Adopted by all UN members in 2015, the SDGs provide a comprehensive framework for solving the most pressing challenges facing humanity and promoting sustainable development worldwide.

The SDGs consist of 17 goals, 169 targets and 241 indicators. Explore this interactive website to learn more about each of the SDGs.

The SDG Moment places an annual spotlight on the progress related to the SDGs – there are eight years left in the decade of decisive action.

Explore the UN SDGs library of resources related to each of the 17 SDGs.

Ireland's progress against each goal is measured using a set of United Nations (UN) global and European Union (EU) agreed targets and indicators. Learn more on national progress towards the goals and other related initiatives.

The government has mandated the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to lead on tracking Ireland’s progress towards the SDGs. The CSO website has statistical publications and infographics based on publicly available data relating to the UN SDGs. Here teaching staff can access material for class projects, discussions, and research work.

Our World in Data is a comprehensive database on a broad range of environmental and social issues. The SDG Tracker Tool is dedicated to tracking global and country-specific progress on the SDGs, and allows users to access dynamic maps, tables and charts.

The SDG Wedding Cake - This concept shows the biosphere as the foundation of economies and societies and as the basis of all SDGs. The illustration describes how economies and societies should be seen as embedded parts of the biosphere. This vision is a move away from the current sectorial approach where social, economic, and ecological development are seen as separate parts.

The SDG Wedding Cake source: Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University CC BY-ND 3.0.

Bringing Data to Life is a flip book that collects and showcases the faces and stories behind the data found in global figures on the SDGs.

Planetary Boundaries provide a scientific framework and understanding of the Earth's ecological limits, highlighting the environmental boundaries within which humanity must operate to maintain a stable and sustainable planet.  

Watch the summary of ‘Breaking the Boundaries’ documentary that focuses on understanding the planetary boundaries and outline actions we must take to minimise the negative impact of our actions on the planet. 

Earth Overshoot Day - Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. 

The Carbon Hero Carbon Calculator  is a five-minute test with questions divided in three sections: Housing, Travel and Consumption. Users can calculate their own carbon footprint and get tips on reducing their carbon footprint.

Well-being and the SDGs – This article by Social Justice Ireland looks at Ireland’s Well-being Framework and the SDGs. Here students can analyse Ireland's progress towards the SDGs and compare Ireland's performance to other European countries. 

Read the Ireland’s Well-being Framework 2023 report - Ireland’s Well-being Framework allows consideration of progress in Ireland across economic, environmental and social issues, rather than considering these issues sequentially or in isolation.

Climate change will affect people and places in different ways, bringing about inequalities between and within countries and communities, which could lead to conflict between current and future generations. Here the Youth Council of Ireland (NYCF) explain how climate change will lead to injustice. 

Universities and Social Inequalities in the Global South 2021 - Read the UN Research Institute for Social Development Research and Policy Brief which focuses on the Global South, in the international context, and includes comparisons with Europe. 

Listen to Climate Justice – podcasts

• Outrage & Optimism - Climate justice and racial justice with David Lammy   
• Outrage & Optimism - Climate justice is social justice with Isra Hirsi

Explore the Doughnut Economics website to learn more about doughnut economics and the tools that businesses and communities can use. 

A healthy economy should be designed to thrive, not grow – watch this TED Talk from Kate Raworth on doughnut economics.

Circular Economy

Through design, we can eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature, creating an economy that benefits people, business and the natural world.  

Dollar Street - this interactive resource allows users to see how families from across the World live, on different levels of income. 

Carbon Trust -  This website provides valuable resources and tools that relate to carbon reduction for businesses.  

Systems thinking - This collection of key insights and tools explores how to develop and advance a systems mindset for dealing with complex problem solving and transitioning to the circular economy. 

Creating the Big Shift – System Innovation for Sustainability. We need a big shift in systems to create a sustainable future. This guide shows us practical steps that help to shift the system. 

Futures Thinking -  This video from Kantar outlines key futures thinking principles.

Remembering climate change - a message from the year 2071 

Coming to us from 50 years into the future, sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson tells the 'history' of how humanity ended the climate crisis and restored the damage done to Earth's biosphere. This is a very good example of futures thinking - imagining the futures which then helps us to design our business or other activities in order to get to that preferred future.