In 2015, then-President Barack Obama committed the United States to new global objectives set by the United Nations, aiming to be met by 2030. These objectives include ending poverty, achieving gender equality, and taking significant steps to address climate change. However, the following administration, under President Trump, has openly declared its opposition to these goals, marking a notable shift in U.S. policy.
The United States recently became one of the first nations to officially renounce the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all 193 member countries of the U.N. The SDGs seek to eliminate global hunger, protect the environment, ensure prosperity for all, and promote global peace. Additionally, they aim to ensure clean water and sanitation for everyone, quality education for every child, and promote health, decent work, and economic growth.
This shift in the U.S. stance was revealed in remarks by Edward Heartney, a minister-counselor at the U.S. mission to the United Nations. He stated that the 2030 agenda, while seemingly neutral, actually advances a type of global governance incompatible with U.S. sovereignty and detrimental to American interests. Heartney pointed out that Trump’s recent electoral victory represented a rejection of global initiatives like Agenda 2030 and the SDGs in favor of prioritizing American needs.
Heartney also highlighted President Trump’s policies concerning gender and climate. Trump drew a firm line, stating the government only recognizes two genders, dismissing the broader gender inclusivity represented in the SDGs. Furthermore, he has underscored his commitment to promoting fossil fuel industries and rolling back climate regulations. Notably, Trump withdrew from the landmark Paris Agreement and expressed intentions to step back from various global climate commitments.
Following this U.S. announcement, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric reiterated that all U.N. member states agreed in 2015 to work towards the SDGs as the blueprint for bridging global divides, restoring trust, and building solidarity. He affirmed that the principles guiding the U.N. include advancing a world characterized by peace, prosperity, and dignity for all.
This policy change marked a departure from the previous administration’s engagement with multilateral solutions, with Trump’s government notably ignoring the SDGs after initially opposing them. However, with President Joe Biden’s electoral victory in 2020, the U.S. returned its support to these global goals, reporting progress and contributions to Congress on meeting the SDGs.
