World Struggles to Meet Sustainable Development Goals, Warns New UN Report

With only 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets on track, a new UN report reveals that the world is far from achieving the SDGs- the blueprint for a more resilient and prosperous future. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, launched today, calls for massive investment and scaled-up action to prevent these goals from remaining out of reach.

A World in Great Upheaval

The report highlights the significant setbacks in progress due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and climate chaos. Key findings include:

• Extreme Poverty and Hunger: 23 million additional people were pushed into extreme poverty, and over 100 million more suffered from hunger in 2022 compared to 2019.
• Conflict and Climate Impact: Civilian deaths in armed conflict increased dramatically in 2023, a year that also recorded the highest global temperatures, nearing the critical 1.5°C threshold.

A Moment of Choice and Consequence

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the urgent need for stronger international cooperation: “With more than six years left, we must not let up on our 2030 promise to end poverty, protect the planet, and leave no one behind.”

Urgent Priorities Identified

1. Financing Development: The SDG investment gap in developing countries stands at $4 trillion per year. Reforming the global financial architecture is crucial.
2. Peace and Security: With nearly 120 million forcibly displaced people and civilian casualties up 72% between 2022 and 2023, resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy is essential.
3. Implementation Surge: Massive investment and effective partnerships are needed for critical transitions in food, energy, social protection, and digital connectivity.

Success Stories and Opportunities for Action

Despite the challenges, the report spotlights areas of progress:

• Renewable Energy: Remarkable strides in deploying renewable energy highlight a clear pathway to a just energy transition.
• Education: Girls in most regions have achieved parity or surpassed boys in completing schooling at all levels.
• Internet Access: Increased internet access by 70% in just eight years shows rapid transformative change is possible.
• Health: Decades of progress against HIV/AIDS offer a template for overcoming other pandemics through global solidarity and funding for scientific breakthroughs.

“Time and again, humanity has demonstrated that when we work together and apply our collective mind, we can forge solutions to seemingly intractable problems,” said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

Key Moments for the SDGs

The upcoming Summit of the Future, scheduled for 22-23 September at UN Headquarters in New York, will be pivotal in realigning global efforts towards achieving the SDGs. Key issues to be addressed include the debt crisis and the need for international financial reform.

Looking ahead, the Financing for Development Conference and the World Summit for Social Development in 2025 will be crucial for maintaining SDG momentum. Li Junhua stressed, “The time for words has passed – political declarations must urgently translate into actions. We must act now, and act boldly.”

Key Findings:

• For the first time this century, per-capita GDP growth in half of the world’s most vulnerable nations is slower than that of advanced economies.
• Nearly 60% of countries faced moderately to abnormally high food prices in 2022.
• Over 55% of countries lacked non-discrimination laws against women in 2022.
• Increased access to treatment has averted 20.8 million AIDS-related deaths over three decades.
• Only 58% of students worldwide achieve minimum proficiency in reading by the end of primary school.
• Global unemployment hit a historic low of 5% in 2023, yet challenges in achieving decent work persist.
• Renewable energy capacity has been growing at an unprecedented annual rate of 8.1% for the past five years.
• Mobile broadband (3G or higher) is accessible to 95% of the world's population, up from 78% in 2015.
• Record high ocean temperatures have triggered a fourth global coral bleaching event.
• About 60% of low-income countries are at high risk of debt distress or already experiencing it.

For more information, please visit: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024

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Media Contacts:

• Sharon Birch, UN Department of Global Communications, birchs@un.org
• Helen Rosengren, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, rosengrenh@un.org