Challenges towards attainment of SDG goals in the time of Covid-19

Adopted in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the most inclusive, equitable, and comprehensive blueprint for development. If we look at the current graph of achievement, we cannot afford to be much sanguine about the possibility of achieving many targets in time. To add insult to injury, the current pandemic has added a fresh yet adverse impetus to the implementation of SDG goals. 

Indisputably, the SDGs have been confronting the most critical juncture since March 2019 for months due to the nearly irredeemable damages done by the Covid-19. Simply put, the pandemic is upending the overall implementation progress from top to bottom affecting all the stakeholders. 

In fact, all the countries, be it rich or poor, are tremendously affected by the pandemic although the poor ones are hit the hardest. Standing at the beginning of a new year, the most pertinent question that drums in the heads and hearts of the development experts is how much progress will be achieved by 2030. 

As a student of Global development, I feel that the accomplishments of so many goals in the remaining years considering the current lackluster pace of proceedings will be massively hindered. Although Bangladesh did exceedingly well in MDGs by attaining almost all the targets, things are going to be tougher this time due to the pandemic. Looking from a global perspective, several issues are going to be consequential toward the implementation and attainment of SDGs which are more relevant for developing economies like Bangladesh. 

Unlike Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which exclusively targeted developing nations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are all-encompassing in the sense that they cover issues affecting all regardless of class, geographical location, and development status of countries. 

However, with 17 goals, 169 targets and hundreds of indicators, there is much debate about the fact that SDGs are too many to achieve within a 15-year period. Given the resource constraint and relatively short time, it is fair to say that there are too many goals to attain. If we look into the progress report of the MDGs, it becomes obvious that although good progress was achieved in some fields, there was despairingly poor performance in poverty eradication, averting deaths from Malaria, reducing infant and maternal mortality, and improving living conditions all over the world especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

The UN annual report (2017), reveals that global poverty was reduced to 836 million in 2015 from 1751 million in 1999, the literacy rate went up globally from 83 percent to 91 percent between 1990 and 2015, primary enrollment substantially increased from 74 girls against 100 boys in 1990 to 103 girls against 100 boys in 2015. Child mortality rate plummeted to 6 million in 2015 from 12.7 million in 1990. 

Amidst these glittering successes, it should be kept in mind that none of the goals had been achieved in full. It may be mentioned that MDGs had eight goals, and according to the MDGs Annual Report (2015), none of the developing countries had been able to achieve all eight goals fully. 

So, it is quite rational to think if eight goals could not be attained within 15 years, then achieving 17 goals in the next 15 years, which is double in size, will be a Herculean task with a global negative driver called 'Covid-19'. 

A global survey paints a bleak picture of the implementation progress of SDGs prior to the start of the pandemic. According to World Vision data, approximately 1.5 billion people were unreached by one or more SDG goals by 2019 which is undoubtedly an ominous sign. Only four goals of SDGs out of seventeen have achieved half or more than half of the maximum transformation score of 8 so far, whereas the rest 13 goals have a score of less than 3 out of 8. The graph below shows a gloomy track record of accomplishments in Asia and the Pacific countries.  

As we see in the graph above, Asian countries have not been able to showcase a satisfactory performance in SDG, and the progress is painfully slow. Unfortunately, there has been a regression in three goals (Goal 6, 8, and 12), which means that three goals have rather slipped from their earlier positions. African countries have somewhat a similar trend of progress. Based on this sluggish performance, it will be a daunting task to fulfill the remaining targets in next ten years. 

Undeniably, the current Pandemic (Covid-19) will be the most critical stumbling block towards the realisation of many goals. To illustrate, the current pandemic will pose a consequential threat towards maintaining a global partnership in achieving different goals.

To give an instance, social distancing has become a 'new normal' given the grievous threat posed by Coronavirus. Meetings and in-person conferences have been postponed or have gone online to avert the spread of the deadly virus. This has adversely affected the cooperation and mutual partnership on a global scale that can profoundly upset the implementation of many SDG goals in the long run. 

