SDG Report 2025: 35% of Targets Stagnating or Reversing
Why in the news
The United Nations released its SDG Report 2025 at the High-Level Political Forum, with just five years left to meet the 2030 Agenda and many goals slipping.
Key facts by goal
| Goal | Finding |
|---|---|
| SDG 2 Zero Hunger | Sub-Saharan Africa hunger 23.2%; Southern Asia 281 million hungry |
| SDG 3 Health | Maternal mortality and universal health coverage stagnating |
| SDG 4 Education | 57% of targets stalled or regressing |
| SDG 6 Water | 2.2 billion lack safe drinking water; 3.4 billion lack sanitation; 1.7 billion lack hygiene services |
| SDG 8 Work | 50% of targets off course; 57.8% of workers informal; youth unemployment 12.9% versus 3.7% for adults (2024) |
| SDG 10 Inequality | Rising gaps in income, vaccines, climate exposure and digital access |
| SDG 14 Ocean | 40% of marine targets regressing; least funded SDG |
| SDG 12, 15, 16 | 40-42% of targets off track |
Concerns
- 2024 was the hottest year on record; WMO sees an 80% chance of continued warming.
- Over 800 million live in extreme poverty; 8.9% may still be poor in 2030.
- Official development aid fell 7.1% in 2024; developing countries face a $4 trillion yearly financing gap.
Positives
- HIV infections down 40% since 2010.
- Malaria: 2.2 billion cases averted and 12.7 million lives saved since 2000.
- Social protection reaches over half the world’s people.
Exam angle
- Released at the HLPF; deadline 2030.
- Least funded goal: SDG 14.