The sustainable development goals ten years after – meer.com

A Report on the Status of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

1.0 Introduction: The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious framework centered on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals represent a universal call to action to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The agenda is founded on the principles of inclusive growth, planetary stewardship, and intergenerational justice, with all member states pledging to collaborate on its implementation.

2.0 Mid-Term Assessment of SDG Progress

A decade after their adoption, progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is critically off-track. The 2024 Sustainable Development Goals Report provides a comprehensive assessment, which United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres characterized as a “failing grade” for the global community.

2.1 Key Findings from the 2024 Report

• Goal Achievement: Only one-third of the SDG targets are considered on track.
• Stagnation and Reversal: Nearly half of the 17 goals demonstrate minimal or moderate progress, while over a third have either stalled or are regressing.
• Future Outlook: There is little prospect of achieving significant progress across the majority of the SDGs in the remaining years leading up to 2030.

3.0 Factors Impeding SDG Implementation

The failure to advance the 2030 Agenda can be attributed to a combination of programmatic and political factors. While initial implementation was hampered by certain structural weaknesses, a fundamental shift in the global political landscape has emerged as the primary obstacle to achieving the SDGs.

3.1 Foundational and Political Challenges

1. Programmatic Weaknesses: The initial path toward Agenda 2030 was characterized by poor management and a blueprint that was overly complex and ambiguous. However, even with improved design and accountability, progress would have been limited.
2. Erosion of Multilateralism: The SDGs are fundamentally a political project reliant on international cooperation. Rising geopolitical tensions and growing populist sentiment have rendered the current multilateral system ineffective for protecting global commons and advancing the goals.
3. Geopolitical Conflicts: Active conflicts and genocidal campaigns, including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and crises in the Middle East, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Myanmar, directly undermine SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and divert resources from all other development goals.
4. Withdrawal of Key State Actors: The United States has formally rejected the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, withdrawing from critical international agreements and organizations essential to SDG implementation, such as the Paris Agreement (SDG 13), the WHO (SDG 3), and UNESCO (SDG 4).

4.0 Shifting Locus of Action for Sustainable Development

With the United Nations’ norm-setting capacity diminished, effective action on the SDGs is increasingly shifting from the global multilateral stage to national and sub-national levels, driven by non-state actors and technological innovation.

4.1 Alternative Drivers of SDG Progress

• Technological Advancement: Technology is a key enabler for certain SDGs. For example, advancements in renewable energy are driving progress on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). The International Energy Agency projects that solar and wind power will become the largest sources of electricity by 2035, largely due to cost reductions in solar technology.
• New Coalitions: In the absence of unified global governance, progress must now rely on ad hoc “coalitions of the willing.” The key actors driving manageable improvements toward the SDGs include:
  • Entrepreneurial states
  • Private business and industry
  • Civil society organizations
  • Academic and research institutions

5.0 Conclusion and Forward Strategy

The overarching vision of the 2030 Agenda is currently unattainable due to a fractured global political environment. The case for multilateralism remains strong, but the immediate strategy must adapt to current realities. The focus must shift from achieving lofty global goals to securing manageable, incremental improvements. For the foreseeable future, the primary objective is to keep the foundational principles of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the Biodiversity Convention viable until a more favorable geopolitical climate for large-scale international cooperation returns.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

  The article explicitly mentions the initial pledge of all countries to “eradicate poverty and hunger” as a core component of the 2030 Agenda.

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

  This goal is mentioned directly in the list of pledges made by countries, which was to “ensure gender equality.”

• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)

  The article discusses the shift towards renewable energy, stating, “The International Energy Agency expects solar and wind power to surpass coal and natural gas by 2035 and to become the two largest sources of electricity production.” It also highlights China’s role in lowering the cost of solar panels.

• SDG 13 (Climate Action)

  Climate action is a central theme. The article refers to the UN’s conventions on “climate change,” mentions the “Paris Agreement” multiple times, and discusses the US withdrawal from it. It also links the shift to solar and wind power as a key action area.

• SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land)

  These goals are connected through the mention of the “Biodiversity Convention” and the general pledge to “protect the planet.” The article emphasizes the importance of keeping this convention alive amidst political challenges.

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

  The article heavily focuses on the breakdown of peace and justice. It cites specific examples like “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, genocidal campaigns in the Middle East, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Myanmar” and mentions the UN’s principle of “peacekeeping.”

• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

  This is arguably the most central SDG discussed. The entire article is a critique of the failing state of “multilateral cooperation.” It details the “Trump administration’s gutting of international organisations,” the US withdrawal from WHO and UNESCO, and the rejection of the 2030 Agenda, all of which are direct attacks on global partnerships.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.2: Increase the share of renewable energy

   The article’s discussion of the International Energy Agency’s expectation that “solar and wind power to surpass coal and natural gas by 2035” directly relates to the goal of substantially increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

2. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies

   The mention of the “Paris Agreement” and the subsequent US withdrawal from it points directly to this target. The agreement itself is a mechanism for countries to integrate climate measures into their national planning. The withdrawal is a reversal of this integration.

3. Target 16.1: Reduce all forms of violence

   The article’s references to “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, genocidal campaigns in the Middle East, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Myanmar” highlight a failure to meet this target, which aims to significantly reduce violence and related death rates.

4. Target 17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

   The article’s main theme of “rising geopolitical tensions and growing populist sentiment” undermining the multilateral system speaks to a breakdown in policy coherence. The US formally advising the UN that it “rejects and denounces the 2030 Agenda” is a clear example of a lack of policy coherence for sustainable development at the international level.

5. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

   The discussion of the US “gutting of international organisations, multilateral cooperation” and withdrawing from bodies like the WHO and UNESCO is a direct commentary on the weakening of the global partnership needed to achieve the SDGs.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Overall Progress Indicator

  The article provides a high-level, quantitative indicator of the entire 2030 Agenda’s progress, citing the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals Report: “Just one-third of the SDGs are on track,” and “nearly half the 17 targets are showing minimal or moderate progress, while over a third are stalled or going in reverse.”

• Indicator for Target 7.2 (Renewable Energy Share)

  An implied indicator is the projected share of renewable energy sources in electricity production. The article cites the IEA’s forecast that “solar and wind power to surpass coal and natural gas by 2035,” which can be measured as the percentage of electricity generated by renewables versus fossil fuels.

• Indicator for Target 13.2 (Climate Policy Integration)

  A qualitative indicator is a country’s participation and commitment to international climate agreements. The article uses the US withdrawal from the “Paris Agreement” as a clear negative indicator of its commitment to integrating climate change measures into its national policy.

• Indicator for Target 17.16 (Global Partnerships)

  The article implies several indicators for the state of global partnerships, including:

  • Membership in key international organizations (e.g., US withdrawal from WHO and UNESCO).
  • Financial commitments to development and humanitarian assistance (e.g., budgets being “slashed”).
  • Formal political endorsement of the 2030 Agenda (e.g., the US formally “rejects and denounces” the agenda).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: meer.com