UN Chief: only 35% of sustainable development goals on track

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that only 35% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are currently on course to meet their targets, while 18% are regressing.

Marking 10 years since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, Guterres highlighted that millions of people have gained access to electricity, clean cooking facilities, and the internet in recent years. Social protection now covers over half of the world’s population, representing significant progress.

The Secretary-General noted increased access to education, more girls attending school, and a decline in child marriages. He also pointed to advances in renewable energy led by developing countries, and rising representation of women in society and business.

However, Guterres stressed that progress remains insufficient.

“We are facing a global development emergency,” he said, noting that more than 800 million people still live in extreme poverty, climate impacts are worsening, and debt repayments are draining countries’ resources needed for investment.

He emphasised the close link between ending conflicts and development, calling for an end to conflicts such as those in Gaza and Ukraine.

Despite these challenges, the report launched on Monday (14 July) outlines roadmaps for transformation in food, energy, digital access, education, employment, and climate action.

Guterres underlined that progress is impossible without large-scale financing, urging reforms in the international financial system, debt relief measures, and a tripling of lending capacity at multilateral development banks.

“Sustainable Development Goals can still be achieved, but only if we act with urgency, unity, and unwavering resolve,” he concluded.

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