World leaders approve Agenda 2030, new UN goals for next 15 years to eradicate poverty, protect planet

United Nations: The ambitious UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to end poverty, hunger, assure gender equality, and build a life of dignity for all over the next 15 years, were adopted on Friday as global leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi descended on the world body's headquarters on the historic occasion.

The 193-member General Assembly adopted the new framework, "Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", composed of 17 goals and 169 targets to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change over the next 15 years.

The new development agenda, arrived at after months and years of intense negotiations, was adopted as world leaders, heads of global financial institutions and other dignitaries headed to the UN headquarters for its landmark 70th anniversary session.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the agenda as "a clarion call" to "share prosperity, empower people's livelihoods, ensure peace and heal our planet for the benefit of this and future generations".

Among the ambitious 17 goals to be adopted by the UN for the next 15 years is complete poverty eradication, zero hunger, quality education, gender equality, sustainable cities and communities and clean water and sanitation.

Officials have forecast 2015 as "a watershed year" for the UN for having reached an agreement that will "change the paradigm about development" while "leaving no one behind" and giving a boost to a global climate change accord later this year.

Pope Francis, on his maiden visit to the US, made a historic address to the General Assembly during a tour timed for the global gathering.

The much-watched week saw the likes of pop star Shakira and footballer David Beckham, both Goodwill Ambassadors of the UN Children's Fund, making appearances to preview the importance of the global goals.

To mark the landmark occasion, the UN headquarters complex was lit up one night with colourful, massive projections of the new SDGs for all to see.

The three-day UN Sustainable Development Summit kicked off today with a record number of world leaders attending including Modi as well as heads of multilateral bodies like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The summit opened with a screening of the film 'The Earth From Space' and was followed by performances from Shakira and fellow UN Goodwill Ambassador singer Angelique Kidjo, as well as a call to action by female education advocate and youngest-ever Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai along with youth representatives as torch bearers to a sustainable future.