New york: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that only 35% of sustainable development goals are on track to achieve their targets or are making reasonable progress, while 18% are going in reverse. In his speech at the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals 2025 report, Guterres reminded that 10 years have passed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
According to Anadolu Agency, Guterres pointed out that millions of people have gained access to electricity, clean cooking facilities, and the internet since 2015. He noted that social protection has reached more than half of the world's population, marking a significant increase compared to 10 years ago. The UN head shared that access to education continues to rise, with more girls attending school and a decrease in child marriages.
Guterres highlighted that renewable energy capacity has increased under the leadership of developing countries. He added that women's representation is rising across governments, businesses, and societies. However, he emphasized that the progress is not where it should be.
The Secretary-General declared, "We are in a global development emergency," noting that over 800 million people still live in extreme poverty, climate impacts are growing, and continuous debt repayments are draining resources needed for countries to invest in their populations. Guterres pointed out the deep connection between ending conflicts and development, citing conflicts such as those in Gaza and Ukraine that need resolution.
Despite these challenges, he mentioned that the newly launched report offers a way forward, presenting roadmaps for transformation in food, energy, digital access, education, employment, and climate. He stressed that progress is unattainable without large-scale financing and that countries should access more finance at lower costs through reforms in the international financial architecture, steps towards debt relief, and tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks.
Guterres concluded that sustainable development goals can still be achieved, "but only if we act with urgency, unity, and an unwavering resolve."