Sustainable Development Report 2024

Recently, United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) released Sustainable Development Report 2024

About Sustainable Development Solutions Network

• About: It  works under the UN Secretary-General.
  • It promotes achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement through education, research, policy analysis, and global cooperation.
• Publication: Since 2016, SDSN has published a Sustainable Development Report each year that reviews the progress of the 193 UN Member States on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key Highlights of Report

• Global Progress on SDGs: On average, only 16% of SDG targets are on track to be met globally by 2030. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) are especially lagging behind.
• Uneven Progress: SDG progress varies widely by country. Nordic nations are leading, BRICS countries are making notable strides, while poor and vulnerable countries are lagging far behind.
  • Finland ranks first, followed by Sweden and Denmark. 
  • India is 109th out of 166 countries, excelling in Poverty Reduction and Quality Education targets but showing declining progress in Sustainable Cities and Climate Action targets.
• UN-Mi: The new Index of Support to UN-based Multilateralism (UN-Mi) ranks countries by their engagement with the UN system. Barbados is at the top, India is ranked 139th, and the USA is last.
• Reforming Global Finance for Sustainable Development: Addressing sustainable development is challenging, requiring urgent global financial system reform.
  •  Low and lower-middle-income countries need affordable long-term capital to achieve their goals. 
  • Mobilising adequate finance demands new institutions, global financing mechanisms, and prioritisation of crucial investments like quality education. 
  • The report suggests five strategies to reform Global Financial Architecture effectively.
• Challenges in Food and Land Systems: SDG targets for food and land systems are notably off-track. The Sustainable Development Report (SDR) introduces new FABLE pathways to support sustainable practices. 
  • Globally, 600 million people still suffer from hunger, obesity rates are rising, and AFOLU sectors contribute nearly a quarter of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.

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Recommendations by UNSDSN

• Global Cooperation: Ensuring sustainable development remains central to global cooperation through 2050 and requires adequate financing.
• Strengthening UN Agencies: Enhance the capabilities of UN agencies while implementing systematic monitoring of UN-led multilateral efforts.
• Global Governance of Technological Risks: Improving global governance of technological risks and ensuring universal access to critical technologies and research and development capacities.
• United Nations Reforms: Create a UN Parliamentary Assembly and reform the UN Security Council by adding India as a permanent member and adopting procedures to bypass a veto.