UN Sustainable Development Agenda

In 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — replacing the 2000 Millennium Development Goals — came into force. With these new Goals that universally apply to all countries will mobilise over the next decade efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change.

In the run-up phase to the adoption of the new Development Agenda, EIC called the attention of the international development community to the fact that efficient infrastructure networks are essential for enabling inclusive growth, decent employment and wealth creation in developing countries and that transport infrastructure in particular provides the link between national economies and global markets.

SDGs recognise critical importance of infrastructure

EIC welcomes that the Sustainable Development Goals are much more comprehensive than the Millennium Development Goals and refer to infrastructure both as an explicit goal and as an implicit means to implement and achieve other goals. For instance, SDG 9, which covers specifically Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, acknowledges that growth in productivity and incomes require investment in infrastructure.

European contractors’ contributions to the SDGs

European international contractors and their partners worldwide contribute to building resilient infrastructure and promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation. In addition, they help to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation, SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, provide access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy, SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, and make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities. With their world-wide operations, European international contractors provide tens of thousands of decent jobs and are a major positive force for economic and social development and contribute as well significantly to the achievement of the SDGs 1 on No Poverty and 2 on Zero Hunger.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals