The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG  2, namely "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture" and contains the description of a range of related terms, to allow for a better understanding and foster knowledge. Our planet produces enough food to feed everyone. Malnutrition and hunger are the result of inappropriate food production processes, bad governance and injustice. SDG 2 seeks to guarantee quality and nutritious food to ensure healthy life by adopting a holistic approach that involves various actions targeting different actors, technologies, policies and programs. These initiatives have to face challenges coming from extensive environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and the interrelated effects of climate change.Concretely, the defined targets are:End hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year roundEnd all forms of malnutrition, including achieving the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older personsDouble the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employmentEnsure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil qualityMaintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmedand domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreedIncrease investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countriesCorrect and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development RoundAdopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatilityEditorial BoardDatu Buyung Agusdinata, Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari, Usama Awan, Nerise Johnson, Paschal Arsein Mugabe, Vincent Onguso Oeba, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 3, namely "Ensure healthy lives and promotewell-being for all at all ages" and contains the description of a range of terms, to grow a better understanding and foster knowledge. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Major progress has been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, many more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues.Concretely, the defined targets are:Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live birthsEnd preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live birthsEnd the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseasesReduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and wellbeingStrengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcoholHalve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidentsEnsure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmesAchieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for allSubstantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contaminationStrengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriateSupport the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for allSubstantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing statesStrengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risksEditorial BoardMohamed Walid AbdullahMeherun AhmedMonica de AndradeMasoud MozafariGiorgi PkhakadzeTony WallCatherine Zeman

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 5, namely "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. This SDG is considered by many as a pivotal goal since the significant role of women in achieving sustainable development has always been acknowledged in several official UN declarations. Yet gender disparity is still rampant under various guises in various countries. Women’s rights need to be strongly safeguarded through legislation to ensure equal opportunities.Concretely, the defined targets are:End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhereEliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitationEliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilationRecognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriateEnsure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public lifeEnsure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferencesUndertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of womenAdopt and strengthensound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levelsEditorial BoardKatarzyna Cichos, Vijaya Deshmukh, Melissa Haeffner, Sandra Hopkins, Tamara Hunt, Nerise Johnson, Chhabi Kumar, Julia Mambo, Anagha Paul, Andréia Faraoni Freitas Setti, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 1, namely "End poverty in all its forms everywhere" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows for a better understanding and fosters knowledge about it.Concretely, the defined targets are:Eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day Reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitionsImplement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerableEnsure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinanceBuild the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerablesituations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disastersEnsure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensionsCreate sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actionsEditorial BoardSarah Ahmed, Bankole Osita Awuzie, Katarzyna Cichos, Fernanda Frankenberger, Usha Iyer-Raniga, Amanda Lange Salvia, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar, Kalterina Shulla, Ranjit Voola

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 11, namely “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”  and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. This book presents a set of papers on the state of the art of knowledge and practices about the numerous challenges for cities, solutions and opportunities for the future.Concretely, the defined targets are:Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slumsProvide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older personsEnhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritageSignificantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situationsReduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste managementProvide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planningSubstantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materialsEditorial BoardSamuel Borges Barbosa, Luciana Londero Brandli, Elisa Conticelli, Erin A. Hopkins, Olga Kuznetsova, Astrid Skjerven, Hari Srinivas

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 12, namely "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countriesAchieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resourcesHalve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest lossesAchieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environmentSubstantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuseEncourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cyclePromote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and productionDevelop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and productsRationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communitiesEditorial BoardMedani P. Bhandari, Luciana Londero Brandli, Morgane M. C. Fritz, Ulla A. Saari, Leonardo L. Sta Romana

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume is dedicated to SDG 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water andsanitation for all". Water and sanitation are fundamental to human well-being. Integrated water resources management is essential to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and to the realization of Sustainable Development.Concretely, the defined targets are:Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for allAchieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situationsImprove water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globallySubstantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity Implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriateProtect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes Expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologiesSupport and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving Uwater and sanitation managementEditorial BoardUlisses M. Azeiteiro, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli, Dominique Darmendrail, Despo Fatta–Kassinos, Walter Leal Filho, Susan Hegarty, Amanda Lange Salvia, Albert Llausàs, Paula Duarte Lopes,Javier Marugán, Fernando Morgado, Wilkister Nyaora Moturi, Karel F. Mulder, Alesia Dedaa Ofori, Sandra Ricart

