Trump’s obsessive behaviour may cause Sustainable Development Goals scale back
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which has a set of 17 “Global Goals” with 169 targets among them is threatened to a grinding halt.
The reason for this is the spanner in the works thrown by American President Donald Trump who appears to be back-peddling what his predecessors have done in wanting to see a “better world” through US-led initiatives.
A global push to end poverty, hunger and the combat against climate change appears to have taken a back-seat with Trump’s obsession to reassert militarism in the wake of North Korea’s several disastrous outings recently.
Policy makers in the US – on the back of powerful vested interests – are not going to make Washington’s intentions achieve several laudable goals identified by the US any easier.
Over the weekend, it was announced that US Forces Korea (USFK) will deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system is a “tentative” attempt to foil any spontaneous plots from North Korea’s despot leader Kim Jong-un.
The US radar system deployed in South Korea can identify threats from hundreds of miles and can thwart any missile threats from the hermit kingdom, officials have revealed.
The need to deploy resources against North Korea would only mean that American would have to deploy millions of dollars into an unworthy cause which would be at the expense of the sustainable goals mission.
The progress of humankind must be in its ability to use diplomacy and tact to deal with sticky situations such as that in North Korea against the widespread use of military force that would be at the determinant of not just North Korea but also the US and the world.
Billions of dollars that could be ploughed to deal with poverty, diseases and hunger would now be deployed into the very cause of the scourge.
Jeffery Sachs, a proponent of the SGD who had helped 100 countries shape their policies said the world is in dire risk of losing the plot with the US itself not readily committing to the goals through its actions.
Trump backpedalling his plans by pulling out of the Paris climate, suggest his wanton disregard for international treaties and agreement thus fueling speculation that he could prove to be a menace to the world rather than a solution to it.
Sachs said he thought there was still a “reasonable chance” the United States may stay in the Paris pact. Under its rules, Washington cannot completely withdraw until around the time of the next presidential election in 2020.
There are no penalties for a country that wants to leave the accord or does not meet its voluntary commitments under the deal to keep global temperature rise “well below” 2 degrees Celsius.
It is paramount that the US sets its global developmental goals as most American’s believe that it is going in circles and that it is not going on the right track.
He said he would seek support from both Democrat and Republican politicians for his “America’s Goals for 2030” initiative, adding that about two-thirds of U.S. citizens are in favour of a “progressive agenda”, including the provision of healthcare, clean water and unpolluted air.
USDG goals appear to be in the hands of the Americans who must make sure that their President accedes to the will of the people as opposed to going on a frolic of its own.