Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Media – Lessons and Suggestions for Policy Prescriptions

Abstract

Purpose: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) came into force in 2015 with defined objectives and targets. SDGs are considered as the extension of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are eight MDGs and targets. Countries could improve people’s lives in specific development areas during the MDGs period. To take development further with sustainability in approach, Countries agreed to bring SDGs in UN meeting in 2015. Countries have committed achieve SDGs by 2030. Media is a significant institution for taking development further at various levels and contributing to policymaking. The present paper is specifically designed to know the role of media in successfully implementing SDGs’ goals at various levels, and goals are targeted to achieve by 2030.

Research Design and Methodology: The present paper explicitly presents India’s policymaking process and how far India can achieve SDGs with public policies. Media is a significant institution for formulating public policies to reach SDG successfully. The paper has conceived to know how far India could reach SDG with the media facilitation and the media’s role in reaching India’s SDGs targets. To address the above two questions, the researcher traced the policymaking process in India and brought a few data to know the current status. Researchers have provided the significance of media’s role after analyzing SDGs and their targets. The researchers used secondary data to put forth their argument. The limitation of the paper is the lack of field-based data.

Findings: The authors found that the media role is essential to the policymaking process and the implementation of policies. The media need to provide necessary field-based data to formulate policies. The media need to constantly assess the success and failure of policies by reporting regularly. They must collect data regularly to provide government to bring necessary changes during the implementation process. The present paper further discussed the lessons learnt so far to bring desirable results in SDGs. It also insisted that the media can play a proactive role in bringing positive societal changes to sustainable development in people’s approaches.

Originality/Value: The paper emerged after realizing the importance of media in the development process. SDGs are a significant path to sustainable development to address climate change and sustainably improve people’s lives. The media could sensitize people on sustainable living and restoring our ecosystem to make the world liveable. Digital innovation and the role of information communication technologies will be critical for achieving the SDGs.

Paper Type: View Point