Five Years Away from the Deadline, the Goals of the 2030 Agenda Are Not Being Met

With only five years remaining until the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, the global outlook shows significant progress but also alarming setbacks.

Adopted in 2015 by the 193 member states of the United Nations, the 2030 Agenda outlines 17 interconnected goals aimed at eradicating poverty, combating climate change, reducing inequalities, and promoting peace and justice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, climate change, and growing inequalities have hindered progress on several fronts.

Among the key advances, the transition to renewable energy stands out, with a significant increase in installed solar and wind energy capacity in many regions of the world. Additionally, primary school enrollment rates have risen, supported by initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide in education. In the health sector, global programs to combat diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS have saved millions of lives, although inequalities in access to quality services persist.

Nevertheless, the challenges remain considerable. The pandemic exacerbated extreme poverty and inequalities, disproportionately affecting women, children, and minorities. At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions continue to pose a critical challenge, with many countries off track to meet their climate commitments. Furthermore, the rise in armed conflicts and humanitarian crises has led to a record number of displaced people globally.

According to UN data, only 12% of countries are on track to fully achieve the SDGs by 2030, while 37% report significant but insufficient progress. The remaining 51% show uneven or stalled progress, particularly in goals related to gender equality, climate change, and peace.

An analysis of governance systems reveals interesting differences in the level of compliance with the 2030 Agenda between centralized and decentralized countries. Decentralized countries tend to demonstrate higher compliance with the goals, particularly those related to education and health, due to the adaptation of policies to territorial needs. Indeed, the transfer of competencies and resources from central governments to local and regional entities has been identified as a key factor in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Various international reports highlight how decentralization can facilitate the adaptation of global goals to local realities, fostering more effective governance. The Impact of Decentralization on Creating Enabling Environments is a significant document analyzing how Canada’s decentralized governance structure facilitates the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Fiscal Decentralisation Frameworks for Agenda 2030: Understanding Key Issues and Crafting Strategic Reforms is an academic article demonstrating how fiscal decentralization can support the implementation of the SDGs. Particularly relevant is the European Parliament’s report, Achieving the UN Agenda 2030: Overall Actions for the Successful Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. This report underscores decentralization as an essential strategy for achieving the SDGs inclusively, effectively, and sustainably. Regions and local governments are presented as key actors in bringing the 2030 Agenda to the ground level. Two key points stand out in this comprehensive report: it states that regions often have a greater capacity to implement innovative approaches, which can accelerate progress in key sectors such as education, health, infrastructure, and the environment; and it recognizes that local and regional governments must have direct access to financial resources to implement sustainability-related projects. The report includes examples of how regions in Europe are leading key initiatives in areas such as energy transition or building resilient infrastructure.

In various forums, ORU Fogar, the United Regions Organization, has pointed out that a significant obstacle to advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is both the lack of effective coordination among different levels of government and the insufficient allocation of resources to regions. Thus, when UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for redoubled efforts to achieve the SDGs at the September 2024 Summit of the Future, ORU Fogar representatives advocated for empowering regions.

Throughout 2025, ORU Fogar will persist in this discourse. For example, the ORU Fogar Gender Working Group, recognizing that issues of gender equality are particularly lagging, will bring this issue to the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), organized by the United Nations in New York from March 10 to 21. At the High-Level Political Forum in July, which will focus on SDG 5 (Gender Equality), regionalism representatives will also emphasize the need for decentralizing competencies and financial resources to achieve the 17 Goals.