The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a concept and a set of global objectives adopted by all United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs originated from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2012, and were created to address global challenges related to environmental, political, and economic issues. They replaced the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which guided global action from 2000 to 2015 but were criticized for their limited focus on developing countries and insufficient consideration of environmental goals.
The mechanism of the SDGs involves 17 integrated and indivisible Goals and 169 associated targets that balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental. These goals serve as a universal call to action for all countries, both developed and developing, to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. Key provisions include Goal 1 to End poverty in all its forms everywhere and Goal 13 for Climate action. Progress is measured using over 200 specific indicators for the targets. The SDGs are connected to the broader 2030 Agenda, which provides a blueprint for shared prosperity and a sustainable world. Recent reports, such as the UN's 2025 Sustainable Development Goals Report, indicate that only 35% of the targets are on track or making moderate progress, with nearly half progressing too slowly and 18% regressing below 2015 baselines, highlighting the need for urgent, systemic change. The core structure of 17 Goals and the 2030 deadline remains the same, but the focus has shifted to accelerating implementation through six key transitions, including food systems transformation and energy decarbonisation.