mechanisms. The UN estimates achieving these goals by 2030 (practically around the corner for anyone running a business) requires $11.5 trillion, including $1.4 trillion just to eradicate poverty. For perspective: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entire annual GDP is roughly $18 billion. If the entire Western Balkan region (all six economies combined) worked exclusively toward the SDGs, it would take us 130 years—our collective GDP barely scratches $90 billion annually.
Unlike the 2000 Millennium Goals, the SDGs enjoy far broader global recognition. For businesses, their applicability extends beyond corporate social responsibility into core operations. The 2030 Agenda offers a vital framework to align local initiatives with global progress.
This conversation is gaining traction locally. The UN in Bosnia recently hosted SDG Business Week, spotlighting leading companies in sustainability. Awards recognized pioneers in “People” and “Resources & Environment” categories:
- Isatis Software Solutions
- Kakanj Cement Factory
- DM Drogerie Markt
- GOLD-MG Donji Žabar
- Coca-Cola HBC Sarajevo
The overall 2019 Sustainability Leader, Kakanj Cement Factory, was honored for fully integrating SDGs into every business segment.
How can these strategies accelerate Bosnia’s climb from 69th out of 162 Agenda signatories? How might a company’s actions here help eradicate global poverty or gender inequality in a decade instead of 130 years? In upcoming columns, we’ll explore how to better leverage and understand the SDGs—because the 2030 Agenda deserves nothing less.