"The report underlines that without accelerated action, the 2030 Agenda will not be met.

SDG Impact: This article presents challenges toward all SDGs but more especially SDG 1, SDG 2, and SDG 13.

The ambition of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their 169 targets, adopted by the United Nations in 2015, is to provide responses to the main global challenges by 2030: poverty, inequality, climate, biodiversity, water, energy, peace, education, and more. Ten years after their launch, what progress has been made – and what obstacles remain?

Acknowledging that through solidarity and investment, the SDGs were able to improve millions of lives, the report reveals that only 35% of SDG targets with data are on track or show moderate progress. Almost half are not moving fast enough or making limited progress, and 18% have regressed. The report emphasizes the need for immediate, bold, and coordinated action in the light of “a global development emergency.”

Among major achievements, the report highlights:

• Over 100 million children and youth gaining access to education since 2015;
• Improvements in maternal and child mortality;
• A nearly 40% drop in HIV infections since 2010;
• Electricity access reaching 92% of the global population;
• Hundreds of millions of people gaining access to safe drinking water; and
• A 70% increase in internet use since 2015.

At the same time, the report shows that: over 800 million people still live in extreme poverty; one in 11 globally experience hunger; more than a billion people worldwide live in slums or informal settlements; and the number of forcibly displaced people has more than doubled since 2015. After five years of growth, official development assistance (ODA) dropped 7.1% in 2024, with further cuts expected in 2025. In addition, systemic disadvantages continue to affect women, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities.

According to the report, further progress towards the Goals is hindered by conflicts, climate change, rising inequality, and inadequate financing. Debt servicing costs for low-income countries (LICs) and middle-income countries (MICs) reached a record USD 1.4 trillion in 2023, while the SDG financing gap in developing countries is estimated at USD 4 trillion per year. National statistical systems also remain chronically underfunded, despite the importance of timely and disaggregated data for monitoring progress, targeting interventions, and ensuring accountability.

Meanwhile, the report underscores that global averages conceal meaningful advances in many countries, which serve as proof that sound policies, strong institutions, and inclusive partnerships can enable significant progress. Among examples, it notes that in the past decade, 45 countries have achieved universal electricity access, and 54 countries had eradicated at least one neglected tropical disease by the end of 2024.

The report identifies six transformations that can “unlock cascading benefits” across the SDGs: food systems; energy access and sustainability; digital connectivity; education reform; jobs and social protection; and climate and biodiversity action. It calls for coordinated policies, sufficient financing, and inclusive implementation, as well as international cooperation and genuine solidarity.

The report highlights the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), the 2025 UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the Second UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), and the Second World Summit for Social Development as “vital opportunities to galvanize political will and secure necessary financing.”

The report was released on the opening day of HLPF 2025, on 14 July. It is one of several SDG assessments released each year in the lead-up to the HLPF. The UN Secretary-General’s SDG progress report and the Sustainable Development Report by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) also feed into HLPF deliberations. 

HLPF 2025 takes place on the theme, ‘Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.’ Five Goals are undergoing in-depth reviews this year – SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 14 (life below water), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). [Publication: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025] [Key Messages] [Key Findings] [Fact Sheets on Goals Under Review in 2025] [Extended Report] [Publication Landing Page]

The report describes the expansion of globalization over time, driven by advances in technology and policy choices. Noting that many developing countries have reaped great benefits from economic integration over the past three decades, it recognizes that economic integration “has outpaced efforts to cushion its negative effects,” such as “the distributional and environmental impacts of unregulated economic globalization both within and between countries.”

Consequently, “the strong political commitment of governments to trade liberalization, particularly since the 1990s, has given way to a more cautious outlook, influenced by rising geopolitical tensions,” including the introduction of tariffs and retaliatory measures by major actors, according to the report.

The report warns that unless “the prevailing geopolitical fissures in the global trading system” are addressed, waning support of states for multilateral cooperation and institutions could affect the implementation of global frameworks, “created to mitigate the economic, social and environmental costs of globalization.” These frameworks, whose overarching objective is to help ensure globalization delivers for everyone, include the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and the Global Digital Compact.

