Sustainability in the Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Declaration in 2000 committed developed and developing countries to working in partnership to achieve a set of critical development outcomes. These commitments are embodied in the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

A number of targets within three of these MDGs relate to the sustainable development work of the World Bank.

Poverty and hunger can be reduced by investing in agriculture.

In response to global food crises, the World Bank established the Global Food Crisis Response Program in 2008. It also administers the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, which supports country-led food-security programs and investments to help smallholder farmers.

About 75 percent of the world's poor live in rural areas, and most are involved in farming. The World Bank emphasizes increasing support in several areas related to food and farming, including raising agricultural productivity, linking farmers to markets, and reducing risk and vulnerability.

More on the Bank's MDG1 response

World Bank Work on

» Agriculture & Rural Development
» Response to Food Crises
» Improving Rural Water Supplies
» Country-Led Efforts in Agriculture and Food Security 

Agriculture Projects

» Mongolia: Reducing Vulnerability of Rural Communities
» Uruguay: From Crisis to Opportunity
» India: Making Insurance Markets Work for Farmers
» More projects

Data

» Rural Population
» Agricultural Land (Percent of Land Area)
» More Agriculture Indicators 

Environmental sustainability can be achieved by integrating environmental and natural resource management and natural capital accounting into country policies and development programs.

The world is on track to meet the drinking water target, but safe water supplies remains a challenge, and the sanitation target will not be met. Land is still being degraded, forests are being lost, and species are becoming extinct, as carbon emissions continue to change the environment we live in.

MDG7 also includes a target of improving the lives of slum dwellers. The World Bank Group’s Urban Strategy addresses the issue of slum prevention.

More on the Bank's MDG 7 Response

World Bank Work on

» Biodiversity
» Climate Change
» Environment
» Forests & Forestry
» Oceans & Coastal Management
» Water
» Urban Upgrading and Slum Prevention
» Sustainable Development 

Environmental Sustainability Projects

» Kiribati: Climate Change Adaptation
» Colombia: Improving Environmental Institutions and Policies
» Tunisia: Giving Communities a Stronger Voice in Resource Management 

Data

» Mammal Species, Threatened
» Co2 Emissions (kt)
» More Environment Indicators

Global partnership for development can be strengthened by decreasing the digital divide and making benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications, accessible to developing countries.

The World Bank is the largest international funder of information and communication technology development, currently supporting projects in 95 countries.

Our partnership strategy is to connect people and markets by investing in IT and communications infrastructure.

More on the Bank's MDG 8 Response 

World Bank Work on

» Global ICT
» ICT and Education

ICT Project Profiles

» Afghanistan: Better Communications for a Better Future
» Paupa New Guinea: Improving Telecommunications in Rural Communities
» Bangladesh: Mobile Phones Create Opportunities for Villagers 

Data

» Internet Users per 100 People
» Mobile Cellular Subscriptions
» More Infrastructure Indicators