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 7, namely "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” and contains the description of a range of terms, which allow a better understanding and foster knowledge. Energy is crucial for achieving almost all others SDGs, from its role in the eradication of poverty through advancements in health, education, water supply and industrialization, to combating climate change. This book presents a set of papers on the state-of-the-art of knowledge and practices about energy sustainable, in terms of generation and demand energy, considering aspects of innovation, management, sources of energy, performance, society behavior, and infrastructure, among others.Concretely, the defined targets are: Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy servicesIncrease substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mixDouble the global rate of improvement in energy efficiencyEnhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technologyExpand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of supportEditorial BoardMd. Mahmudul Alam, Justin Bishop, Luciana Londero Brandli, Elisa Conticelli, Marcos Antonio Leite Frandoloso, Haruna Musa Moda, Matti Sommarberg

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs.This volume addresses SDG 8, namely "Promote sustained, inclusive andsustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all" and contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge. The predominant economic model is promoting a lopsided economic growth that is further increasing the gap between the have and the have-nots. This SDG is not just proposing the attainment of more just and empowering economic models, but it also puts at the forefront the well-being of workers by striving to provide employment and better working conditions that respect the dignity of workers.Concretely, the defined targets are:Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in  the least developed countriesAchieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectorsPromote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial servicesImprove progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the leadAchieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal valueSubstantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or trainingTake immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and end child labour in all its formsProtect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employmentDevise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and productsStrengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for allIncrease Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed CountriesDevelop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour OrganizationEditorial BoardRimjhim M Aggarwal, Rosa Maria Fernandez, Edurne A. Inigo, Nerise Johnson, Dmitry Kurochkin, Wim Lambrechts, Sonja Rewhorn, Marco Tortora, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 4, namely "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" and contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomesEnsure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary educationEnsure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including universitySubstantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurshipEliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable,including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situationsEnsure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracyEnsure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable developmentBuild and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for allSubstantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states and African countries, for enrollment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countriesSubstantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing statesEditorial BoardOlivia A.M. Freeman, Johannes M. Luetz, Petra Molthan-Hill, Theam Foo Ng, Umesh Chandra Pandey, Rudi Pretorius, Valeria Ruiz Vargas, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 9, namely “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation” and contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge about it. This book presents a set of papers on the state of the art of knowledge and practices about three important aspects of sustainable development, infrastructure, industrialization and innovation. It focuses on the support of cleaner technologies, enhanced scientific research, domestic technology development and universal internet access.Concretely, the defined targets are:Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for allPromote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and marketsUpgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilitiesEnhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spendingFacilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing statesSupport domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commoditiesSignificantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countriesEditorial BoardOluwabunmi Opeyemi Adejumo, Leah A Dundon, Lizhen Huang, Heather Jones, Haruna Musa Moda

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 10, namely "Reduce inequality within andamong countries", but also includes inequalities in income as well as those based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status within a country. The Goal also addresses inequalities among countries, including those related to representation, migration and development assistance. This volume contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge about it.Concretely, the identified targets are:Progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national averageEmpower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other statusEnsure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regardAdopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equalityImprove the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulationsEnsure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutionsFacilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policiesImplement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreementsEncourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to states where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmesReduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per centEditorial BoardMd. Mahmudul Alam, Olga Bialostocka, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Ulla A. Saari, Daniele Vieira, Amanda Lange Salvia

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 13, "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts", and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. Climate change is a threat to development with unprecedented impacts. Urgent action to combat climate change and development of integrated strategies on climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainable development are critical for a sustainable future.Concretely, the defined targets are:Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countriesIntegrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planningImprove education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warningImplement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possiblePromote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities.Editorial BoardAnabela Marisa AzulDragan NonicFederica DoniJeff BirchallLuis R. VieiraSilvia Serrao NeumannUlisses Azeiteiro