Dated May 2025, the report (E/2025/68) is titled, ‘Long-term impacts of current trends on the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.’ It will inform the deliberations during the 2025 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July. HLPF 2025 will carry out in-depth reviews of SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 14 (life below water), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals) – the only Goal to undergo review annually. [Publication: Long-term Impacts of Current Trends on the Realization of the Sustainable Development Goals]

Held under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Forum’s 2025 session will be the first after the 2024 Summit of the Future (SoF). HLPF 2025 will support the implementation of the Pact for the Future and the Political Declaration adopted at the SDG Summit in 2023, among other outcomes, with a view to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in the five years that remain until the 2030 deadline.

The UN Secretariat’s concept note for the July session is available in PDF format. The provisional agenda (E/HLPF/2025/1) is here. An annotated programme of work for the session, dated 7 July, provides information on daily events and includes guiding questions for the thematic sessions. Background notes for the thematic sessions are here.

In addition to the official programme, the HLPF Secretariat has released the details on 12 special events taking place during the Forum:

• SDGs in Practice, from 14-23 July;
• Science Day, on 15 July;
• Local and Regional Government Forum (LRGF), on 16 July;
• Loacal2030 Coalition Special Event, on 16 July;
• HESI Global Forum, on 21 July;
• Accelerating Social Progress to Boost SDG Implementation, on 21 July;
• PGA’s Interactive Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on New Partnership on Africa’s Development, on 21 July;
• 2025 SDG Global Business Forum, on 22 July;
• Special Event on Addressing High Food Price Inflation for Food Security and Nutrition, on 22 July;
• Strengthening Climate and SDG Synergies for Accelerated Momentum Towards 2030, on 22 July;
• SDG 6 Water Action Agenda Special Event, on 22 July; and
• IPU Parliamentary Forum at the HLPF, on 22 July.

The HLPF Secretariat has also published a tentative programme of side events taking place in the margins of HLPF 2025, including off-site and virtual side events. The lists are continuously updated.

The programme for the 2025 VNR Labs is available here. VNR Labs convene on the sidelines of the HLPF to provide “an informal platform for experience sharing and reflection” on the voluntary national review (VNR) findings. They take place under Chatham House rules.

The latest Information Note on the arrangements for HLPF 2025 and the ECOSOC High-level Segment provides details on the format, venue, participation, and logistics.

The governments that will present VNRs of SDG implementation during HLPF 2025 have released the main messages of their reports. Angola, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, the Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Nigeria, Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Philippines, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, South Africa, the Sudan, Suriname, and Thailand – a total of 37 countries – will present their VNRs at HLPF 2025.

The co-facilitators for the negotiations on the HLPF Ministerial Declaration – the Czech Republic and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – circulated a “zero draft” of the outcome document on 14 April. Member States exchanged initial views on the zero draft during an informal consultation on 5 May. Informal consultations continue.

The Major Groups have submitted position papers on the theme of HLPF 2025. Their executive summaries are compiled in a preparatory document. The contributors are “major groups and other relevant stakeholders that have autonomously established and maintained effective coordination mechanisms for participation” in the HLPF. They include: Women; Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs); Local Authorities; Workers and Trade Unions; Business and Industry; Volunteer Groups; Scientific and Technological Community; Ageing; Education and Academia; Asia-Pacific Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism; Africa Regional Mechanism for Major Groups and Other Stakeholders; Economic Commission for Europe Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism; Communities that Experience Discrimination Based on Work and Descent; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) People; and Civil Society Financing for Development (FfD) Mechanism.

The functional commissions of ECOSOC have also submitted input on the theme of the session, discussing their contributions to implementing the 2030 Agenda. Another input to the HLPF is a compilation of reports from the UN’s regional commissions (E/HLPF/2025/3). The submissions present summaries of the 2025 regional forums on sustainable development (RFSDs) that took place in Africa, the Arab Region, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Other official inputs include: the UN Secretary-General’s SDG Progress Report assessing progress made since 2015 against the global SDG indicator framework; the Secretary-General’s report outlining long-term impacts of current trends on the realization of the SDGs; and a report on the 2025 annual theme of ECOSOC and the HLPF.

Reports from other intergovernmental processes that will inform the discussions include: a progress report on the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP) (E/2025/64); a report of the ECOSOC forum on financing for development follow-up (FfD Forum) (E/FFDF/2025/2); a summary of the 2025 Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) (E/HLPF/2025/6); and a report of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) (E/2025/33).

