UNITED NATIONS: Global progress on the anti-poverty Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is alarmingly inadequate, with only seventeen percent of the targets currently on track, according to the UN report.
The 2024 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report showed that nearly half of the 17 % targets show minimal or moderate progress, while over one-third are either stalled or regressing since their adoption by the UN Member States in 2015 to promote peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
“This report is known as the annual SDG report card, and it shows the world is getting a failing grade,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated at the New York press conference launching the comprehensive review.
“The takeaway is simple: our failure to secure peace, confront climate change, and boost international finance is undermining development. We must accelerate action for the Sustainable Development Goals, and we do not have a moment to lose,” he emphasized.
The report identified the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and worsening climate chaos as major obstacles to progress.
It noted that an additional twenty-three million people were pushed into extreme poverty and over 100 million more were suffering from hunger in 2022 compared to 2019. Furthermore, the number of civilian deaths in armed conflicts skyrocketed last year.
The report outlined key priorities to address the deficit, highlighting the need for financing for development. The SDG investment gap in developing countries is $4 trillion per year, necessitating rapid increases in funding and fiscal space, as well as reforms to the global financial system to unlock funds.
Resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy is equally crucial. With nearly 120 million forcibly displaced people by May 2024 and a 72 percent increase in civilian casualties between 2022 and 2023, the need for peace is more pressing than ever. The SDG Report highlights stark economic challenges, with per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth in half of the world’s most vulnerable nations slower than in advanced economies. Nearly sixty percent of countries faced abnormally high food prices in 2022, exacerbating hunger and food insecurity.
The report also highlighted gender inequality, noting that 55 percent of 120 surveyed countries lack laws prohibiting discrimination against women. However, there are positive developments in renewable energy, which expanded at a rate of 8.1 percent annually over the past five years.
Technological advancements also saw significant strides, with mobile broadband accessibility (3G or higher) increasing to 95 percent of the world’s population from 78 percent in 2015.
