Contents »
Ilias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
SDG 7 ‘Ensure Access to Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable and Modern Energy for All’ »
Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
The chapter discusses the role of energy in achieving developmental objectives. Navigating the preparatory proceedings that led to the adoption of SDG 7, the authors demonstrate energy’s instrumentality for the realization of human development in an intra- and intergenerational context while signalling the issues that became a point of contestation among country delegates and other stakeholders in the deliberations of the Open Working Group. Against this background, core aspects of the so-called Energy trilemma, namely accessibility, affordability, and sustainability, are analysed by reference to SDG 7’s individual targets. In drawing the nexus between energy, society, and the environment, the authors exercise a critique of the goal’s conceptualization and implementation drawing arguments from international law, in particular energy and human rights law, ethics, and country policies aiming to give effect to the goal’s prescripts.
List of Abbreviations »
Ilias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
List of Contributors »
Ilias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
Preface »
Ilias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
SDG 8 ‘Promote Sustained, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for All’ »
Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
The chapter discusses the interplay between economic growth and decent and productive employment as underlying pillars of sustainable human development, yet their merger under a single goal has been met with both criticism and praise. After a detailed presentation of the preparatory proceedings that led to the formulation of SDG 8 as it currently stands, the chapter discusses each of the Goal’s components separately from the standpoint of international economic law, labour, and human rights law. In that respect, the World Bank’s and the ILO’s contribution to the normative content of the notions and the realization of Agenda 2030’s commitments are highlighted. The analysis is complemented by a thorough examination and critique of SDG 8’s individual targets and indicators adopted to monitor progress made towards the achievement of the goal at global, national, regional, and local levels. In so proceeding, the chapter incorporates an exposition and discussion of the main arguments behind the criticism that have been expressed against SDG 8 and looks at the consequences arising from the decision to combine economic growth and decent work under the banner of the same goal.
Sustainable Development Goals: Their Political and Legal Nature under International Law »
Ilias Bantekas, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
This introductory chapter sheds light on the historical and political realities underpinning the development movement that began in the 1980s and which ultimately culminated in the first coordinated effort towards global development objectives, firstly in the form of the MDGs as currently transformed into the SDGs. In doing so, the chapter sets the background for readers when navigating the analysis of each goal since it provides insight into stakeholders’ political effort to agree on the current development paradigm and demonstrates why avoiding language that gives rise to obligations under international law has been preferred. Even so, the SDGs have taken on a life of their own and in the process their legal nature has followed a path that straddles between politics and law and most importantly international human rights law. This chapter attempts to show how this process began and where we now stand in terms of both the legal and political context.
Table of Cases »
Ilias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu
Table of Legislation »
Ilias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu, Katerina Akestoridi
From: The UN Sustainable Development Goals: A CommentaryIlias Bantekas, Francesco Seatzu