Governing through Goals: Sustainable Development Goals as Governance Innovation by Norichika Kanie and Frank Biermann (eds). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2017. 352pp (paperback), ISBN 9780262533195

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Summit held on 25th September 2015, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and about 169 targets that aim at ending poverty, fghting inequality and injustice, and combating climate change. The 17 SDGs is an expansion from 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seek to mobilize action from the international community in
addressing systemic challenges across economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The adoption of the goals shows the commitment of the international community in dealing with the impacts of economic development on society and the natural environment. Yet, as detailed in this volume, the United Nations (UN) adoption of SDGs has also sparked academic debate particularly about the importance of goal-setting as a key global governance strategy.