K2SP 3520 - Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges, Innovations and Opportunities

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was launched in 2015 to help people in poverty, and set the world on a path of peace, prosperity and opportunity for all on a healthy planet, through working in partnerships. These “5 Ps” of the 2030 Agenda are supported by 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which demand nothing short of a transformation of the economic, social and political systems that govern modern societies, in order to ensure the promises of the 2030 Agenda are kept. Yet global efforts to date have been insufficient to deliver the change needed, and the world is currently off-track in meeting the Agenda's promise to current and future generations. At the start of SDG Decade of Action, renewed ambition, mobilisation, leadership and collective action is needed to recover from COVID-19, and to ensure that governments win the race against climate change, decisively tackle poverty and inequality, empower all women and girls, and create more inclusive and equitable societies everywhere. This course will examine the SDGs and 5 Ps, challenging students to think pragmatically of the opportunities and challenges of delivering on the 2030 Agenda. Students will gain insights from academia and case studies, with citations provided equally from the Global North and Global South, alongside having a greater understanding of how social innovations are enabling and shaping the implementation of the SDGs.

Gwamaka KIFUKWE,Edward HAINSWORTH

Cours magistral seul

English

Students are expected to have completed the required readings in preparation for each class, and be prepared to actively participate in class discussions.

There are no pre-requisites for this course. However, students are expected to have enthusiasm for learning and understanding more about the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.

Spring 2024-2025

• GROUP PRESENTATIONS (20%) – Starting from Session 3, students will work in groups of 3 and deliver a 15 minute presentation on a news article, case study, policy directive or multilateral agreement relating to the Sustainable Development Goals. Each student will be asked to speak for 5 minutes each, with the presentation being a maximum of 6 slides. Students are encouraged to use material beyond the sources provided in the syllabus. • POLICY BRIEF (70%) – Students will write a 1,600 word Policy Brief, proposing the implementation of a sustainable development solution in a specific country, or at a sub-national level (e.g. region or city). The Policy Briefs will detail the rationale for the proposed policy action; potential challenges, and implementation plan. Students will receive guidance on writing the Policy Brief in Session 7, and will be able to send a one-page outline for the professors to review by the start of Session 8. Students can expect feedback within 6 working days. The Policy Brief is due for all students prior to the start of Session 11. Late submission of the Policy Briefs will not be accepted without prior approval from the professors, and late submissions will receive a 10% deduction from their final mark for each day or any part thereof overdue. • REGULAR ATTENDANCE (10%)

The course will include an introduction to the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals in Week 1. From Week 2 to Week 6, students will learn about the core pillars and principles of the SDGs, the “5 Ps” – people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships - and review multilateral agreements, practical frameworks, and case studies that are supporting the implementation of the SDGs in each of these areas. In Week 7, students will analyse various factors affecting the implementation of the SDGs (e.g. finance, policy coherence etc.) and discuss the Policy Brief submission with professors. Week 8 and Week 9 focus on the activities of the multilateral system and the important local initiatives that are supporting the 2030 Agenda. In Week 10, students will have the opportunity to have a session on an in-focus topic, which will be presented to students in weeks 1-2, and students will decide on desired topic – including the possibility of an external speaker. Examples of Voluntary National and Voluntary Local Reviews will be the focus of Week 11, and in Week 12, students will discuss the future of Sustainable Development including what will replace the SDGs in 2031.