GOAL 7:
ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources

• The rate of deforestation shows signs of decreasing, but is still alarmingly high
• A decisive response to climate change is urgently needed
• The unparalleled success of the Montreal Protocol shows that action on climate change is within our grasp

Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss

• The world has missed the 2010 target for biodiversity conservation, with potentially grave consequences
• Key habitats for threatened species are not being adequately protected
• The number of species facing extinction is growing by the day, especially in developing countries
• Overexploitation of global fisheries has stabilized, but steep challenges remain to ensure their sustainability

Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation

• The world is on track to meet the drinking water target, though much remains to be done in some regions
• Accelerated and targeted efforts are needed to bring drinking water to all rural households
• Safe water supply remains a challenge in many parts of the world
• With half the population of developing regions without sanitation, the 2015 target appears to be out of reach
• Disparities in urban and rural sanitation coverage remain daunting
• Improvements in sanitation are bypassing the poor

By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers

• Slum improvements, though considerable, are failing to keep pace with the growing ranks of the urban poor
• Slum prevalence remains high in sub-Saharan Africa and increases in countries affected by conflict