HLPF 2025 will also draw from the outcomes of several major summits, including the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). Its outcomes will, in turn, contribute to the Second UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), the Second World Summit for Social Development, and the UN Climate Change Conference, among other processes. [SDG Knowledge Hub Coverage of HLPF 2025][ECOSOC newsletter announcing the HLPF | subscribe to the ECOSOC newsletter]

• The complex interrelationships between climate and nature are recognized by scientists but are still being insufficiently prioritized by policymakers and businesses.
• With the right strategies, prioritizing nature and climate can be compatible with economic growth and value creation.
• This coming season of UN Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings and other sustainable development gatherings offers an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate integrated action for nature, climate and land.
  

• Two years after the landmark UN Biodiversity Plan was adopted in 2022, biodiversity loss continues unabated on an unprecedented scale.
• Governments are revising their national biodiversity strategies and action plans as the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Colombia approaches, providing opportunities to take a whole-of-government approach.
• Effective implementation of biodiversity commitments requires coherent policies and a connection between biodiversity commitments and green jobs, climate transition, sustainable production, plastics and more.

They are at an impasse over whether the treaty should reduce the total plastic on Earth and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics.

The negotiations in Busan, South Korea, were supposed to be the fifth and final round to produce the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans, by the end of 2024. But with time running out early Monday, negotiators agreed to resume the talks next year. They don't yet have firm plans.

More than 100 countries want the treaty to limit production as well as tackle cleanup and recycling, and many have said that is essential to address chemicals of concern. But for some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, that crosses a red line.

For any proposal to make it into the treaty, every nation must agree to it. Some countries sought to change the process so decisions could be made with a vote if consensus couldn't be reached and the process was paralyzed. India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait and others opposed changing it, arguing consensus is vital to an inclusive, effective treaty.

On Sunday, the last scheduled day of talks, the treaty draft still had multiple options for several key sections. Some delegates and environmental organizations said it had become too watered down, including negotiators from Africa who said they would rather leave Busan without a treaty than with a weak one.

Every year, the world produces more than 400 million tons of new plastic. Plastic production could climb about 70% by 2040 without policy changes.

In Ghana, communities, bodies of water, drains and farmlands are choked with plastics, and dumping sites full of plastics are always on fire, said Sam Adu-Kumi, the country's lead negotiator.

"We want a treaty that will be able to solve it," he said in an interview. "Otherwise we will go without it and come and fight another time."

At Sunday night's meeting, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, the committee chair from Ecuador, said that while they made progress in Busan, their work is far from complete and they must be pragmatic. He said countries were the furthest apart on proposals about problematic plastics and chemicals of concern, plastic production and financing the treaty, as well as the treaty principles.

Valdivieso said the meeting should be suspended and resume at a later date. Many countries then reflected on what they must see in the treaty moving forward.

Chair of the International Negotiating Committee, Luis Vayas Valdivieso (right), speaks with Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, before the start of a plenary of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024.

Ahn Young-joon/AP

Rwanda's lead negotiator, Juliet Kabera, said she spoke on behalf of 85 countries in insisting that the treaty be ambitious throughout, fit for purpose and not built to fail, for the benefit of current and future generations. She asked everyone who supported the statement to "stand up for ambition." Country delegates and many in the audience stood, clapping.

Panama's delegation, which led an effort to include plastic production in the treaty, said they would return stronger, louder and more determined.

Saudi Arabia's negotiator said chemicals and plastic production are not within the scope of the treaty. Speaking on behalf of the Arab group, he said if the world addresses plastic pollution, there should be no problem producing plastic. Kuwait's negotiator echoed that, saying the objective is to end plastic pollution, not plastic itself, and stretching the mandate beyond its original intent erodes trust and goodwill.

In March 2022, 175 nations agreed to make the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans, by the end of 2024. The resolution states that nations will develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic.

Stewart Harris, a spokesperson for the International Council of Chemical Associations, said it was an incredibly ambitious timeline. He said the ICCA is hopeful governments can reach an agreement with just a little more time.

Most of the negotiations in Busan took place behind closed doors. Environmental groups, Indigenous leaders, communities impacted by plastic pollution and scientists who traveled to Busan to help shape the treaty said it should've been transparent and they felt silenced.

"To a large degree, this is why the negotiation process is failing," said Bjorn Beeler, international coordinator for the International Pollutants Elimination Network. "Busan proved that the process is broken and just hobbling along."

