The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Report 2024, published by the UN, shows that global progress remains severely off track to meet the 2030 deadline. With just six years remaining, only a small fraction of the targets are on track, and several critical areas are experiencing stagnation or reversal, intensified by global crises like conflict, climate change, and persistent inequality.
Key Findings of the 2024 SDG Report
The report provides a sobering assessment of the 169 targets:
| Progress Status | Percentage of Targets | Summary |
|---|---|---|
On Track | Only 17% of targets are on track or have been achieved. | This is a minor increase from the 15% reported in 2023, but still insufficient. |
Limited Progress | Nearly 50% of targets are showing minimal or moderate progress. | This indicates a widespread lack of the necessary speed and scale of action. |
Stalled or Regressing | Over one-third (more than 33%) of targets have either stalled or regressed below 2015 baseline levels. | This is the most alarming finding, signaling dangerous reversals in key areas. |
Areas with Significant Setbacks or Slow Progress
Several goals are particularly off-track, with progress either stalled or reversed since 2015:
- Zero Hunger (SDG 2): Progress is inadequate. Significant reversals are seen in obesity rates and the number of people suffering from hunger is projected to be around 600 million by 2030.
- Life on Land (SDG 15) & Life Below Water (SDG 14): The Red List Index (tracking species extinction risk) continues to worsen. Record-high ocean temperatures have triggered a fourth global coral bleaching event.
- Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16): Civilian casualties in armed conflicts rose by 72% between 2022 and 2023. The number of forcibly displaced people reached an unprecedented 120 million as of May 2024.
- Gender Equality (SDG 5): Closing the global gender gap in managerial positions would take another 176 years at the current rate.
Areas with Notable Progress:
- Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7): Global capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources is expanding at an unprecedented rate, growing 8.1% annually over the past five years. Access to electricity now reaches 92% of the world’s population.
- Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3): Global under-5 deaths reached a historic low of 4.9 million in 2022. New HIV infections have declined by 40% since 2010.
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9): Internet use has grown significantly, reaching 68% of the global population.
The Call to Action
To get back on track, the report stresses the need for “urgent multilateralism” and massive, coordinated investment focused on six critical SDG transitions:
- Food Systems
- Energy
- Digital Connectivity
- Education
- Jobs and Social Protection
- Climate and Biodiversity Action
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Report 2024 confirms that the world is severely off track to meet the 2030 Agenda, with only 17% of targets showing sufficient progress. The following summary details the status of each of the 17 goals, based on the key findings of the 2024 UN report:
SDG Progress Summary: Key Findings from the 2024 Report
| SDG | Goal Name | Status & Key Findings (2024) |
|---|---|---|
SDG 1 | No Poverty | Off Track. Over 800 million people remain trapped in extreme poverty. While extreme poverty declined in high-income countries due to fiscal support, ending extreme poverty among women globally could take an estimated 137 more years at the current rate. |
SDG 2 | Zero Hunger | Severely Off Track. Progress has stagnated since 2020. An estimated 600 million people will still suffer from hunger by 2030. There are significant reversals in obesity rates and targets related to sustainable nitrogen management. Globally, 1 billion meals of edible food are wasted every day. |
SDG 3 | Good Health | Mixed Progress. Progress noted in reducing global under-5 child mortality (historic low of 4.9 million in 2022) and declining new HIV infections 40% reduction since 2010). Setbacks include stalled progress on maternal mortality since 2015 and a reversal in life expectancy at birth. |
SDG 4 | Quality Education | Mixed Progress. The gender gap in education continues to narrow, with girls achieving or surpassing parity with boys in most regions. However, education systems are under threat, with many countries experiencing declines in student math and reading skills. |
SDG 5 | Gender Equality | Severely Off Track. Achieving gender parity in managerial positions will require another 176 years. Women hold only 27.5% of managerial positions. Women devote 2.5 times more hours per day to unpaid care work than men, and new estimates show a 30 million case increase in female genital mutilation. |
SDG 6 | Clean Water & Sanitation | Off Track. At the current speed, in 2030, 2 billion people will still lack safely managed drinking water, and 3 billion will lack safely managed sanitation. |
SDG 7 | Affordable & Clean Energy | Significant Progress. Global capacity to generate electricity from renewable energy is expanding at an unprecedented rate (8.1% annually). Access to electricity is now at 92% globally. However, 660 million people will still lack electricity access by 2030. |
SDG 8 | Decent Work & Growth | Some Progress. Global unemployment hit a historic low of 5% in 2023. |
SDG 9 | Industry & Innovation | Positive Trends. Goals related to basic access to infrastructure and services show slightly more positive trends. Mobile use and Internet use are among the most on-track targets, with 68% of the world's population now having access to the Internet. |
SDG 10 | Reduced Inequalities | Off Track. Progress is hindered by persistent inequalities among and between countries. |
SDG 11 | Sustainable Cities | Off Track. The goal is one of the five identified as particularly off-track, with progress having stagnated since 2020. |
SDG 12 | Responsible Consumption | Significant Reversals. Fossil fuel subsidies hit a record high of $1.53 trillion in 2022, reversing the prior declining trend and tripling since 2015. Only 22% of e-waste is sustainably managed. 63 member states are now adopting Sustainable Consumption and Production policies. |
SDG 13 | Climate Action | Alarming Reversal. Carbon dioxide levels are at their highest in over two million years. 2024 was the hottest year on record, surpassing the 1.5 threshold. |
SDG 14 | Life Below Water | Severely Off Track. The goal is one of the five identified as particularly off-track. Record high ocean temperatures have triggered a fourth global coral bleaching event. |
SDG 15 | Life on Land | Severely Off Track. The goal is one of the five identified as particularly off-track. The Red List Index (species extinction risk) continues to worsen, deteriorating 12% between 1993 and 2024. |
SDG 16 | Peace, Justice & Institutions | Severely Off Track. The goal is one of the five identified as particularly off-track. Civilian casualties in armed conflicts spiked by 72% (2022-2023). The number of forcibly displaced people reached an unprecedented 120 million. There are significant reversals in press freedom and the Corruption Perception Index. |
SDG 17 | Partnerships for the Goals | Off Track. Debt servicing costs in low- and middle-income countries reached a record 1.4 trillion, squeezing resources needed for development. The report calls for urgent reform of the Global Financial Architecture. |