Summit of the Future edition: Keeping sight of the Goals

COVID and conflict have precipitated back-sliding on SDG progress. The solid gains made in the early years of the SDGs have largely been lost, with only 17 per cent of targets still on track. The SDGs remain the best and only plan to rescue humankind and our planet. At multilateral gatherings, governments have been near unanimous in voicing their support for the Goals; at the Summit of the Future, those words must be backed up with action.

  1. Older, not wiser

    The last nine years have seen seismic societal, economic, and political shifts around the world – meaningful progress on the SDGs isn’t among them. We know what needs fixing and in many cases how – the legacy of this generation of leaders will be whether it had the courage and wisdom to act

    Fred Carver
  2. Financing for development: at a crossroads

    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

    Li Junhua

Foundations for sustainable development

  1. What direction for the UN?

    The UN is under attack from virtually every quarter. What might an effective, reformed UN look like, one that remains a central player in addressing the world’s most pressing issues?

    Giovanna Kuele
  2. Good intentions aren’t enough: the need for effective SDGs policy implementation

    SDG-related initiatives are increasingly under attack from the more right-wing, populist parts of the political spectrum, who portray the Goals as misguided, wasteful, vain, and coercive. How can cities and local governments enhance their policymaking and implementation, and – crucially – secure buy-in to ensure initiatives achieve their intended outcomes?

    Stefano Marta
  3. Closing the loop on waste

    Transitioning from linear to circular models of production and consumption remains a significant challenge. How can we transform deeply ingrained practices, attitudes, and incentives across both supply and demand chains to facilitate this shift?

    Chun Kyoo Park, Sara Castro de Hallgren, Emily Carroll
  4. From landlocked to land-linked: opening opportunities for LLDCs

    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

    Paul Akiwumi
  5. Assessing vulnerability to prevent crises

    For decades, vulnerable nations have sought a more accurate and impactful means to evaluate their need for global assistance. Can the new Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) live up to its promise and more effectively help these countries prepare for risks and threats?

    Patrick Guillaumont
  6. Beyond 0.7%: measuring ODA effectiveness

    Figures on official development assistance volumes are silent about ODA results. To support progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we urgently need new data and holistic evaluation methods to assess the effectiveness of ODA

    Daniele Guariso, Omar Guerrero

    SDGs: 17

Peace and justice

  1. Peace and security: redefining the UN’s primary purpose

    The war in Ukraine, the displacement of virtually the whole Palestinian population of Gaza, and Haiti’s spiral into anarchy have vividly exposed the UN’s inability to avert and resolve conflict. How might a changed UN apparatus be more proactive and effective in resolving disputes and bringing peace?

    Richard Gowan
  2. Unmasking the forces behind the resource curse

    The shift toward cleaner energy requires high volumes of raw materials such as cobalt, copper, and lithium. These critical resources are often extracted from countries with poor governance structures and alarming rates of poverty. To achieve a just transition, we must confront and combat corruption in these resource-rich countries head on

    Sara Nicoletti
  3. Tackling fraud and corruption during crises

    The pandemic revealed how rapid crisis spending creates profiteering opportunities for exploitative and corrupt actors. Strengthening anti-corruption measures is urgently needed to ensure that the anticipated investment surge toward achieving Agenda 2030 truly benefits the planet’s most vulnerable

    Michael Levi
  4. Advancing the SDGs amid fragility and violence

    Achieving the SDGs in fragile, violent, and/or corrupt states represents a daunting challenge – but not an impossible one. Success calls for a tailored, multi-pronged approach that addresses the fundamental interplay between poverty and conflict

    Vidya Diwakar
  5. Supporting women caught in the Palestine conflict

    While the war on Gaza devastates all its inhabitants as neighborhoods turn to rubble, the toll on Gazan women is particularly shocking. The world must act now to stop the immediate suffering – and then commit to the harder work of helping women rebuild their lives in a peaceful future

    Amani Mustafa

Science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation

  1. Can digital be the great global leveler?

    Deep-rooted digital divides within and between countries are currently increasing inequalities, with huge disparities in access to technology, infrastructure, and digital literacy. How can the proposed Global Digital Compact create a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape?

    Carlos Maria Correa
  2. Digital sovereignty can further human rights

    In a global digital age, is protecting national sovereignty compatible with upholding human rights? How can the international community protect vulnerable populations from the external forces seeking to use digital infrastructure to control them?

    Arindrajit Basu
  3. Is clean technology transfer an empty promise?

    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?

    Silvia Weko
  4. Can AI help us achieve the SDGs?

    As momentum on the SDGs stalls, AI’s promise of exponential growth could offer much-needed rapid acceleration across the 2030 Agenda. To harness AI effectively, we must ensure it serves those most in need, and that all countries – not just those in the Global North – can tap into its development benefits

    Paul Jasper