South Korea's foreign affairs minister Cho Tae-yul said that though they didn't get a treaty in Busan as many had hoped, their efforts brought the world closer to a unified solution to ending global plastic pollution.

Dated 2 May 2024, the report (A/79/79-E/2024/54) underscores that “governments remain united behind the 2030 Agenda.” It highlights progress that is being made on reducing the global infant mortality rate, the incidence of HIV infections, and the cost of remittances, as well as on increasing access to water and sanitation, energy, and mobile broadband.

Yet, the report warns, in the past 12 months, little has changed in terms of trends. Only 15% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved, 49% show minimal or moderate progress, and 36% of the targets show signs of stagnation or regression.  

The report finds that while the early years of SDG implementation saw “slow but steady” progress, since 2019, “severe global headwinds,” including the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and climate change, have left the SDGs in peril, with the world’s most vulnerable people “bearing the brunt.”

According to the report, 23 million more people were living in extreme poverty in 2022 compared to 2019, and 123 million more experienced hunger. Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations “hit record highs” in 2022, surging to 150% above pre-industrial levels. Civilian casualties in armed conflict increased by 72% between 2022 and 2023

At USD 223.7 billion in 2023, official development assistance (ODA) was the highest ever, and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows reached USD 1.37 trillion. However, sustainable development grants to developing countries fell in 2022, and while debt levels decreased slightly, they remained “exceptionally high.” The report calls attention to the USD 4 trillion annual investment gap for developing countries to achieve the SDGs.

To “deliver transformative progress between now and 2030,” the report underscores the need to:

• Ensure peace;
• Unlock greater financing and fiscal space for developing countries and secure a more equitable, representative, and effective international financial system; and
• Unlock transformative progress across the Goals by doubling down on key transitions around energy, food, digital connectivity, social protection and decent jobs, education, and the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

The Secretary-General’s report is one of several SDG assessments released each year in the lead-up to the HLPF. The Sustainable Development Goals Report by the UN Statistics Division and the Sustainable Development Report by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) – both forthcoming – will also inform HLPF deliberations in July. [Publication: Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals]

These 17 goals were defined in 2015 by the United Nations with the goal of them being completed by 2030. They are a continuation and build off of the Millenium Development Goals that were in practice from 2000 to 2015. The MDGs were incredibly successful and we are seeing success even now with the SDGs.

In 2015, the 193 countries that make up the United Nations (UN) agreed to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The historic agenda lays out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets for dignity, peace, and prosperity for the planet and humankind, to be completed by the year 2030. The agenda targets multiple areas for action, such as poverty and sanitation, and plans to build up local economies while addressing people's social needs.

In short, the 17 SDGs are:

Goal 1: No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Goal 2: Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Goal 4: Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Goal 5: Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

Goal 10: Reduced Inequality: Reduce inequality within and among countries.

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Goal 13: Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Goal 14: Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

Goal 15: Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Goal 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goal: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

The SDGs build on over a decade of work by participating countries. In essence, the SDGs are a continuation of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which began in the year 2000 and ended in 2015. The MDGs helped to lift nearly one billion people out of extreme poverty, combat hunger, and allow more girls to attend school. The MDGs, specifically goal seven, helped to protect the planet by practically eliminating global consumption of ozone-depleting substances; planting trees to offset the loss of forests; and increasing the percent of total land and coastal marine areas worldwide. The SDGs carry on the momentum generated by the MDGs with an ambitious post-2015 development agenda that may cost over $4 trillion each year. The SDGs were a result of the 2012 Rio+20 Earth Summit, which demanded the creation of an open working group to develop a draft agenda for 2015 and onward.

Unlike the MDGs, which relied exclusively on funding from governments and nonprofit organizations, the SDGs also rely on the private business sector to make contributions that change impractical and unsustainable consumption and production patterns. Novozymes, a purported world leader in biological solutions, is just one example of a business that has aligned its goals with the SDGs. Novozymes has prioritized development of technology that reduces the amount of water required for waste treatment. However, the UN must find more ways to meaningfully engage the private sector to reach the goals, and more businesses need to step up to the plate to address these goals.

Overall, limited progress has been made with the SDGs. According to the UN, many people are living healthier lives now compared to the start of the millennium, representing one area of progress made by the MDGs and SDGs. For example, the UN reported that between 2012 and 2017, 80 percent of live births worldwide had assistance from a skilled health professional—an improvement from 62 percent between 2000 and 2005.

