SDG Action was launched in 2021 to support the UN’s Decade of Action. Its aim is to encourage cross-sector dialogue and problem solving to accelerate the transition to sustainability.
Gender — Global
The case for a woman Secretary-General is not just about symbolism. More representative leadership would strengthen the UN’s legitimacy, improve decision-making, and better equip the institution for an era of compounding global crises
Motherhood still comes with a pay penalty, and women continue to be paid less for work of equal value – not by accident, but by design. Tackling these injustices means changing how pay is set and progression is measured and rewarded – through transparency, enforcement, and stronger worker protections
Europe has not abandoned the Green Deal – its flagship strategy for climate neutrality and shared prosperity – but it risks hollowing it out. As implementation pressures mount, the question is not whether the vision survives on paper, but whether it can still deliver a fair, system-wide transformation aligned with the SDGs
Climate change dominates global attention, but the destruction of nature is quietly setting up its own economic shockwave. With COP30 spotlighting the rising economic costs of nature loss, the case for treating it as an urgent financial and development priority has never been clearer
As the green transition accelerates, millions of new jobs will emerge – but the skills needed to fill them are evolving even faster. Preparing children and young people for this future means rethinking education, work, and what “green” really demands of us
With trade measures rising and global warming accelerating, COP30 in Belém, Brazil, introduced a new forum to rebuild trust between climate and trade communities. Its promise – and its challenges – will shape the next phase of global climate cooperation
As climate shocks multiply and conflicts strain supply chains, the world’s food systems are showing dangerous cracks. Building resilience – from farm diversity to fairer trade – must be at the heart of climate action at COP30
With global attention fixed on accelerating the energy transition, a key question remains: how should we plan and develop grid infrastructure to keep pace with the transformation of our energy system?
At every level, development is being disrupted and overshadowed by conflict. A common and glaring omission in the ongoing peace efforts is the absence of justice.
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Donald Trump’s vision of the UN as a great-power forum clashes with decades of evolution in global peacebuilding. How can UN members continue to advance peace as envisioned by the SDGs?
Civilian protection in armed conflict remains more aspiration than reality, as recent crises expose deep flaws in the international system. To restore credibility, the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) – a global pledge to prevent mass atrocities – must evolve and be backed by bold reform, regional initiative, and political will
Across the world, women’s rights are increasingly under attack from conservative and populist forces. Defending these rights – through broad democratic alliances and institutional resilience – is critical to safeguarding democracy itself
A new era of Earth observation (EO) – satellite-based monitoring of the planet – is transforming how we measure and manage environmental risk. But as the view from space grows sharper, so too does the imperative to turn intelligence into action
Historically, natural disasters have taken a far heavier toll in poorer nations than in richer ones. Can advances in artificial intelligence help close that gap – providing earlier warnings and faster, more effective responses?
Coastal ecosystems play a vital role in stabilizing the climate, yet global policy still values them mainly for their ability to absorb and store carbon. As COP30 unfolds, a new approach argues for recognizing the ocean as a living system – where carbon, biodiversity, and human welfare are inseparable
