Distributive Justice at the Global, National, and Temporal Scales

Justice is an underlying principle and an important lens in understanding sustainable development goals (SDG). There is a need for analysis and clarification on the underlying principles of justice embedded in the SDGs. Goals such as no poverty (goal 1), zero hunger (goal 2), health and well-being (goal 3), gender equality (goal 5), affordable energy (goal 7), reduced inequalities (goal 10) as well as climate action (goal 13) aim for a fair distribution of resources, risks, and benefits for all. There is one specific SDG goal which explicitly mentions “justice” and that is stated in goal 16 in the context of peace and ensuring access to justice for all in effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. In achieving these goals, distributive justice is a central element and can guide the political translation of SDG goals and targets in concrete strategies and policies (Oliveira 2018).