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs.This volume addresses SDG 16, namely "Promote peaceful andinclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhereEnd abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of childrenPromote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for allSignificantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crimeSubstantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their formsDevelop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levelsEnsure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decisionmaking at all levels Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governanceProvide legal identity for all, including birth registration Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crimePromote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable developmentEditorial BoardAlexandra Aragão, Julinda Beqiraj, Dênis Antônio da Cunha, Renata Welinski da Silva Seabra, Golda A. Edwin, Thomas Kaydor, Tehmina Khan, Amanda Lange Salvia, Paula Lopes, Petra Schneider, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 17, namely "Strengthen the means of implementation andrevitalize the global partnership for sustainable development" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. The approval of the SDGs by the 194 countries of the UN General Assembly implies that issues such as combating climate change; distributing resources fairly; providing security and protection; generating employment; and ensuring quality health care and education need the concerted efforts of everyone. SDG 17 seeks to dismantle structures and procedures built on inequality of access and develop strategies that ensure collaboration and sharing of resources and opportunities.The topics covered concern finance, technology, capacity-building, trade and systemic issues:Domestic resource mobilizationDomestic capacity for tax and other revenue collectionLong-term debt sustainability for developing countriesDebt financing, debt relief, dept restructuringGlobaltechnology facilitation mechanismTechnology, bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism Enhanced information and communications technologyUniversal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under WTOIncreased exports of developing countriesGlobal macroeconomic stabilityPolicy coordination and policy coherencePromotion of effective public, public-private and civil society partnershipsEditorial BoardCarolina Collaro, Sonja Rewhorn, Elena Shabliy, Monica Thiel, Marco Tortora, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 15, namely "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allow a better understanding and foster knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreementsPromote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral worldEnsure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable developmentTake urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened speciesPromote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreedTake urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife productsIntroduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantlyReduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority speciesIntegrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies andaccountsMobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystemsMobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestationEnhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunitiesEditorial BoardAlexandra Aragão, Desalegn Yayeh Ayal, Ayansina Ayanlade, Anabela Marisa Azul, Adriana Consorte-McCrea, Muhammad Farooq, Ana Catarina Luz, María P. Martín, Sharif A. Mukul, Nandhivarman Muthu, Robert Russell Monteith Paterson, Isabel Ruiz-Mallén

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG  2, namely "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture" and contains the description of a range of related terms, to allow for a better understanding and foster knowledge. Our planet produces enough food to feed everyone. Malnutrition and hunger are the result of inappropriate food production processes, bad governance and injustice. SDG 2 seeks to guarantee quality and nutritious food to ensure healthy life by adopting a holistic approach that involves various actions targeting different actors, technologies, policies and programs. These initiatives have to face challenges coming from extensive environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and the interrelated effects of climate change.Concretely, the defined targets are:End hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year roundEnd all forms of malnutrition, including achieving the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older personsDouble the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employmentEnsure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil qualityMaintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmedand domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreedIncrease investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countriesCorrect and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development RoundAdopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatilityEditorial BoardDatu Buyung Agusdinata, Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari, Usama Awan, Nerise Johnson, Paschal Arsein Mugabe, Vincent Onguso Oeba, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 3, namely "Ensure healthy lives and promotewell-being for all at all ages" and contains the description of a range of terms, to grow a better understanding and foster knowledge. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Major progress has been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, many more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues.Concretely, the defined targets are:Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live birthsEnd preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live birthsEnd the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseasesReduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and wellbeingStrengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcoholHalve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidentsEnsure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmesAchieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for allSubstantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contaminationStrengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriateSupport the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for allSubstantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing statesStrengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risksEditorial BoardMohamed Walid AbdullahMeherun AhmedMonica de AndradeMasoud MozafariGiorgi PkhakadzeTony WallCatherine Zeman

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 5, namely "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. This SDG is considered by many as a pivotal goal since the significant role of women in achieving sustainable development has always been acknowledged in several official UN declarations. Yet gender disparity is still rampant under various guises in various countries. Women’s rights need to be strongly safeguarded through legislation to ensure equal opportunities.Concretely, the defined targets are:End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhereEliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitationEliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilationRecognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriateEnsure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public lifeEnsure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferencesUndertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of womenAdopt and strengthensound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levelsEditorial BoardKatarzyna Cichos, Vijaya Deshmukh, Melissa Haeffner, Sandra Hopkins, Tamara Hunt, Nerise Johnson, Chhabi Kumar, Julia Mambo, Anagha Paul, Andréia Faraoni Freitas Setti, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 1, namely "End poverty in all its forms everywhere" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows for a better understanding and fosters knowledge about it.Concretely, the defined targets are:Eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day Reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitionsImplement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerableEnsure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinanceBuild the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerablesituations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disastersEnsure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensionsCreate sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actionsEditorial BoardSarah Ahmed, Bankole Osita Awuzie, Katarzyna Cichos, Fernanda Frankenberger, Usha Iyer-Raniga, Amanda Lange Salvia, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar, Kalterina Shulla, Ranjit Voola

