A stark warning has been issued about the state of our planet and its climate, as revealed in the ninth edition of the Sustainable Development Report by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
The report, released on Monday 17 June, highlights that none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track to be fully achieved by 2030, confirming that if current trends persist, only 16 percent of these goals will meet the set standards by the deadline.
The report underscores significant disparities in progress toward sustainable development across different regions of the world. Northern European countries emerge as leaders, with Finland, Sweden, and Denmark occupying the top three positions.
Italy, meanwhile, ranks 23rd in its efforts to achieve the SDGs. While the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) show a positive trend of improvement, the gap between the most developed and poorest states continues to widen.
Remarkably, East and South Asia have made the most substantial progress in achieving the SDGs since 2015. However, the report highlights that goals related to creating sustainable cities and combating hunger are particularly lagging, whereas those concerning sustainable nitrogen management and reducing population obesity rates are further ahead.
More than 100 scientists and global experts collaborated on this comprehensive report, which outlines five strategic priorities for reforming the United Nations to better meet 21st-century challenges, including addressing funding gaps for sustainable development policies.
Among the proposed actions is the creation of new global institutions capable of implementing global taxation policies.
