The UN Sustainable Development Goals by Neil Lock

In earlier essays about the bad environmental policies with which we have been bombarded for more than 30 years, I have discussed various United Nations agendas. Today, I’m going to look at the Sustainable Development Goals, agreed in 2015, also known as Agenda 2030.

This is the last in a series of essays I began in June 2025, documenting many of the bad political agendas, that have brought us to the mess we are in today.

History

I shall begin by relating the timeline of the development of this agenda.

Agenda 21

Agenda 21 was one of the agreements, to which John Major and co signed us up, without our say-so, at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. It was a first blueprint for the kind of world the political élites have been trying for more than three decades to force on us. They envisaged a deeply green and feminist world, with recycling all but a religion, people crammed into cities and using “high-occupancy public transport” with a “culture of safety.”

The Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, the UN held a Millennium Summit. This led to an agreement between the UN member states on a set of Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved by 2015.

This was the start of the tyrannical and all-pervasive culture of arbitrary, usually collective, and ever tightening targets and limits in matters environmental, which has plagued our lives ever since. The EU has been probably the most eager of the spreaders and enforcers of this culture. But it is the UN that, most of all, has driven the process along. Assisted, of course, by green extremists, and by all the mainstream UK political parties – Tories, Labour and Lib Dems – whenever they have been in government.

The Sustainable Development Goals

In September 2015, the UN convened a Sustainable Development Summit, attended by more than 150 world leaders. These included then UK prime minister David Cameron. At that meeting, they agreed a document called Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This was, in essence, an update to and extension of the Millennium Development Goals.

You can find the text at [1]. It’s pretty nasty stuff.

What’s in there

The remainder of this essay is a précis of a far more detailed piece from 2022: [2].

When I first skim-read that document, I thought of it as little more than an earnest-sounding wish-list. But when I was moved to read it again, I was horrified. I called it “nothing less than a blueprint for the complete destruction of human civilization as we know it today, and for tyranny by a self-appointed global ruling class over every human being alive.”

Arrogance

One thing that comes over from the document is the incredible arrogance of those that wrote it. “This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity… All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will implement this plan,” they say. It is to be achieved through “universal and transformative Goals and targets.” And: “As we embark on this great collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.”

But who are they, that they claim a right to tell everyone in the world, including all individuals and all democracies, what direction each of us should be taking? Including those of us, who want nothing at all to do with the UN or its environmental agendas? Or, indeed, want nothing at all to do with any top-down or globalist political organization?

They say: “We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path.” That is, simply put, a lie. In reality, the hype about climate change, nature degradation, biodiversity loss and all the rest is just that – hype. For those, like me, who look for hard evidence and facts, and are persuaded by nothing else, it is clear that no proof beyond reasonable doubt has ever been provided that there is any real problem in any of these areas. Still less is there any proof that humans are responsible for any such problems, even if they did exist.

The arguments for “bold and transformative steps,” claimed to be “urgently needed,” are no more than a set of carefully crafted false narratives. These narratives are put out by those that want to destroy individual human freedom, industrial civilization and the prosperity it has brought; and to substitute for them the absolutist rule of a global cabal of élites, that includes themselves. Anyone that spreads these narratives, or promotes, supports, makes or enforces any political agenda derived from them, is a traitor to human civilization and to humanity.

There is a stench of collectivism, of top-down command and control, about this whole Agenda. The promoters seem to have let their arrogance run away with them to such an extent, that they are looking simply to do all this stuff, regardless of the consequences to the people impacted by it. They are behaving like psychopathic criminals. Recklessly, dishonestly, and without any empathy or remorse towards their victims.

The sustainability agenda is unsustainable!

The UN defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Though, strangely, the Agenda document does not repeat this definition.

But have the policies, that have been implemented in the name of the sustainability agenda, actually met the needs of the present? What, for example, were the effects in practice of the attempted transition to organic agriculture, that in 2021 was forced on Sri Lankans by their government as part of a “sustainable agriculture” agenda? Harvest failure, collapse of the economy, and at one point 22 per cent of the population needing food aid.

So much for the claim that “we are determined to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions.” That same claim is also given the lie by what has been and is being done to Dutch farmers, the second most efficient food producers in the world.

Or what about UK policies, that have put in place a strategy of trying to run an industrial economy on “renewable” energy, that anyone with even half an ounce of common sense can see can never be reliable and affordable? These policies have led to de-industrialization, job losses, increasing poverty and worsening health. Not only for the people directly affected, but in the longer run for their children too. So much for the promise to “ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality.” How can people fulfil their potential in a modern economy, if they are denied necessities like reliable, affordable energy?

Moreover, I know what the word “sustainable” really means: “able to endure into the future.” And I know that truly sustainable development is dynamic and progressive, like the Industrial Revolution in its heartland of the UK. The Industrial Revolution was sustainable in the same way that a bush-fire or a nuclear reaction is sustainable. That is sustainable development.

I also know what a truly sustainable economy is. It is one from which no wealth is lost. In which those, who fairly earn wealth, can spend it on goods and services from people like themselves. And keep it away from the vested interests, politicians, bureaucrats, political activists and the like, that want to rule tyrannically over us and against our interests.

“Degradation”

The agenda says: “We are determined to protect the planet from degradation.” But what is degradation is, to a large extent, a subjective matter.

For example, when the ancient Athenians quarried large amounts of marble to build the Parthenon in the 5^th century BC, did they degrade the planet? To anyone who appreciates human civilization, the utility and beauty of the Parthenon were big positives. Only a humanity-hater could have preferred to leave that marble where it was.

