9th edition of the Sustainable Development Report released by UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has highlighted that the world is significantly behind schedule in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations in 2015.
UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
- It is a global network established in 2012 by the United Nations (UN).
- It aims to promote practical solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at national and international levels.
- It focuses on mobilising expertise by connecting universities, research institutions, and national laboratories to identify and develop solutions for tackling critical sustainability challenges.
- The Secretariat of the SDSN is located in Paris, France; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and New York, US.
Key Findings of the Sustainable Development Report 2024
Global SDG Progress
- Only 16% of SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030, with 84% showing limited or reversed progress.
- Since 2020, global SDG progress has stagnated, particularly for SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 11 (Sustainable Cities), 14 (Life Below Water), 15 (Life on Land), and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
- Significant reversals in progress is observed in obesity rates (SDG 2), press freedom (SDG 16), red list index (SDG 15), sustainable nitrogen management (SDG 2), and life expectancy at birth (SDG 3), influenced by Covid-19 and other factors.
- Progress towards SDG9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), is showing slightly positive trends.
Food and Land Systems
- SDG targets related to food and land systems are off-track.
- It reported that globally 600 million people will still suffer from hunger by 2030 combined with increasing obesity globally.
- Greenhouse gas emissions from Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) represent almost a quarter of annual global GHG emissions.
Regional and Country Group Variations
- Nordic countries lead in SDG achievement, with Finland (score 86.4) ranked first, followed by Sweden (85.7), Denmark (85.0), Germany (83.4), and France.
- BRICS and BRICS+ countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE) have shown faster-than-average SDG progress since 2015.
- Bottom 3 Countries: South Sudan, Central African Republic and Chad.
- East and South Asia are the regions with the most SDG progress since 2015.