The SDG Reality Check: Only 16% of SDGs achievable by 2030

By Vivek Saini

The year 2016 marked a milestone in global cooperation with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by UN member states. It became a tangible roadmap for a more sustainable future. Encompassing critical areas like poverty eradication, climate action, and quality education, these 17 goals set a deadline of 2030 for achieving significant progress. However, a recent report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) paints a concerning picture. Only 16% of the SDG targets are currently on track for achievement. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for course correction across various levels, from national policymaking to international collaboration. With only eight years remaining, the world faces a race against time to deliver on this transformative agenda and ensure a more just and sustainable future for all.

SDGs in Crisis: Only 16% of Targets on Track for 2030 Achievement

A recent report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has revealed that only 16% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are currently on track to be achieved by 2030, the target year for this global agenda. This finding highlights a critical need for urgent action and course correction across various levels, from national governments to international cooperation.

The “Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024” report is a yearly assessment of UN member states’ SDG progress. These 17 goals, adopted in 2016, encompass many areas critical for a sustainable future, including poverty eradication, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, and climate action. Each goal has further specific targets that provide a measurable roadmap for achieving these objectives.

The low percentage of targets on track signifies a substantial delay in meeting the commitments laid out in the SDGs. This stagnation, or even regression in some areas, raises serious concerns about the world’s ability to achieve a sustainable future within the designated time frame. The report emphasizes the need for a “long-term investment challenge” to address the challenges and accelerate progress.

The report delves deeper into the specific areas where progress needs to catch up. Some key concerns include setbacks in life expectancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, as well as a worrying decline in press freedom globally. Furthermore, progress on goals related to good governance, land use, and sustainable food systems could be more on track. Understanding these specific areas of concern allows for more targeted interventions and resource allocation to accelerate progress towards the overall goals.

Uneven Progress on SDGs Underscores Need for Global Cooperation

The sluggish progress towards the SDGs hides a critical disparity – different countries are experiencing vastly different outcomes. The 2024 report by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) paints a particularly concerning picture for the Asia-Pacific region. The “Asia-Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024” report highlights that none of the 17 SDGs are currently on track to be achieved by the 2030 deadline in the region. This regional challenge showcases the uneven progress globally and underscores the need for a more robust global cooperation framework.

The UNESCAP report reveals that while some positive steps have been taken in poverty reduction and sustainable infrastructure development, they must be able to bridge the gap by 2030. Furthermore, the report identifies significant regression in critical areas like environmental protection and biodiversity loss. This highlights the complex nature of achieving sustainable development, where setbacks in another can undermine progress in one location.

Experts like Professor Jeffrey Sachs, a leading voice on sustainable development, delve deeper into this complexity in his book The Age of Sustainable Development. Sachs argues for a “multipolar world” approach that recognises developing countries’ growing economic and political influence. He emphasized the need for a shift from traditional North-South aid models towards a global partnership framework built on collaboration and shared responsibility.

Sachs highlights several critical points in his book that are particularly relevant to addressing the uneven progress on the SDGs:

The Interdependence of SDGs: Sachs emphasises that the 17 SDGs are interconnected. Progress in one area, like poverty reduction, can unlock further advancements in others, such as education and health. Conversely, neglecting one goal can have cascading adverse effects on others. This underscores the need for a holistic approach to sustainable development that considers the interconnectedness of these goals.

The Need for Innovation: Bridging the gap between developed and developing countries requires innovative solutions. Sachs proposes various approaches, including technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and the creation of new financial instruments like impact investing. These creative solutions can help developing countries overcome resource constraints and implement effective strategies for achieving the SDGs.

The Importance of Good Governance: Effective governance is crucial for sustainable development. Sachs emphasizes the need for strong institutions, transparent policies, and robust legal frameworks to ensure efficient resource allocation and promote environmental protection.

Financing the Gap

The path towards achieving the SDGs is more than just paved with financial hurdles. Beyond the funding gap, a complex web of interconnected challenges threatens progress. Geopolitical tensions can hinder international cooperation and disrupt critical resource flows. Furthermore, a lack of political will and accountability at the national level can lead to a disconnect between commitments and actions. Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires a renewed global commitment to collaboration, transparency, and a long-term vision for a sustainable future for all.

A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) titled “Financing Climate Futures: Rethinking Infrastructure Investment” sheds light on a critical obstacle – a growing infrastructure gap, particularly in developing countries. This gap refers to the vast difference between existing infrastructure and the infrastructure needed to support sustainable development. Aging and inadequate infrastructure systems hinder progress in clean energy access, sustainable transportation, and climate resilience.

