David Griggs and colleagues argue that the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should prioritize protecting Earth's life-support systems and reducing poverty. They propose a unified framework of six SDGs, combining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with global environmental targets, to address the challenges of the Anthropocene. These goals include thriving lives and livelihoods, sustainable food security, sustainable water security, universal clean energy, healthy and productive ecosystems, and governance for sustainable societies. The authors emphasize the need for measurable targets based on scientific research and international agreements, and they call for a shift in economic policies to value natural capital and address unsustainable practices. They also highlight the importance of international governance and research initiatives to refine targets and provide sustainable solutions for human well-being.David Griggs and colleagues argue that the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should prioritize protecting Earth's life-support systems and reducing poverty. They propose a unified framework of six SDGs, combining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with global environmental targets, to address the challenges of the Anthropocene. These goals include thriving lives and livelihoods, sustainable food security, sustainable water security, universal clean energy, healthy and productive ecosystems, and governance for sustainable societies. The authors emphasize the need for measurable targets based on scientific research and international agreements, and they call for a shift in economic policies to value natural capital and address unsustainable practices. They also highlight the importance of international governance and research initiatives to refine targets and provide sustainable solutions for human well-being.