Sustainable Development Goals essay (100 marks)

Industry and societal challenges that we can identify as ‘sustainability challenges’ are all multi-dimensional. For example, the challenge of provision of food in a sustainable manner is linked with issues of biodiversity, water use, land use, environmental pollution through use of fertilisers, contribution of food production systems to climate change, and soon. To describe the multi-dimensionality of the sustainability challenges, UNEP had introduced Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [1]. Each SDG has underlying targets and measurable indicators which can be used to monitor progress to these targets.

It has been recognised that actions to achieve specific targets within one SDG maybe synergistic with other targets and SDGs, but may also be antagonistic, when improvement of one SDG may not be so useful towards another [2].

Task:

You are asked to write an essay, reflecting on sustainable development goals that your core discipline (here, please focus on the core topic/discipline of your UCL Master’s degree) is contributing to. You need to present specific relevant case studies to support your essay. To develop this essay, you may use the following approach:

•    Briefly describe your discipline (the core topic of your Master’ degree) and within its context, identify what are the top-level SDGs that your discipline is contributing to (either positively or negatively). (20 marks)

•   Study the targets and the indicators within the selected SDGs.

•   Then list specific case studies that are closely related to a specific topic of your

discipline which illustrate actions that are improving the specific SDGs and targets. Discuss what are or could be the relevant indicators of the effectiveness of theactions. (25 marks)

•    Discuss if there are any potential antagonistic effects of the actions on other SDGs (if the proposed action may have a negative effect on some of the SDGs and associated targets). (15 marks)

•    Reflect on how lifecycle sustainability assessment indicators and planetary

boundaries framework limits could be linked to SDGs’ targets/indicators and used for quantification of SDGs progress for decision-making within your chosen specific case  studies. (25 marks)

Your essay should not exceed 1500 words.

Overall essay presentation : structure, good argumentation, concise and precise language, referencing (15 marks)