While some progress has been made, representatives who attended sustainable development meetings claimed that the SDGs are not being accomplished at the speed, or with the appropriate momentum, needed to meet the 2030 deadline. On some measures of poverty, only slight improvements have been made: The 2018 SDGs Report states that 9.2 percent of the world's workers who live with family members made less than $1.90 per person per day in 2017, representing less than a 1 percent improvement from 2015. Another issue is the recent rise in world hunger. Rates had been steadily declining, but the 2018 SDGs Report stated that over 800 million people were undernourished worldwide in 2016, which is up from 777 million people in 2015.

Another area of the SDGs that lacks progress is gender equality. Multiple news outlets have recently reported that no country is on track to achieve gender equality by 2030 based on the SDG gender index. On a scale of zero to 100, where a score of 100 means equality has been achieved, Denmark was the top performing country out of 129 countries with score slightly under 90. A score of 90 or above means a country is making excellent progress in achieving the goals, and 59 or less is considered poor headway. Countries were scored against SDGs targets that particularly affect women, such as access to safe water or the Internet. The majority of the top 20 countries with a good ranking were European countries, while sub-Saharan Africa had some of the lowest-ranking countries. The overall average score of all countries is a poor score of 65.7.

In fall of 2019, heads of state and government will convene at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to assess the progress in the 17 SDGs. The following year—2020—marks the deadline for 21 of the 169 SDG targets. At this time, UN member states will meet to make a decision to update these targets.

In addition to global efforts to achieve the SDGs, according to the UN, there are ways that an individual can contribute to progress: save on electricity while home by unplugging appliances when not in use; go online and opt in for paperless statements instead of having bills mailed to the house; and report bullying online when seen in a chat room or on social media.

Expanding on Each Sustainable Development Goal:

1. No Poverty (Goal 1): This goal aims to eradicate poverty in all its forms by ensuring social protection systems and access to basic services for all individuals.

2. Zero Hunger (Goal 2): Targeting food security and improved nutrition, this goal seeks sustainable agriculture practices to end hunger and ensure access to nutritious food for all.

3. Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3): Focused on ensuring healthy lives for all, this goal aims to provide universal access to healthcare services, reduce maternal and child mortality rates, and combat major diseases.

4. Quality Education (Goal 4): By promoting inclusive and equitable education, this goal strives to ensure access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for everyone.

5. Gender Equality (Goal 5): Seeking to empower women and girls, this goal advocates for equal rights, opportunities, and participation in all spheres of life.

6. Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6): Addressing water scarcity and sanitation issues, this goal aims to ensure access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities for all.

7. Affordable and Clean Energy (Goal 7): Focusing on sustainable energy sources, this goal aims to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services.

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8): Promoting inclusive economic growth, this goal aims to provide decent employment opportunities, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods for all.

9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (Goal 9): Targeting sustainable industrialization and infrastructure development, this goal aims to foster innovation and build resilient infrastructure for sustainable development.

10. Reduced Inequality (Goal 10): Addressing social, economic, and political inequalities, this goal aims to reduce inequalities within and among countries.

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal 11): Focused on creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities, this goal aims to improve urban planning and management.

12. Responsible Consumption and Production (Goal 12): Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, this goal aims to minimize waste generation and ensure sustainable resource use.

13. Climate Action (Goal 13): Urging action to combat climate change and its impacts, this goal emphasizes mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building measures.

14. Life Below Water (Goal 14): Aimed at conserving and sustainably using marine resources, this goal seeks to protect and restore ocean ecosystems.

15. Life on Land (Goal 15): Focused on land ecosystem conservation and restoration, this goal aims to combat desertification, land degradation, and biodiversity loss.

16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (Goal 16): Advocating for peaceful and inclusive societies, this goal aims to promote justice, rule of law, and effective institutions at all levels.

17. Partnerships to Achieve the Goals (Goal 17): Recognizing the importance of global collaboration, this goal aims to strengthen partnerships and mobilize resources for sustainable development.

While progress has been made in some areas, challenges persist in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Collective efforts from governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals are essential to accelerate progress and address the complex interlinkages between these goals. Through concerted action and partnership, the vision of a sustainable and prosperous future for all can be realized.

