2023 Progress Report on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Since the publication of the SDGs large setbacks such as Covid-19, the war in Ukraine, and the multiple climate crisis have caused progress on more than 50% of the SDG targets to be weak, and on 30% of the SDG targets, progress has stagnated and even gone into reverse.  

A lack of harmonization between developing countries that struggle to finance the SDGs with large debts and high interests, middle-income countries that cannot receive debt relief, as well as concessional financing, and developed countries that have not delivered on climate finances, are all roots of the problem causing the SDGs inefficacy. The war in Ukraine has also caused a global cost-living crisis as the prices of food and energy soar. Finally, Covid-19 and the multiple climate crisis setback progress and created biodiversity loss. These significant setbacks to the progress in the SDGs have caused the UN to draft a Rescue Plan for People and Planet which advocates for the proportionate voice of developing countries in global decision-making institutions and processes, the need for economic and financial decisions to prioritize people and the planet, and for government and private sector to reform their economies towards a low carbon pattern. The progress report outlines the setbacks and progress on every one of the 17 goals, providing verifiable data and solutions to the target.

To read the full report about where we stand halfway into the SDGs click here.