Prosperity, fulfilment and harmony with nature

“We are determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.”

Yeah, right. So, the UN’s sustainable development agenda is making our lives more “prosperous and fulfilling”? That’s not what I’m experiencing. I am far less prosperous today, and feel far less content or fulfilled, than I was back in the 1980s. And the decline has been pretty much continuous. What about you?

Moreover, if real economic, social and technological progress are to take place, they must be in harmony with our nature, human nature. It is in our nature to be creative, to build civilizations, and to take control of, and leave our mark on, our surroundings.

Any human being worth the name knows, deep down inside, that this planet and its resources are ours to use as we see fit, in order to make a home and garden fit for a civilized species. Is that not our right, as much as lions have a right to catch and kill zebra, and giraffes have a right to pick fruit and leaves off the tops of tall trees? To deny us this right, and to seek to subordinate human beings to some idol they call “nature,” is treason against our species.

And to those that want to do these things to us, I say: You think this isn’t our planet? Then it sure as hell isn’t your planet. Get yourselves off our planet, you traitors to humanity.

Peace, justice and inclusion

“We are determined to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence.” Well, I can tell you how to hugely reduce violence and wars. We must get rid of the institutions and individuals that seek to make violence and wars.

And what is the name of the political institution today, into whose very foundations war is built? It is the state. “War is the health of the state,” said Randolph Bourne. And he was right. Yet, the UN explicitly oppose tackling the issue at its roots. For they say: “We reaffirm that every State has, and shall freely exercise, full permanent sovereignty over all its wealth, natural resources and economic activity.”

Moreover, what do they mean by just? Do they want a milieu of common-sense justice, in which every individual is treated, as far as practicable, as he or she treats others? Or do they seek a system of “justice” in which those with political power may do whatever it suits them to do? Including enriching themselves and their cronies, and doing severe injustices to people who don’t agree with their agendas?

And what is inclusive? I can only feel part of a society, if I agree with its aims and objectives. I don’t want to have anything to do with any organization that is hostile to human flourishing. Including the UN, the EU, and governments of any of the establishment political parties.

Health and well-being

Goal 3 seeks to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” Yet the small print underneath includes items like: “Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.” (Think: What happened with Prohibition?) “By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.” “Strengthen the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate.” These are not policies for health and well-being, but for tyranny.

Education

Goal 4 seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” But when you look at the small print, this is merely a recipe for ever-increasing central control over education. And there is no mention at all of those whose responsibility it is to provide their children with education, and whose right it is to decide how best to educate them; parents.

Gender equality

Goal 5 seeks to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” The agenda here is explicitly sexist.

Myself, I take the view that it shouldn’t matter who an individual is, only how that individual behaves. Under this view, discriminating against (or for) people merely because of their gender is simply silly and wrong.

Inequality

Goal 10 claims to seek to “reduce inequality within and among countries.” And urges governments to “adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.”

This is a recipe for government micro-management of everything, and total destruction of economic freedom. We already know that such a system can never work for the people, most of all for the “little people.” In fact, it will simply make the politically rich richer, and the politically poor poorer. As current policies are, indeed, doing.

Safety

Goal 11 seeks to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Here is the root of the intolerable culture of “safety at any cost,” which subjects us to ever more and tighter restrictions, while spying on us to catch us out in the smallest violation.

It also says: “by 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.” If I read that right, it means “force us all into cities.” No, thanks.

“Resource mobilization”

Goal 17 seeks, among other things, to “strengthen domestic resource mobilization… to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection.” So, now we know (if we didn’t before) that we are to be treated as no more than “resources” to be taxed and “mobilized” at the will of a self-appointed élite class. There’s another word for that: slaves.

The agenda’s world-view

I have come to the conclusion that the world-view of those peddling this UN agenda is a globalist, feminist form of fascism. In which, “the Fatherland” is replaced by “Mother Earth,” and the planet is to be worshipped as fascists worship the nation.

Moreover, in consonance with the gender change from male to female, women are to be regarded as superior to men. And everyone and everything is to be “mobilized” in support of the agenda of “sustainable development.”

To sum up

• The United Nations’ “Sustainable Development Goals” agenda is a blueprint for the destruction of human civilization as we know it, and for tyranny by a self-appointed global ruling class over every human being alive.
• For more than 30 years, successive UK governments have been a major leader in the stampede towards the “sustainable development” agenda. They have done this without allowing us, the people they are supposed to serve, any other choice, or any chance to object.
• The main thrust of the agenda is a global power grab by an international élite of the rich and powerful, at the expense of ordinary people. The world-view of its promoters seems to be a globalist, feminist form of fascism.
• The agenda is a charter for government meddling and centralized control.
• The negative effects of the agenda are now plain for all to see. For example, in food shortages and economic collapse in Sri Lanka. Energy unaffordability in the UK. And serious political disruption to farming in the Netherlands.
• As time goes on, it is becoming increasingly clear that the “sustainable development” agenda, wherever implemented, will produce results that are quite the opposite of sustainable.

The promoters, supporters, makers and enforcers of this agenda are traitors to human civilization and to humanity as a whole. It is high time that we human beings started to organize ourselves to push back. Both against their agenda, and against them.

[[1]] https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

[[2]] https://libertarianism.uk/2022/07/31/on-the-uns-sustainable-development-goals/

Image credit on main page: Wikimedia Commons