2024 Sustainable Development Report Reveals: Only 16% of SDG Targets on Track, Urgent Global Financial Reforms Needed

Since 2016, the global edition of the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) has tracked and ranked UN member states’ performance on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Authored by independent experts at the SDG Transformation Center, a part of the SDSN, the 2024 edition focuses on the UN Summit of the Future. It begins with a chapter endorsed by over 100 global scientists and includes thematic discussions on SDG 17 (Global Partnerships) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). Key findings of this year’s SDR highlight serious challenges:

1. Globally, only 16 percent of SDG targets are on track to be met by 2030. Since 2020, progress has stagnated, particularly for SDG 2, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 16 (Peace and Justice). Notably, countries have regressed on targets like obesity rates, press freedom, the Red List Index, sustainable nitrogen management, and life expectancy—largely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Sustainable development is a major investment challenge. The report underscores the urgent need to reform global financial systems to provide low-income countries with access to affordable long-term capital for sustainable development. It proposes new institutions, global taxation, and investment in education as part of five strategies to overhaul global finance.
3. SDG achievement varies by region. Nordic countries lead, with Finland and Sweden at the top, while BRICS nations show significant improvement. However, the gap between these and the poorest nations, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS), has widened.

The SDR also examines the off-track targets related to food and land systems, predicting that 600 million people will still face hunger by 2030. The Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-Use, and Energy (FABLE) Consortium analyzed potential pathways, suggesting significant improvements can be made through dietary changes, increased productivity, and robust monitoring systems to prevent deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The “global sustainability” pathway could prevent up to 100 million hectares of deforestation and cut 100 gigatons of CO₂ emissions by 2050, but this requires careful management to avoid negative impacts on jobs and water quality.

This report serves as a crucial tool for understanding the vast disparities in global progress on the SDGs and the strategic actions required to address them. Access the full report here: Transformation Center (sdgtransformationcenter.org)