The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, launched in 2015, aims to eliminate poverty and lead the world towards peace, prosperity, and opportunity for everyone, while protecting the planet. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for major changes in how financial, economic, and political systems operate to ensure human rights for all.
Achieving these goals requires strong political commitment and bold action from every stakeholder. However, as recognised during the SDG Summit in September, global progress has fallen short. This lack of progress is putting the future of the 2030 Agenda at risk for both current and future generations.
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020 uses the latest data to show that before the COVID-19 pandemic, progress was uneven and off track. Some improvements had been made—fewer children and youth were out of school, the spread of some infectious diseases was slowing, access to clean drinking water improved, and more women were taking leadership roles. Still, food insecurity was growing, the environment was degrading quickly, and inequality was widespread. The pace and scale of progress were not enough.
With the outbreak of COVID-19, the world is facing a health, economic, and social crisis that threatens lives and livelihoods. By early June 2020, over 400,000 lives had been lost to the virus, and almost all countries were affected. Health systems were pushed to the brink. Half the global workforce was impacted, 1.6 billion students were out of school, and millions were pushed back into poverty and hunger, erasing years of development progress.
Though COVID-19 affects everyone, it has not done so equally. It has highlighted and worsened existing inequalities. In developed countries, death rates have been highest among marginalised communities. In developing nations, those most at risk—like informal workers, older people, children, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples, migrants, and refugees—are suffering the most. Globally, young people are facing major disruptions, especially in the job market. Women and girls are also experiencing more violence, discrimination, and unpaid care burdens at home.
Rather than weakening support for the SDGs, COVID-19 has proven why they are more important than ever. The pandemic’s root causes and unequal impacts emphasise the need to fully implement the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. I have repeatedly called for a coordinated, global response based on science, facts, and aligned with the SDGs.
We must strengthen health systems, especially in vulnerable countries, and improve testing, tracing, and treatment. Once available, vaccines and treatments must be accessible to everyone. A strong global response is also needed to ensure that developing countries receive the support they need. Economic recovery plans should promote green, climate-friendly economies and ensure that everyone has access to essential public services. Also, governments must invest in statistical systems so they can make informed decisions using timely data. The UN system is already fully engaged, taking action at all levels to support these goals, using its newly reformed development system.
As we begin the Decade of Action to achieve the SDGs, I call on the world to renew its ambition and commitment. Together, we can defeat COVID-19, build back stronger, tackle poverty and inequality, empower women and girls, and create more inclusive and just societies.
Secretary-General, United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals Report (2020)
“Everything we do during and after this crisis must focus on building more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient to pandemics, climate change, and other global challenges.”
— António Guterres
This year begins the Decade of Action to meet the SDGs by 2030. It’s a critical time to unite and speed up our efforts to solve the world’s biggest problems—such as ending hunger and poverty and fighting climate change.
But the sudden spread of COVID-19 turned a health emergency into one of the worst global crises of our time, changing life as we know it. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020 gives a snapshot of global progress before the pandemic and highlights the early impacts of COVID-19 on specific goals and targets.
The report was created by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with help from over 200 experts from more than 40 global organisations, using the most up-to-date data available.
We are one-third of the way into our journey to meet the SDGs by 2030, but the world is not on track. Even before the pandemic, progress was inconsistent, and more effort was needed in many areas. The outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted SDG implementation and even reversed decades of progress in some cases.
The crisis has affected every population group, every economic sector, and every country. Unsurprisingly, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable have been hit the hardest. COVID-19 has exposed deep inequalities and made them worse, both within and between countries.
Estimates show that 71 million people could fall back into extreme poverty in 2020, the first global rise since 1998. Most of them work in the informal economy, and their income dropped by 60% in the first month of the pandemic. Half of the world’s workers—1.6 billion people—depend on unsafe, informal jobs and have been deeply impacted. Meanwhile, the one billion people living in slums face even greater challenges due to poor housing and a lack of services.
Older people, people with disabilities, migrants, and refugees are more at risk of severe impacts due to poor health and limited access to services. The crisis has also taken a toll on women and children. Disruptions in health and nutrition services could cause hundreds of thousands of deaths in children under five and tens of thousands of maternal deaths in 2020. About 70 countries reported major disruptions or complete halts in child vaccination programs in March and April 2020. Many also reported increased domestic violence. Due to limited access to reproductive health services, millions of unintended pregnancies are expected.
School closures kept 1.57 billion students (90%) out of school and prevented 370 million children from receiving school meals. Long school closures reduce learning, lower graduation rates, and harm children’s development. Poor families may be forced to send children to work or into early marriage, or into trafficking. Global progress in reducing child labour is likely to be reversed for the first time in 20 years. The crisis has had life-changing impacts on children and youth around the world.
Economic Fallout: Worst Recession in Generations
The economic damage from the pandemic is severe. Even wealthy countries are struggling to manage the health and economic fallout, but the poorest countries are in even worse shape.
Many poorer countries are also facing food shortages, job losses, weak health systems, and limited access to basic services or social protection. Without international help, these shocks could destabilise entire economies and worsen poverty and inequality.
There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has deeply affected the 2030 Agenda. But we should not let this crisis stop us from reaching our goals. The pandemic shows us why the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are more important than ever.
By continuing to work toward these global goals, governments can focus on more than just growing the economy. They can also promote fairness, inclusion, and protect the environment. Our response to this crisis can help us get ready for the next big challenge: climate change, which is already putting people’s lives and jobs at risk.
Governments and businesses must treat this as a serious warning and start planning real changes for a healthier, stronger, and greener future. A key part of this is using clear and accurate data to make smart and fair decisions.
In September 2020, the United Nations will mark its 75th anniversary, during a time when the world faces many big challenges. Support for the UN and the SDGs is still strong. But COVID-19 reminds us just how important global teamwork and unity are.
We must work together so no one is left behind. Together, we can build a better, fairer, and more livable world for everyone.
