Four years from 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain out of reach. The latest report from the UN reveals that only 36% of the evaluated targets are progressing at the necessary pace or showing moderate progress.
The lack of funding threatens to prevent numerous countries from meeting the agreed targets, especially those with greater economic difficulties.
During the opening of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world knows the policies that work, but lacks resources and an international financial architecture capable of applying them at the required scale.
Financial Obstacles
Developing countries face interest rates several times higher than those of rich economies. Many allocate more resources to debt repayment than to essential public services, limiting their investment capacity in:
- Health.
- Education.
- Social protection.
- Clean energy.
- Sustainable infrastructure.
Proposed Reforms
Guterres urged:
- Reforming multilateral development banks to expand their lending capacity.
- Mobilizing private investment in sustainable projects.
- Promoting debt relief for vulnerable countries.
- Strengthening partnerships with civil society and adopting concrete collective measures.
The president of the UN Economic and Social Council, Lok Bahadur Thapa, reminded that no country can achieve sustainable development alone and called for political will to regain lost momentum.
Commitments in Negotiation
The ministerial segment will conclude with a declaration in which ministers and heads of state will detail measures to accelerate the fulfillment of the 17 SDGs. The draft includes commitments to:
- Increase investment.
- Develop international standards for transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Additionally, 36 countries will present their voluntary national reviews, reporting progress, challenges, and experiences in the implementation of the SDGs.
Youth Participation
Jaewon Choi, a youth leader, called for the new generations to have a real role in multilateral decisions:
“A revitalized UN must integrate meaningful youth participation.”
Examples of International Cooperation
Guterres highlighted recent initiatives such as the Pact for the Future, the Seville Commitment, the Doha Political Declaration, the High Seas Treaty, and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for small island states.
A Football Metaphor
The President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, compared the remaining four years to the final minutes of a match:
“Do not give up in the 80th minute. A goal at the right moment can change everything, and 17 goals at the same time can change the world.”
The lack of funding is the main obstacle to achieving the SDGs. Without deep reforms in the international financial system and without real debt relief, the most vulnerable countries risk abandoning the goals.
The UN insists that giving up is not an option: the next four years will be decisive in demonstrating that global cooperation can transform the course towards sustainable development.