Tribal nations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are one step closer to having a seat at the table in Colorado River discussions thanks to a historic interstate agreement.

Native American tribes have over the past century been left out of key agreements that manage the river. The Upper Colorado River Commission, an agency at the nexus of many Colorado River discussions in the Upper Basin, voted Monday to back a new proposed agreement that would, for the first time in the group’s 76-year-history, make regular meetings with tribes mandatory. 

“This is a big deal. It is the start, not the finish line. It is the beginning of doing better,” Colorado commissioner Becky Mitchell said during Monday’s Upper Colorado River Commission meeting.

Six Upper Basin tribes must also approve the agreement for it to be finalized. Representatives of five tribes spoke in support of the agreement during the meeting. Members from one tribe were unable to attend.

The Upper Colorado River Commission, created in 1948, has permanent seats for a federal representative and commissioners for the four Upper Basin states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Upper Basin tribes have long asked for a seat at that table and in other forums where Colorado River decisions are made.

“The tribes have always been a little frustrated that they just don’t automatically have a seat on the UCRC,” said Peter Ortego, general counsel of the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe. “When the UCRC was created … I think, for the most part, people didn’t recognize the importance of having the tribes involved.”

Congress and states formed the river commission to make sure the Colorado River’s water is properly allocated according to agreements like the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which governs how the water is split between the upper and lower basin states.

The 30 tribal nations in the Colorado River Basin, which are sovereign entities that have rights to about 26% of the river’s average flow, were excluded from those compact negotiations.

The river commission operates in the Upper Basin. It has no authority in the Lower Basin — Arizona, California, Nevada and more than 20 tribal nations — which does not have a similar, centralized commission.

In recent years, Upper Colorado River commissioners’ discussions have focused on key issues, like how to spend federal dollars, navigate interstate negotiations about the river’s management, and respond to a prolonged drought that is threatening the future water security of 40 million people across the West.

As recently as 2007 and 2019, state and federal partners developed new rules for managing the river in response to that prolonged drought, but again, tribes were not included.

Since mid-2023, Upper Basin tribal nations and the river commission have been working together to develop an agreement to formalize dialogue with the tribes.

Under the agreement, tribal representatives would not be voting members or have permanent seats on the commission, which would require Congressional approval, Ortego said.

Instead, the commission would meet with tribes every two months to talk about interstate Colorado River issues. Meetings would be open to Upper Basin tribes, consisting of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah and Navajo Nation, according to the Upper Colorado River Commission.

The proposal is modeled on collaboration that is already taking place, New Mexico commissioner Estevan Lopez said.

“The importance of it is that it institutionalizes what we’ve begun. Right now we’ve got folks in these seats that all feel this is important, but we think institutionalizing it will assure that it continues.

With meetings permanently on the schedule, tribal representatives would have opportunities to work out conflicts, coordinate their efforts and operate in a more unified way, Ortego said. 

Working together more closely has helped build trust and relationships, said Vanessa Torres, a member of the Southern Ute Tribal Council, during Monday’s meeting. 

“Southern Ute, along with many other tribes, have been asking for greater inclusion in the Colorado River discussions and decision makings,” Torres said. “The UCRC responded to the request.”

Decisive Decade for Climate Action

Against the backdrop of the Paris Agreement's key details being negotiated, COP28 geared up to execute and elevate ambition and action. The urgency was underscored by the latest scientific findings from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, revealing that it is imperative to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. This ambitious target aims to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avert the severe impacts of climate change.

COP28 offered a crucial opportunity to identify global solutions for limiting temperature rise, inform revised Nationally Determined Contributions due by 2025, and accelerate the ongoing green transition. The conference served as a pivotal moment in achieving the goals set forth in the Paris Agreement.

Key Discussions at COP28

Discussions at COP28 navigated several critical workstreams, including formulating the loss and damage finance facility, establishing a global goal on finance, driving both an energy and a just transition, and closing the substantial emissions gap. The first-ever global stocktake, concluding at COP28, evaluated collective progress toward Paris Agreement goals, highlighting areas of slow progress and offering a wide variety of tools and solutions.

Host Country: United Arab Emirates

The UAE, serving as the host government and COP28 President, played a crucial role in providing facilities and engaging with other governments. As we step into the decisive decade for climate action, COP28 in Dubai stands as a historical event that worked towards fighting the climate crisis. 

