Reduce inequalities within and between countries
Agenda 2030
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015 are products of complex political negotiations and therefore represent potentially conflicting interests resulting from the interaction of a multitude of actors. This is not only evident in the overall design of the 2030 Agenda, but also within individual SDGs and their respective targets. A particularly interesting example is SDG 10. For the first time, the UN has established an independent target on inequalities within and between countries and explicitly addresses the need for inclusion and the reduction of various forms of inequalities with the "Leave no one behind" principle (LNOB) as a guideline for the entire agenda. Overall, the topics and concerns of SDG 10 therefore affect all other SDGs equally and are thus a central cross-cutting issue in the 2030 Agenda.
SDG 10 Targets:
10.1 By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
10.5 Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations
10.6 Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions
10.7 Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
10.a Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements
10.b Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes
10.c By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent
Situation in Austria
The SDG 10 targets address firstly discrimination and marginalization of groups or individuals on the basis of inequality dimensions, so-called horizontal inequalities, by ensuring equal opportunities and reducing inequality of outcomes, more concretely by abolishing discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate measures. Second, inequalities between countries are to be addressed through increased representation of the Global South and accelerated development cooperation, with a particular focus on migration. Third, economic (vertical) inequalities are also represented, but do not go far enough for critics. The growing gap between rich and poor and the accumulation of capital among a small social elite are increasingly being observed with concern in the scientific community. The SDG 10 working group is concerned with the negative effects of increasing inequality in the distribution of wealth, a stable welfare state and a socio-ecological infrastructure, the expansion of political participation and Austria's international responsibility.
Option list
(based on the options report to be published)
The options elaborated by the SDG groups are to serve as a means of communicating to the federal government which concrete options can be set by Austria in order to implement the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The options report will be published on 02.12.2021.
- Option 10.1-5_1: Wealth tax for more distributive justice
- Option 10.1-5_2: Inheritance tax for more distributive justice
- Option 10.1-5_3: Introduce financial registers: against tax evasion and money laundering
- Option 10.1-5_4: Limit management salaries
- Option 10.1-5_5: Expansion of social-ecological infrastructure as correction of inequality
- Option 10.6: Expand the financing base of the Austrian welfare regime and improve its resistance to poverty
- Option 10.7: Sustainable social cohesion through liberalization of voting rights and citizenship
- Option 10.8: Responsible migration policy through ratification and implementation of international conventions
- Option 10.9: International regulation of financial and tax policy: Austria's tax policy in the area of taxation of transnational corporations and financial market activities
