SDR(2024)과 대학생 인식 조사를 통해 분석한 한국과 일본의 SDGs

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) were adopted as a common goal for all mankind at the 2015 UN General Assembly. The Sustainable Development Report(SDR, 2024), which annually evaluates and ranks SDG implementation among UN member states, places Korea 33rd out of 167 countries, but Japan places 18th position. Both countries face significant challenges in achieving goals related to ecosystem protection(SDG14 and SDG15), gender equality(SDG5), and responsible consumption and production(SDG12). In addition, Korea struggles with progress on SDG13(climate action) and SDG17(partnerships for the goals). These challenges are compounded in Korea by a lack of public awareness of SDGs, confusion surrounding SDG-related terminology, and insufficient Education for Sustainable Development(ESD). To investigate these issues, a comparative survey was conducted in November 2023 among university students in Korea and Japan to explore their perceptions of SDGs. As a result, only 13.7% of Korean university students reported being “aware of SDGs,” a stark contrast to 92.0% of their Japanese counterparts. Furthermore, the findings revealed that while students may possess “knowledge” of the term, this awareness does not necessarily ranslate into “SDG-related actions.” When asked to identify the most interesting goals, Korean university students selected SDG3(good health and well-being), SDG8(decent work and economic growth), SDG13(climate action), SDG1(no poverty), and SDG7(affordable and clean energy). In contrast, Japanese university students prioritized SDG1, SDG10(reduced inequalities), SDG5(gender equality), SDG4(quality education), and SDG16(peace, justice, and strong institutions). Regarding the goals they perceived as priorities for national implementation, Korean students ranked SDG8, SDG1, SDG3, and either SDG7 or SDG12; Japanese students, on the other hand, ranked SDG1, SDG3, SDG4, SDG10, and either SDG2(zero hunger) or SDG5. Japanese university students prioritized socially oriented goals, such as no poverty(SDG1) and gender equality(SDG5), whereas Korean university students emphasized goals related to quality jobs and economic growth(SDG8) as well as good health and well-being(SDG3). This shows the interest of Korean university students in issues related to the economic crisis, employment, housing inequality, and welfare. Notably, the SDGs identified as lagging in Korea’s performance in the SDR(2024) report are largely those that fail to capture the attention of university students. The findings suggest that in Korea, efforts should focus on the “standardization of SDG-related terminology,” “SDG education,” “prioritization of underperforming goals,” and ultimately, fostering SDG-related “actions.” Above all, the highest priority is to promote awareness and dissemination through education for sustainable development(ESD) and integration into school curricula.