About
The 17 goals are underpinned by in total 169 targets with related indicators used to measure progress towards reaching the targets. All goals are interconnected and all UN member states have agreed to try to achieve them by 2030.
Every year, the UN Secretary General presents an annual SDG progress report. In September 2023, an SDG summit was held, which marked the half-way point to the deadline set for achieving the SDGs in 2030. It was acknowledged that progress was too slow, or even reversing, and world leaders adopted a political declaration to reaffirm and accelerate the commitment to the SDGs. The SDG Progress Report 2026, released on 7 July 2026, shows that only 36% of assessable SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress, 49% are moving too slowly, and 15% have regressed below their 2015 baseline. The SDG Progress Report 2026 can be found here.
The Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2026: Implementing the Sevilla Commitment warns of a USD 4 trillion annual financing gap for achieving the SDGs. Global fragmentation, rising trade barriers, geopolitical tensions, and declining official development assistance are reversing decades of progress. In addition to closing this gap by scaling up financing and investment, the report outlines four additional priorities: (i) focus on maximizing sustainable development impact, aligned with country priorities; (ii) invest in resilience to protect impact in the face of more frequent shocks; (iii) strengthen multilateral institutions and cooperation; and (iv) continue to invest in and support multilateralism.
Who does it impact?
- The UN member states
- Potentially, the SDGs may have a larger impact as the SDGs have received broad support and constitute the framework for several other initiatives and work related to sustainable development.
Status: Launched
The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by 2030.
The Sustainable Development Goals entered into force on 1 January 2016.
Relation to other initiatives and regulations
- The Sustainable Development Goals are part of UN Resolution 70/1, the '2030 Agenda'.
- The Sustainable Development Goals were developed to supersede the Millennium Development Goals, which ended in 2015.
Participants
UN Member States.
Thommessen's comments
The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals address three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental. Although the SDGs are not legally binding, UN member states are expected to align their political policies and establish national frameworks in order to achieve the SDGs. The member states have the primary responsibility to follow up and review the progress made in respect of implementing the SDGs.
The SDGs are also expected to have implications for the business sector if the member states introduce new regulations and policies.
Several companies have taken action related to the SDGs on their own initiative, by typically identifying and choosing certain SDGs to be included in the company's strategy and ESG work, including assessment and reporting on the company's progress. As not all of the 17 goals will be relevant to all companies, companies will have to identify which SDGs are relevant to their business and how they can contribute in order to achieve the SDGs.