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 11, namely “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”  and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. This book presents a set of papers on the state of the art of knowledge and practices about the numerous challenges for cities, solutions and opportunities for the future.Concretely, the defined targets are:Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slumsProvide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older personsEnhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritageSignificantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situationsReduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste managementProvide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planningSubstantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materialsEditorial BoardSamuel Borges Barbosa, Luciana Londero Brandli, Elisa Conticelli, Erin A. Hopkins, Olga Kuznetsova, Astrid Skjerven, Hari Srinivas

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 12, namely "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countriesAchieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resourcesHalve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest lossesAchieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environmentSubstantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuseEncourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cyclePromote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and productionDevelop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and productsRationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communitiesEditorial BoardMedani P. Bhandari, Luciana Londero Brandli, Morgane M. C. Fritz, Ulla A. Saari, Leonardo L. Sta Romana

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume is dedicated to SDG 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water andsanitation for all". Water and sanitation are fundamental to human well-being. Integrated water resources management is essential to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and to the realization of Sustainable Development.Concretely, the defined targets are:Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for allAchieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situationsImprove water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globallySubstantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity Implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriateProtect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes Expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologiesSupport and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving Uwater and sanitation managementEditorial BoardUlisses M. Azeiteiro, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli, Dominique Darmendrail, Despo Fatta–Kassinos, Walter Leal Filho, Susan Hegarty, Amanda Lange Salvia, Albert Llausàs, Paula Duarte Lopes,Javier Marugán, Fernando Morgado, Wilkister Nyaora Moturi, Karel F. Mulder, Alesia Dedaa Ofori, Sandra Ricart

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 7, namely "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” and contains the description of a range of terms, which allow a better understanding and foster knowledge. Energy is crucial for achieving almost all others SDGs, from its role in the eradication of poverty through advancements in health, education, water supply and industrialization, to combating climate change. This book presents a set of papers on the state-of-the-art of knowledge and practices about energy sustainable, in terms of generation and demand energy, considering aspects of innovation, management, sources of energy, performance, society behavior, and infrastructure, among others.Concretely, the defined targets are: Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy servicesIncrease substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mixDouble the global rate of improvement in energy efficiencyEnhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technologyExpand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of supportEditorial BoardMd. Mahmudul Alam, Justin Bishop, Luciana Londero Brandli, Elisa Conticelli, Marcos Antonio Leite Frandoloso, Haruna Musa Moda, Matti Sommarberg

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs.This volume addresses SDG 8, namely "Promote sustained, inclusive andsustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all" and contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge. The predominant economic model is promoting a lopsided economic growth that is further increasing the gap between the have and the have-nots. This SDG is not just proposing the attainment of more just and empowering economic models, but it also puts at the forefront the well-being of workers by striving to provide employment and better working conditions that respect the dignity of workers.Concretely, the defined targets are:Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in  the least developed countriesAchieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectorsPromote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial servicesImprove progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the leadAchieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal valueSubstantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or trainingTake immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and end child labour in all its formsProtect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employmentDevise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and productsStrengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for allIncrease Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed CountriesDevelop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour OrganizationEditorial BoardRimjhim M Aggarwal, Rosa Maria Fernandez, Edurne A. Inigo, Nerise Johnson, Dmitry Kurochkin, Wim Lambrechts, Sonja Rewhorn, Marco Tortora, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 4, namely "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" and contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomesEnsure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary educationEnsure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including universitySubstantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurshipEliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable,including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situationsEnsure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracyEnsure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable developmentBuild and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for allSubstantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states and African countries, for enrollment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countriesSubstantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing statesEditorial BoardOlivia A.M. Freeman, Johannes M. Luetz, Petra Molthan-Hill, Theam Foo Ng, Umesh Chandra Pandey, Rudi Pretorius, Valeria Ruiz Vargas, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 9, namely “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation” and contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge about it. This book presents a set of papers on the state of the art of knowledge and practices about three important aspects of sustainable development, infrastructure, industrialization and innovation. It focuses on the support of cleaner technologies, enhanced scientific research, domestic technology development and universal internet access.Concretely, the defined targets are:Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for allPromote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and marketsUpgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilitiesEnhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spendingFacilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing statesSupport domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commoditiesSignificantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countriesEditorial BoardOluwabunmi Opeyemi Adejumo, Leah A Dundon, Lizhen Huang, Heather Jones, Haruna Musa Moda