Imagine that in a moment of unusual optimism and resolve, you decided that the only way you were ever going to be the healthy, happy and productive person you want to be was by writing down a detailed list of goals and committing to accomplish them in the next 15 years.

Now imagine that eight years later, more than halfway through your 15-year life improvement plan, not only are you way off track when it comes to accomplishing most of what you committed to, but in some cases you've even slid backward. Maybe you faced an unexpected illness. Maybe you suffered a crushing breakup. Maybe you got some bad financial advice. Maybe you just didn't try hard enough.

What would you conclude? Were your goals a waste of time or would you be even worse off today without them? Should you scrap your detailed plan or double down and try to make up for lost time?

That's about where 193 world leaders at the United Nations in New York find themselves this week as they take stock of the sobering state of the Sustainable Development Goals at their halfway point along the road to 2030.

Goals are born — then run into trouble

Adopted in 2015, these goals — the SDGs — were meant to plot a course to curing 17 of the most fundamental ills afflicting human society and the planet. The first goal — SDG 1 — calls for ending extreme poverty by 2030. The second goal pledges to end hunger and malnutrition. The other 15 range across human rights and aspirations like health, education, gender equality, peace and ocean conservation. (Note: The complete list of goals is at the end of this post.)

Each of the goals comes with a list of more specific targets for countries to achieve — 169 in total. Ending poverty, for example, is broken out into a list of seven different targets, including things like creating social protection systems, ensuring equal economic rights for men and women, and delivering reliable amounts of international aid to countries in need of assistance.

The SDGs replaced the Millennium Development Goals, which expired in 2015. The new goals offered a different approach and an even more ambitious vision that applied to every country in the world, not just the so-called "developing" ones.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, global inflation and debt distress, a food security crisis and worsening climate-related disasters — what many have called a "perfect storm" of challenges that have left the SDG agenda nearly underwater.

As of this year, progress on half of the 140 targets that the United Nations is able to measure has been "weak and insufficient," according to the U.N.'s latest progress report in 2023, while another 30% have either stalled or gone in reverse . If current trends continue, 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030, 128.5 million children will still suffer from stunting — developmental issues that result from chronic undernutrition — and 84 million children and young people will still be out of school.

There are glimmers of hope — the global under-5 mortality rate fell by 12% between 2015 and 2021. But most of the SDGs are in some variation of a similar position: slow progress, hindered by a combination of insufficient action and setbacks brought on by unpredictable global crises.

"Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been," U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said earlier this year.

Moment of reckoning for the SDGs

Most world leaders have responded to the grim SDG picture by recommitting to the agenda and calling for more money, stronger partnerships and greater political will to get the goals back on track.

"Now is the moment to recommit to bold and transformative change, and to do this with urgency," Linda Thomas Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., said last week.

Guterres has called for an "SDG Stimulus" plan to channel $500 billion a year toward sustainable development. The White House and other allies are working to reform the World Bank so that it can lend more money to countries for health, development and climate-related investments.

But with the agenda so far off track, and in a world facing problems that leaders could not have anticipated when they adopted the SDGs in 2015, this halfway point to 2030 is also a moment of reckoning. Are sweeping international commitments to make the world a better place actually helpful in making that a reality?

"It's getting ever less and less credible that this is really a useful approach to meeting goals," said New York University Professor William Easterly, a vocal critic of top-down development planning and an advocate for humbler approaches to solving problems of poverty.

"Maybe it's useful for some other things," he conceded, noting that he was encouraged by a shift away from paternalism, recognizing that development is something done by countries, not to countries.

Then again, maybe optimism is still possible

But according to SDG advocates, those "other things" should not be lightly brushed aside.

For one, it should be meaningful that 193 world leaders got together in 2015, agreed to a set of ambitious goals, and then failed to take meaningful action to achieve them.

"Blaming COVID or Russia invading Ukraine for why we're falling behind on the SDGs is not right," said Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development.

"The reason we're falling behind on the SDGs is they were massively, massively, massively ambitious. And while we might have had the technical ability to deliver on them, we didn't follow that up with a massively, massively, massively ambitious policy agenda at the national and global levels anywhere," Kenny said.

Even though it would be a "miracle" if the world were currently on track to achieve the goals, the world's most powerful people should not be let off the hook if they made a commitment to difficult goals but then failed to try very hard to achieve them, Kenny said.

