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SDG17: partnerships and battle against the COVID-19
source:goldencsr date:2020-03-11 14:23:22
It is unity that plays an important role in the prevention and control of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and helps Chinese people overcome all the difficulties. It is also of great significance to Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), "Partnerships for the Goals".
Goal 17: an important guarantee mechanism for the realization of SDGs
Among the 17 goals of SDGs, Goal 17 is obviously different from the other 16 goals. That is because it is an important guarantee mechanism to achieve all the goals.
According to the introduction of a Chinese expert who involved in developing SDGs, because each goal is complex and extensive, the United Nations focuses on studying four goals and Goal 17 every year, and finishes the study of all the goals for four years. Goal 17 is studied each year, which has shown its basic role.
Ban Ki Moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations, once said: "to successfully implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must immediately take actions. Therefore we need to build strong, inclusive and comprehensive partnerships at all levels. "
The United Nations elaborates Goal 17 that, the complexity and interconnection of sustainable development goals requires new working modes. It is necessary to strengthen the global partnerships for sustainable development, supplemented by multi stakeholders’ partnership, to mobilize and share knowledge, speciality, technology and financial resources to support all countries, especially developing countries, in achieving sustainable development goals.
Mutual enlightenment of Goal 17 and the pandemic prevention and control
We have analyzed that the outbreak, spread, prevention and control of COVID-19 have in-depth relationship with the SDGs.
In the pandemic prevention and control, the most important thing is whether all social sectors can jointly fight against the pandemic with effective participation, support, cooperation and their own strengths. From the perspective of sustainable development, that is to say, whether we can establish a partnership (effectively overall planning of social resources) to promote the realization of the goal (successful fight against the pandemic) matters.
At the beginning of pandemic prevention and control, the State Council promptly made systematic arrangements and launched joint defense prevention and control mechanism to coordinate all departments, strengthen the supervision of key materials and spares no effort to meet all needs. The mechanism effectively links the functions of all departments of the government and establishes a guarantee mechanism for the government to prevent and control the pandemic.
In the business sector, some leaders are also taking actions, such as coordinating resources related to the pandemic prevention and control and establishing effective partnerships with supply chain enterprises and partners.
The SBU of Chemicals of Sinochem Group sent A Letter to Supply Chain Partners to the Sinochem sustainable supply chain partner network established by the company, which aims to call on its supply chain partners to jointly overcome difficulties and make contributions to fight against the pandemic. Internally, Sinochem Group strengthened cooperation with supply chain network partners to strictly control product quality, ensure product supply and stabilize product price, working together with supply chain partners to cope with the problem of product circulation. Externally, supply chain network partners played their strengths and took actions quickly to ensure production. Enterprises which produce and sell materials relevant to pandemic prevention kept the sale without any bidding up, and did their best to guarantee the supply of materials.
The SBU of Agriculture of Sinochem Group issues A Proposal to China’s Agricultural Service Organizations. The company integrated different resources and took actions quickly. While preparing well for spring ploughing, it actively joined in the battle against the pandemic. It devoted itself to the disinfection of rural public areas, and extensively organized and participated in the work of disinfection in the rural areas, pandemic prevention and control publicity, donations, etc. The SBU of Agriculture took the lead and carried out rural public welfare action with Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical Group to prevent the pandemic, mobilized social forces and organized leading plant-protection machinery enterprises to carry out centralized disinfection for areas like rural public areas of Hubei Province, the core area of the pandemic.
Sinochem Group also established an efficient "partnership" among departments. Its five departments all played a role in the pandemic prevention and control. Sinochem Oil provided free fuel for the construction site of Huoshenshan Hospital, Yangnong Chemical Group guaranteed the supply of sodium hypochlorite disinfectant, MAP Technical Service Center helped the production of medical materials, Jinmao Group(Wuhan) guaranteed the accommodation of construction workers of Leishenshan Hospital, and doctors and nurses from Far East Horizon Limited went to the pandemic area for support work.
Promoting a partnership of consultation, contribution and shared benefits
At present, the pandemic prevention and control are still in the progress. Our Chinese people must be united, get to a common view and take concerted action, which is beneficial to gain strong and lasting combat effectiveness and win the battle.
Unity plays a critical role in China’s way of overcoming difficulties. China promotes the new way of sustainable development, in which firstly China adheres to the partnership mechanism based on the principle of consultation, contribution and shared benefits.
The pandemic is also a big test to social governance system and capacity. How different kinds of social organizations work to form the partnership of mutual understanding and promotion for jointly dealing with challenges and creating and sharing value should be considered in social governance system and capacity.
“Golden Key” Series
Sustainable development is the golden key to solve current global problems. The global problems are all related to the unsustainable mode of development.
Grasping the "golden key" of sustainable development and aligning it with the 17 goals proposed in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can set the direction and momentum for winning the fight against the pandemic, as well as expanding our thinking for achieving SDGs.
China Sustainability Tribune will focus on the fight against the pandemic and share “Golden Key” Series to seek for good methods to implement the SDGs.