The World is NOT on Track

When the world is not on track to achieve the Goals by 2030, with more action needed across the global community, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic and its unprecedented impact on sustainable development, the University College of London (UCL) has published its first report describing how staff and student communities are supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across their research, teaching and extra-curricular activities.

The 17 SDGs are the core of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Adopted by all Member States in 2015, they provide a framework for the world’s ongoing economic growth, while protecting the environment and addressing social inequalities. Not one state is on track to achieve targets related to sustainable development by 2030. On average, states are less than halfway to achieving their goals, and only 16 states have scored higher than 50, meaning they are more than 50% of the way toward achieving their targets, according to the network.

The findings “tell us something important about the nature of the divisions in our society right now,” says Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University. Sachs adds. “I think that they are an important wake-up call for the states that are lagging very far behind.”

UCL’s SDGs report adds value to the present state of affairs in the above context.