The participants included Amina Mohammed, the UNSG's Special Adviser on Post-2015, Karmenu Vella, the EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and Klaus Rudischauser, the Deputy DG Development and Cooperation.

Two elements characterize the SDGs. First, SDGs apply not only to developing countries but also to membres of the EU. Secondly, they put hand in hand development and environment and recognise their link. Indeed, development cannot be achieved if environmental protection is not implemented.

Environmental and social foundations

The SDGs propose to respond to environmental challenges such as freshwater use, climate change, land use change, biodiversity loss, etc. which affect people's safety and life with dignity. This environmental protection comes with social foundations.

The SDGs show that job security, social equity, gender equality, health, education, food security and voice participate to the safe and just space for humanity but cannot be the only goals to achieve development.

Implement SDGs

Now, the EU needs to adapt all of its internal policies to implement these goals as well as act at the international level according to these principles. Nevertheless, Members States will still be free to choose which programmes they implement nationally, the SDGs only being a guiding framework. Without strong engagments from governments in the COP 21 held in Paris in December 2015, SDGs may end jeopardized though.