Using the SDGs for Government Action
Length Length

4 modules, accessible at any time

Effort Effort

1 hour per week

Price Price

FREE

Languages Languages

English

Video Transcripts Video Transcripts

English

Prerequisites Prerequisites

None

Requirements Requirements

An internet connection to access course materials

UNDERSTAND WHAT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS
and

why it is important

UNDERSTAND WHAT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS
THE ROLE OF DATA
in

SDG decision-making

THE ROLE OF DATA
INTERNATIONAL SPILLOVERS
and their impact on

local decisions

INTERNATIONAL SPILLOVERS
BACKCASTING
as a planning tool to

achieve the SDGs

BACKCASTING

Overview

A microcourse exclusively for Apolitical members!

Sustainable development is the most urgent challenge of our time. The current global economy produces tremendous wealth, but it also creates tremendous inequality, social exclusion, and environmental destruction. In 2015, all 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal and interdisciplinary framework to promote prosperity, people, and planet. It calls for a drastic shift in the way that governments and society pursue economic development, while accounting for development’s effects on social inclusion and the environment. The success of these goals largely depends on good public governance.

This course, produced by Apolitical and the SDG Academy and designed for public servants, will help you understand the concept of sustainable development and the framework of the SDGs, introduce useful tools and resources, and prompt you to consider your role in achieving the SDGs locally and globally.

structure

  • Pre-recorded lectures
  • Readings
  • Activities
  • Quizzes 

Lead Faculty

  • Faculty Image

    Jeffrey Sachs

    Columbia University

This course is for

Public servants and policymakers who want to learn more about sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how to integrate them into their work.

Note: Apolitical is a private community for public servants and policymakers. You must be a member to enroll in this course. Click here to find out if you are eligible for free membership.

Questions?

Course logistics and requirements

This course is self-paced. Please note that this course is not owned or facilitated by the SDG Academy. Any questions can be sent to Apolitical at concierge@apolitical.co.

Certificates

Learners who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion.

syllabus

Section 1: Introducing sustainable development

This section introduces you to the concept of sustainable development and the framework of the SDGs. Here you’ll learn about what the SDGs are, the range of issues they cover, how they developed from previous global development agendas, and why they are crucial for government action at all levels. After completing this section, you’ll have a better understanding of what differentiates the SDGs from previous development goals. You’ll also be able to identify various stakeholders and appreciate the interconnected and interdependent nature of sustainable development.

Section 2: SDG data and data-based decision-making

Now that you understand what the SDGs are, why they are important, and how they can inform government action to achieve sustainable development, you will learn more about how to engage with data to drive your decision-making process to better align local strategies with the SDGs. This section will help you to understand the process of gathering, assessing, and using data for the SDGs.

Section 3: Understanding international spillovers

Section three shifts focus to the international landscape and how your country’s actions might impact others. This section explains the concept of international spillovers, how they are measured, and why international cooperation is crucial for achieving all the SDGs. In this section, you will also engage with some practical examples of solutions that different countries have taken to address and mitigate spillover effects in the past.

Section 4: How to achieve the SDGs

The final section of this course guides you to take action. Here, you will learn more about backcasting as an effective planning tool to identify what needs to change now, to achieve the SDGs in the future.