"I think we need to hold them to account," he said.

The adoption of the SDGs also marked a turning point for the U.N., said Minh-Thu Pham, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who was closely involved in the agenda's creation.

What had been an anti-poverty agenda dominated by a handful of experts was transformed into a much more open, global conversation about what people everywhere need, not just to survive but to thrive. In the transition from the MDGs to the SDGs, a much broader range of voices took ownership of the agenda, and the mindset around development shifted from one of charity to one of common aspirations.

"It was an equity agenda from the very start," said Pham of the SDGs.

For those who were present at the creation of the SDGs, the goals are a badly needed reminder that international cooperation and consensus is possible. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council wages war against its European neighbor, it's almost impossible to fathom that just a few years ago every U.N. member state was able to agree on what kind of world they wanted and what it might take to get there.

"You don't have to think too deeply to recognize that there was a moment of unity," Pham said. "If you're looking for a path to getting back on track for global trust between governments, between people and their governments, the SDGs remind us of that."

In other words, maybe the only thing worse than failing to achieve the SDGs would be failing to ask how we once believed they might be possible.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve by 2030:

• Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere

• Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

• Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

• Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

• Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

• Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

• Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

• Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

• Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

• Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

• Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

• Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

• Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

• Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

• Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

A global networking platform for capacity development for leadership in Sustainability and SDGs. We strive to collaborate and help to make this world a better place to live and bring in sustenance. Come join us to make an impact in the society and to learn & grow altogether…

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Starting on Oct 4th, students from selected universities will be working and collaborating with 5 leading companies in South Florida on sustainability issues, and these can be climate-related - CO2 footprint, recycling, circularity, or social issues - inclusivity, gender equality, mental health & well-being.

About the SDG Challenge:

College and university students collaborate with companies in South Florida to find viable and sustainable solutions for the region’s most pressing challenges related to climate, gender, education, housing, mobility and more.

The SDG Challenge founding organization developed a unique "pressure-cooker" methodology, providing a hands-on experience and knowledge base for students to come up with tangible and actionable ideas to accelerate the SDGs.

Teams will work on specific challenges faced by local companies that are committed to advancing sustainable practices in their operations. Each team will present their solutions in front of a jury during the Grand Finale. The team with the most innovative and impact driven solution wins the SDG Challenge!

SDGs Ecosystem: a Collaborative Approach

The SDG-Challenge serves as a platform that activates students to critically think about present-day sustainability topics and challenges and stimulates action to work together with leading companies, local governments, universities, and organizations.

If you are looking for a social impact opportunity in Miami, your company must be part of this!!

UNESCO's Significance in Advancing Global Peace and Prosperity

UNESCO's mission to promote international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information plays a pivotal role in achieving global peace, understanding, and sustainable development. By rejoining UNESCO, the United States reaffirms its dedication to fostering mutual respect, knowledge exchange, and cooperation among nations.

Ensuring U.S. Funding for UNESCO and the UN System

To fully uphold our commitment to UNESCO and strengthen the UN's mission, it is imperative that the United States provides consistent and substantial financial support. By doing so, we not only fulfill our promise to UNESCO but also become a leading member state supporting the UN's efforts to create a more just, peaceful, prosperous, and healthy planet.

Join the Restore U.S. Funding to UNESCO Campaign

The UNA-USA has launched the Restore U.S. Funding to UNESCO campaign to mobilize citizens across the nation in advocating for sustainable funding to UNESCO and the broader UN system. As engaged citizens, we have the power to influence policymakers and ensure that our collective voice is heard.

Take Action Today!

We call upon every US citizen to participate in this crucial campaign. Let your Member of Congress know that supporting the UN and UNESCO financially is vital for a better future for all. Use your voice to emphasize the significance of these contributions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering global cooperation.

Visit https://unausa.org/advocacy/restore-us-funding-unesco/ to join the campaign and access valuable resources to help you make a difference.

**The United States' decision to rejoin UNESCO marks a momentous step towards strengthening global cooperation and promoting sustainable development. By uniting as US citizens, we can rally behind the Restore U.S. Funding to UNESCO campaign and ensure that our financial support for UNESCO and the UN system remains steadfast. Together, we can contribute to a more equitable, just, and prosperous world, fulfilling the promise of mutual understanding and cooperation envisioned by UNESCO's mission, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.