Published on: 2026-07-08
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
July 7, 2026 Sustainable Development Goals
The new UN report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recorded the “dual reality” of the modern world: sustainable investments and international cooperation have already improved the lives of billions of people, but the pace of change remains insufficient, so governments must urgently accelerate actions if they want to fulfill their own promises by 2030.
The authors of the report published on Tuesday acknowledge the scale of the political and financial challenges standing in the way of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. All 193 UN member states adopted the SDGs in 2015 as a call to action for universal peace and prosperity. Since then, the annual progress review has become a central element of the global agenda.
The publication of the report is timed to coincide with the opening of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which began on Tuesday in New York and will continue until July 15. The forum serves as the main UN platform for assessing progress on the SDGs and discussing ways to accelerate it.
Progress is too slow
The report’s authors remind that over the past ten years, the world has achieved impressive results. Nearly one billion people gained access to safe drinking water, and 1.2 billion to safe sanitation. The number of new HIV cases has decreased by 30 percent, electricity is now available to 92 percent of the world’s population, and the internet to 74 percent. More than half of the world’s inhabitants are covered by social protection systems. These achievements show that global efforts work when supported by political will and long-term investments.
At the same time, the overall conclusion of the report sounds alarming: progress is too slow. One in ten people lives in extreme poverty, 2.3 billion face food shortages, and maternal mortality remains almost three times above the target level.
In 2025, the global temperature reached a level that is 1.43 degrees above the pre-industrial level, serving as yet another signal that climate goals are rapidly slipping away.
Almost 273 million children and young people are not attending school, and the number of refugees has more than doubled in a decade. Out of 139 goals for which data are available, progress is observed in only one third of the cases. In almost half of the cases, advancement is too slow, and in 15 percent the situation has even worsened compared to 2015.
Disproportionate pressure
The reasons for the lag are well known: multiplying conflicts, climate shocks, slowing economic growth, increasing debt burdens, and a record decline in official development assistance. All this disproportionately affects the most vulnerable countries and population groups.
At a meeting at the UN headquarters on Tuesday, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called for reforms of international financial institutions so they can provide countries with more flexible terms, including debt relief and long-term financing of projects related to the SDGs.
Opening of the Political Forum on the SDGs
Meanwhile, in New York, the intensive program of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development has begun. Ministers, heads of UN agencies, representatives of civil society, business, and youth organizations have gathered to discuss how to accelerate the achievement of the goals.
Opening the forum, the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Lok Bahadur Thapa, noted the growing inequality and called on countries to “work differently” to achieve the goals by 2030.
“The ‘Agenda 2030’ remains our shared commitment—to contemporaries, the planet, and future generations,” he said. “History will not ask whether our challenges were difficult. It will ask whether we responded to them in a worthy manner.”
History will not ask whether our challenges were difficult. It will ask whether we responded to them in a worthy manner.
From July 13 to 16, the ministerial segment of the forum will take place, concluding with the adoption of a declaration. The latest draft of the document includes commitments to increasing investments in SDGs and developing governance systems for transformative technologies, including artificial intelligence.
In last year’s declaration, countries agreed to strengthen healthcare systems, reduce maternal and child mortality, expand digital accessibility, and increase government funding for the SDGs.
Five key directions
This year, the forum is focused on five key goals: clean water and sanitation, affordable energy, innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities, and global partnerships. Countries present voluntary national reviews, which serve as an important accountability tool. This year, 36 countries will present their reports, ranging from Albania to Uruguay.
Despite the difficulties, senior United Nations officials emphasize that the SDGs remain a vital guide for peace, justice, and a sustainable future.
Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua noted that decisive actions in debt sustainability, development financing, food and water systems, basic services, and reducing inequality can keep the goals within reach. “The focus must shift from promises to implementation,” he emphasized.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.