Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals comprise a global agenda to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals—or SDGs or Global Goals as they are sometimes called—have 169 targets that countries are attempting to reach by 2030 at the latest. This is why the Goals are also referred to as the 2030 Agenda, which countries resolved to undertake with "bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind."

The goals and targets are universal, meaning they apply to all countries around the world, not just developing countries. Reaching the goals requires action on all fronts—governments, businesses, civil society, and people everywhere have a role to play.

To learn more about efforts to implement the SDGs around the world, visit IISD’s SDG Knowledge Hub.

As Decade of Action Has Become a Decade of Recovery, HLPF Focuses on Pandemic Response

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development had few resemblances to previous HLPF sessions.

Governments and Experts Exchange Proposals for Improving HLPF

Experts are reviewing the format of the annual United Nations forum where countries report on their progress and challenges with the SDGs.

Are We Serious About Achieving the SDGs? A Statistician’s Perspective

Gaps in global reporting thwart the international community’s ability to take effective action to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Experts

Livia Bizikova

Lead, Monitoring and Governance, Tracking Progress

Eleonora Bonaccorsi

Junior Project Officer, Geneva 2030 Ecosystem

Stefan Jungcurt

Lead, SDG Indicators and Data, Tracking Progress

Elena Kosolapova

Writer, Earth Negotiations Bulletin

Faye Leone

Senior Policy Advisor, Tracking Progress

Anju Sharma

Writer/Editor Earth Negotiations Bulletin

Kali Taylor

Policy Advisor, Geneva 2030 Ecosystem

Beth Timmers

Project Manager, Tracking Progress

Lynn Wagner

Senior Director, Tracking Progress

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Latest

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What you need to know about the September 2020 Climate Week meetings and what it means for economic recovery post-COVID.

IISD in the news

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Making the Trading System Work for the SDGs: 10 questions for the next WTO Director-General

Trade, if well managed, can be a powerful tool for development. But it must not stand in the way of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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August 28, 2020

Data Dashboard Visualizes SDG Status Across the World

New platform and indicator report highlight the importance of robust data reporting in policy-making.

Press release

July 23, 2020

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With only a few months to conclude WTO talks on fisheries subsidies, this update is an overview of the draft text circulated by the Chair of negotiations.

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What Trump's EPA Rollbacks Show Us About the Importance of Co-Benefits

A recent ruling on how the EPA regulates mercury could have wide-ranging impacts on U.S. citizens and the environment.

Blog

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Fisheries Subsidies Video Series

As part of its work to support a meaningful WTO agreement to discipline harmful fisheries subsidies, the IISD has produced a series of six videos to summarize the key issues to be resolved across the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations.

Video

May 27, 2020

Potential Implementation Steps of a WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

As members of the WTO negotiate new rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies, this policy brief examines the potential steps governments could take to implement successful subsidy reform that promotes more sustainable fisheries.