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 10, namely "Reduce inequality within andamong countries", but also includes inequalities in income as well as those based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status within a country. The Goal also addresses inequalities among countries, including those related to representation, migration and development assistance. This volume contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge about it.Concretely, the identified targets are:Progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national averageEmpower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other statusEnsure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regardAdopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equalityImprove the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulationsEnsure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutionsFacilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policiesImplement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreementsEncourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to states where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmesReduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per centEditorial BoardMd. Mahmudul Alam, Olga Bialostocka, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Ulla A. Saari, Daniele Vieira, Amanda Lange Salvia

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 13, "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts", and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. Climate change is a threat to development with unprecedented impacts. Urgent action to combat climate change and development of integrated strategies on climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainable development are critical for a sustainable future.Concretely, the defined targets are:Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countriesIntegrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planningImprove education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warningImplement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possiblePromote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities.Editorial BoardAnabela Marisa AzulDragan NonicFederica DoniJeff BirchallLuis R. VieiraSilvia Serrao NeumannUlisses Azeiteiro

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs.This volume addresses SDG 16, namely "Promote peaceful andinclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhereEnd abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of childrenPromote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for allSignificantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crimeSubstantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their formsDevelop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levelsEnsure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decisionmaking at all levels Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governanceProvide legal identity for all, including birth registration Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crimePromote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable developmentEditorial BoardAlexandra Aragão, Julinda Beqiraj, Dênis Antônio da Cunha, Renata Welinski da Silva Seabra, Golda A. Edwin, Thomas Kaydor, Tehmina Khan, Amanda Lange Salvia, Paula Lopes, Petra Schneider, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 17, namely "Strengthen the means of implementation andrevitalize the global partnership for sustainable development" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge. The approval of the SDGs by the 194 countries of the UN General Assembly implies that issues such as combating climate change; distributing resources fairly; providing security and protection; generating employment; and ensuring quality health care and education need the concerted efforts of everyone. SDG 17 seeks to dismantle structures and procedures built on inequality of access and develop strategies that ensure collaboration and sharing of resources and opportunities.The topics covered concern finance, technology, capacity-building, trade and systemic issues:Domestic resource mobilizationDomestic capacity for tax and other revenue collectionLong-term debt sustainability for developing countriesDebt financing, debt relief, dept restructuringGlobaltechnology facilitation mechanismTechnology, bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism Enhanced information and communications technologyUniversal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under WTOIncreased exports of developing countriesGlobal macroeconomic stabilityPolicy coordination and policy coherencePromotion of effective public, public-private and civil society partnershipsEditorial BoardCarolina Collaro, Sonja Rewhorn, Elena Shabliy, Monica Thiel, Marco Tortora, Tony Wall

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.  The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 15, namely "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss" and contains the description of a range of terms, which allow a better understanding and foster knowledge.Concretely, the defined targets are:Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreementsPromote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral worldEnsure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable developmentTake urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened speciesPromote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreedTake urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife productsIntroduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantlyReduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority speciesIntegrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies andaccountsMobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystemsMobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestationEnhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunitiesEditorial BoardAlexandra Aragão, Desalegn Yayeh Ayal, Ayansina Ayanlade, Anabela Marisa Azul, Adriana Consorte-McCrea, Muhammad Farooq, Ana Catarina Luz, María P. Martín, Sharif A. Mukul, Nandhivarman Muthu, Robert Russell Monteith Paterson, Isabel Ruiz-Mallén