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
“Leave no one behind,” the central tenet of the SDGs, underlines the importance of tackling inequality as countries strive to achieve the Global Goals. Rampant inequality is connected to setbacks in other areas, from democratic backsliding and the weakening rule of law to sluggish action on climate
Demographic change is reshaping our world in profound and unequal ways. By planning for population shifts rather than reacting to them, we can seize opportunities to drive progress in areas like education, health, sustainability, and reproductive rights – and build a fairer future for all
Middle East and Northern Africa
Circular economy principles are a driving force behind Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. The power of the circular economy to revolutionize how we produce, consume, and manage resources is a critical tool in achieving the UN’s Agenda 2030
Technology transfer is fundamental in developing countries’ aspirations to decarbonize, yet the flow of green tech from developed nations is far below what’s needed. How can we shift investment and political incentives to truly enable the proliferation of sustainable technology worldwide?
When the SDGs were adopted in 2015, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda set out a vision for how the Goals would be financed. A decade on, the numbers remain woefully short of requirements. Next year’s follow-up conference must enable rapid acceleration of development finance if the 2030 Agenda is to retain any hope of success
Global, Sub-Saharan Africa
Landlocked developing countries face unique development challenges, from high trade transportation costs to reliance on neighbors’ infrastructure. A new cooperation strategy implemented in four West African countries could serve as a development blueprint for other regions
The EU’s unilateral approach to curb deforestation through restrictions on imports sends a powerful message, but will it deliver? Here, the authors argue that successful global action on deforestation calls for a carefully balanced system of tariffs and subsidies from a wider coalition of countries
The world’s poorest countries have most to gain from tech like AI that can rapidly accelerate SDG action, but are often the least able to utilize such innovations. We need a global, cooperative effort to ensure that the technical tools and skills that humankind has developed are available to all
COVID has exacerbated already deep inequalities between rich and poor.
If left unchecked, the forces creating inequality will become even more
destructive as the climate crisis starts to bite, threatening all of Agenda 2030. The world must urgently redouble efforts to reverse these trends