Aside from that, maintaining cohesive synergy among so many sectors and stakeholders online is an insurmountable task for any country. Besides, several fundamental goals have faced severe impairments with the arrival of covid-19. For example, 'good health and well-being' (Goal 3), which has become the most germane goal in the era of the pandemic will be irrevocably thwarted as medical service in most of the countries is in shambles. Lancet (2020) has reported that more than 70 countries have halted the childhood vaccination programs. This indicates a worrying future for posterity. 

Another hotly debatable issue about SDGs is having too many goals for a relatively short time. This has become a soaring concern in the time of current pandemic when most of the countries have showcased shambolic management skills. 

Under such grave circumstances, having too many goals will profoundly affect overall SDG progress. In fact, many of the SDG goals are overwhelming, vague, and too expansive. For example, the first goal 'end poverty in all its forms everywhere', and many of other SDGs like 'ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages', and 'provide access to justice for all at all levels' are not only far-reaching but too broad to accomplish in a short span of time. Having relevant data and gauging the success rate of these goals during the pandemic is going to be utterly challenging.  

Unfortunately, the current pandemic has dwarfed the financial capacity of many countries especially the developing ones that are grappling with the crisis in an abysmal manner. Investing in goals like 4, 5, 7,8,10, and 16 will be stalled because the healthcare system of many countries has already collapsed. 

When survival has become the major priority for millions of people, spending money on the above-cited goals will be deemed as luxury for many. To elucidate, we cannot afford to be much optimistic about the availability of required finance if we look into the track record of the spending figures on the MDGs. According to one estimate, the spending on MDGs fell short by one-third, and for SDGs, it will require an extra $1.3 trillion each year apart from the usual $21 trillion per year. 

Although high-income countries somehow managed to continue their allocation for SDG spending during the pandemic, the low-income countries find it an uphill task. Eventually, this will further widen the gap between the developed and the developing worlds by triggering regional divides. The OECD (2019) report revealed that the condition will be aggravated given the decline of development aid flow from the donors to the neediest countries by 2.7% since 2017. Needless to say, one of the consequential factors that limited the success of MDGs was inadequate funds. Given the broader spectrum of SDGs compared to the MDGs, the achievement might be frustratingly meager.  

Another conspicuous caveat of SDGs is that they try to cover and prioritize everything. This has a major downside because when everything becomes a top priority, the really important issues are overlooked and least emphasized, and the pandemic has laid bare the flaws in having so many 'to-do's on the bucket list. 

The restricted physical movement, shortage of finance, lack of global cooperation on so many issues, lack of proper monitoring, and inadequate data will deter even the pre-pandemic rate of implementation. As William Easterly said, unlike the fewer goals in MDGs, the SDGs are so encyclopedic that everything is the top priority, which indicates nothing is a priority. If development priorities cannot be set considering the needs and urgency, the most vital issues tend to lose sight of special focus and ultimately it becomes a mere 'wish list' to save the world. 

We have already learned from the MDGs implementation report in Sub-Saharan African countries that the progress has been despairingly marginal. Indisputably, the ongoing pandemic will leverage such a long-run impact that many core and essential issues will be out of sight due to inaccurate prioritization and financial setbacks. 

To recapitulate, SDGs seek to address many of the pressing problems that the world is facing. However, with the devastating impact of the current pandemic, complete accomplishment of SDGs sounds like a distant prospect. The pandemic is predicted to exacerbate the existing problems as well as impact the feeble state capacity and overall performance of most of the developing countries. 

With collapsing economies, limited productivity, and ailing human resources, achieving 17 goals, 169 targets and hundreds of unquantifiable indicators in the next nine years will be a gigantic task. However, the arrival of vaccines for Covid-19 has rekindled a glimmer of hope. If the virus can be tamed, and the global condition improves by next year, things can take a positive turn. Till then we have to hang on and wait for a bright sunny morning with renewed hopes and promises for rebuilding the ailing world.

Shahadat Hussein studied Development Policy at Cornell University and now works for the Government of Bangladesh.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.