17 Goals to Transform Our World

The IAEA advances SDG 1 (No Poverty) by implementing technical cooperation projects that enhance food safety and export competitiveness in rural areas. By applying nuclear techniques, the IAEA helps improve agricultural practices, boost economic opportunities and support sustainable livelihoods, reducing poverty in marginalized communities.

The IAEA supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by using nuclear techniques to boost food security. Through the flagship initiative Atoms4Food, a partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), it helps countries increase production and yields, control insect pests, improve water and soil management and livestock health. These innovations address hunger and malnutrition by strengthening agricultural practices globally.
(SDG 2 indicators 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5)

The IAEA furthers SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by improving access to cancer and cardiovascular treatment using nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. Through initiatives like Rays of Hope, the IAEA strengthens radiation safety and regulatory systems in low and middle income countries and offers expert guidance, training, equipment and quality control for better health care.
(SDG 3 indicators 3.3, 3.4, 3.8, 3.9, 3.b.2, 3.c)

The IAEA promotes SDG 4 (Quality Education) by offering training in diverse areas of nuclear technology and its applications. This includes face-to-face and online courses, fellowship programmes, and specialized schools aimed at building capacity. By enhancing expertise in fields like nuclear medicine, agriculture and energy, the IAEA fosters knowledge-sharing and sustainable development.

(SDG 4 indicators 4.3, 4.b)

The IAEA enhances SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by empowering women in nuclear through targeted education and training. Initiatives like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme and Lise Meitner Programme provide women with opportunities to advance their careers in nuclear science in order to drive global scientific and technological innovation.

(SDG 5 indicators 5.5, 5.5.2, 5.b)

The IAEA contributes to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) by helping countries enhance their access to water. The IAEA works with isotopic techniques to shed light on the age and quality of groundwater and shares this knowledge with experts around the world. Some countries use this to implement integrated water resource management policies to sustainably use resources and to protect water and water-related ecosystems, while others use them to address scarcity and improve freshwater supplies.
(SDG 6 indicators 6.3, 6.3.1, 6.4, 6.5.1, 6.a) 

The IAEA advances SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by fostering the safe use of nuclear power to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy, improve energy security, reduce environmental and health impacts and mitigate climate change.

(SDG 7 indicators 7.a, 7.3.1, 7.a.1)

To further SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), the IAEA supports livelihoods by promoting nuclear techniques that support job creation and economic growth, and by setting standards on radiation protection of occupationally exposed workers.

(SDG 8 indicators 8.2, 8.8.1)

The IAEA furthers SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) by supporting innovation in nuclear energy technologies, helping countries to increase the competence of their industries by using irradiation technology and other nuclear techniques.

(SDG 9 indicators 9.1, 9.4, 9.5, 9.a, 9.b)

The IAEA promotes SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by enhancing countries’ capacity to use nuclear technology effectively, safely and securely, including where countries lack the adequate know-how and resources.

(SDG 10 indicators 10.a, 10.b)

By increasing the safety, resilience and sustainability of cities through the use of isotopic techniques to measure pollution and its sources, particularly in urban areas, the IAEA aims to advance SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

(SDG 11 indicators 11.4, 11.6)

The IAEA contributes to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by supporting waste management, including the safe and secure management of radioactive waste, environmental remediation and the management of plastic waste and sustainable production. NUTEC Plastics is the IAEA’s flagship initiative to address the global challenge of plastic pollution.

(SDG 12 indicators 12.4, 12.5, 12.a)

The IAEA supports SDG 13 (Climate Action) by promoting nuclear techniques that play a key role in climate change mitigation, monitoring and adaptation. Nuclear power plants generate more than one quarter of the world’s low carbon electricity and can support a climate resilient energy system and economy.

(SDG 13 indicators 13.2, 13.2.2, 13.3, 13.b)

By helping countries understand and monitor ocean health and marine phenomena like ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms and the impact of plastic pollution through nuclear techniques, the IAEA helps to advance SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

(SDG 14 indicators 14.3, 14.a)

The IAEA furthers SDG 15 (Life on Land) by supporting the sustainable use of land through isotopic techniques to promote agricultural best practices, improve conservation methods and protect resources, ecosystems and biodiversity.

(SDG 15 indicators 15.1, 15.3, 15.4, 15.8, 15.8.1)

The IAEA advances SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by helping to deter the spread of nuclear weapons by providing credible assurance that nuclear material remains in peaceful use through the implementation of nuclear safeguards.

(SDG 16 indicators 16.3, 16.4.2, 16.6, 16.10)

By maximizing the nuclear technology contribution to development objectives through partnerships with Member States, UN agencies, research organizations, civil society and the private sector, the IAEA supports SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

(SDG 17 indicators 17.3, 17.3.1, 17.5, 17.6, 17.7, 17.9, 17.11, 17.13, 17.15, 17.17)