Furthermore, a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) titled “Frontiers 2024: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern” highlights the complex interplay between environmental degradation and achieving the SDGs. The report identifies a worrying rise in environmental threats like biodiversity loss, desertification, and pollution. These environmental challenges can exacerbate existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and hindering their ability to achieve sustainable development goals like poverty eradication and food security.

Additionally, a lack of political will and accountability at the national level presents a significant barrier. A report by Transparency International titled “The Global Corruption Perception Index 2023” reveals that corruption remains a pervasive issue in many countries. This corruption can hinder effective resource allocation, undermine public trust in institutions, and ultimately derail progress towards the SDGs.

Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires a renewed global commitment to collaboration, transparency, and a long-term vision for a sustainable future for all. Strengthening international cooperation, fostering innovation, and promoting good governance at all levels are crucial steps towards overcoming these obstacles and accelerating SDG progress.

Geopolitical Tensions Hinder Cooperation

Pursuing the SDGs requires a global village mentality, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across borders. However, simmering geopolitical tensions threaten to derail this critical cooperation, posing a significant obstacle to achieving these ambitious goals.

The World Economic Forum’s 2024 “Global Risks Report” highlights geopolitical risks as one of the top threats to global stability. The report identifies escalating tensions between major powers, regional conflicts, and a rise in nationalism as potential disruptors of international cooperation on critical issues like climate change and sustainable development. These tensions manifest in several ways, hindering progress on the SDGs:

Disrupted Trade and Investment: Geopolitical disputes can lead to trade barriers, sanctions, and disruptions in global supply chains. This hinders access to essential resources and technologies needed for sustainable development, particularly in developing countries. A report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) titled “The Least Developed Countries Report 2023: Facing the Global Challenges” emphasises this point. The report details how trade disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions disproportionately impact Least Developed Countries (LDCs), hindering their ability to import critical resources for sustainable development projects like renewable energy infrastructure and climate-resilient agriculture.

Reduced International Collaboration: Strained diplomatic relations can make it difficult for countries to collaborate on research and development initiatives related to the SDGs. Sharing best practices and innovations across borders is crucial for accelerated progress, and geopolitical tensions can stifle this critical exchange. The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) report highlights a concerning trend: a decline in participation by countries in multilateral agreements on issues like climate change and biodiversity loss due to geopolitical tensions.

Diverted Resources: Increased military spending and the allocation of resources towards conflict resolution can divert critical funding away from investments in sustainable development projects. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) 2023 “SIPRI Yearbook” reveals that global military spending continues to rise, reaching an estimated $2.1 trillion in 2022. This highlights a significant challenge: vast resources are being directed towards military endeavours at a time when substantial investments are needed to achieve the SDGs.

Beyond Financial Costs: The negative impacts of geopolitical tensions extend beyond just financial burdens. A report published in Nature highlights the environmental consequences of these tensions. The report details how geopolitical instability can lead to increased resource exploitation, decreased ecological cooperation efforts, and weakened international environmental regulations. This can exacerbate environmental challenges like climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, ultimately hindering progress on environmental SDGs.

The Human Cost: The UNDP’s report illuminates geopolitical tensions’ social and human costs. It highlights how geopolitical instability can exacerbate existing inequalities, hinder access to essential services like healthcare and education, and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations like refugees, internally displaced persons, and women and children. This undermines progress on social development goals like poverty eradication, gender equality, and health.

References:

https://www.unsdsn.org/news/sdsn-releases-the-sustainable-development-report-2024

https://sdgs.un.org/goals

https://unescap.org/kp/2024/asia-and-pacific-sdg-progress-report-2024

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321491959_The_Age_of_Sustainable_DevelopmentThe_Age_of_Sustainable_Development_Jeffrey_D_Sachs_Columbia_University_Press_New_York_NY_2015_xvii_543_pp_ISBN_978-0-231-17315-5

https://www.oecd.org/environment/cc/climate-futures

https://www.unep.org/resources/frontiers

https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2023

https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-risks-report-2024

https://unctad.org/node/43156

https://www.undp.org/fr/tunisia/actualites/global-upheavals-anxiety-provoking-transitions-and-polarization-what-does-new-human-development-report-tell-us

https://www.sipri.org/yearbook

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-60773-5

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