The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 PDF

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 Contents Foreword........................................................ 2 Introduction..................................................... 3 Unlocking the power of data................

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 Contents Foreword........................................................ 2 Introduction..................................................... 3 Unlocking the power of data...................................... 4 Goal 1 No poverty...................................................... 8 Goal 2 Zero hunger.................................................... 10 Goal 3 Good health and well-being....................................... 12 Goal 4 Quality education................................................ 16 Goal 5 Gender equality.................................................. 18 Goal 6 Clean water and sanitation....................................... 20 Goal 7 Affordable and clean energy..................................... 22 Goal 8 Decent work and economic growth............................... 24 Goal 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure........................... 26 Goal 10 Reduced inequalities............................................ 28 Goal 11 Sustainable cities and communities............................... 30 Goal 12 Responsible consumption and production......................... 32 Goal 13 Climate action.................................................. 34 Goal 14 Life below water................................................ 36 Goal 15 Life on land..................................................... 38 Goal 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions............................. 40 Goal 17 Partnerships for the Goals....................................... 42 SDG progress by target.......................................... 44 Note to the reader............................................... 46 The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 Foreword The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 makes for sobering reading. Second, we need solidarity. It finds that only 17 per cent of the SDG targets are on track, nearly half are Developing countries urgently require more financial resources and fiscal showing minimal or moderate progress, and progress on over one third has space. We must reform the outdated, dysfunctional and unfair international stalled or even regressed. financial architecture to facilitate far greater investment in the SDGs. The scarring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, Third, we need a surge in implementation. geopolitical tensions, and growing climate chaos are hitting SDG progress Massive investment and more effective partnerships are needed to drive hard. critical transitions across food, energy, digital connectivity and more, Furthermore, systemic deficiencies and inequities in the global economic and unlocking progress right across the Goals. financial system leave developing countries to tackle enormous and growing And underpinning all our efforts must be a more concerted effort to challenges with only a fraction of the international support they need and dismantle gender barriers and empower all women and girls – because we deserve. cannot expect to achieve the Goals without gender equality. Inequalities keep growing. The climate crisis continues to escalate. This report highlights the urgent need for stronger and more effective Biodiversity loss is accelerating. Progress towards gender equality remains international cooperation to maximize progress starting now. disappointing. And conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and beyond have left an unprecedented 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. This year’s Summit of the Future provides a vital opportunity, paving the way for further breakthroughs at the Financing for Development conference and This situation is not going to improve on its own: developing countries, as a World Social Summit in 2025. whole, face the worst medium-term economic outlook in a generation. With more than six years left, we must not let up on our 2030 promise to Against this backdrop, the steadfast unity of governments behind the 2030 end poverty, protect the planet and leave no one behind. Agenda, as demonstrated at the SDG Summit in September 2023, offers a glimmer of hope. Their commitment to rescue the SDGs and to deliver an SDG Stimulus has generated fresh impetus behind the Goals. This report also highlights that despite deeply worrying trends, progress is being made – with reductions in child mortality, HIV infections, and the cost of remittances and improvements in access to water, sanitation, energy, and mobile broadband. António Guterres To turn these green shoots into accelerated and transformative progress, Secretary-General of the United Nations bolder actions are required: First, we need peace. We must resolve ongoing armed conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, and prevent future conflicts by upholding the principles and values of the Charter of the United Nations. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 2 Introduction A promise in peril A moment of choice and consequence Last September, Heads of State and Government gathered in New York for Time and again, humanity has demonstrated that when we work the SDG Summit to review progress towards the Sustainable Development together and apply our collective mind, we can forge solutions to Goals (SDGs) and deliberate on areas requiring acceleration. Crucially, they seemingly intractable problems. This report highlights some encouraging reaffirmed their commitment to the SDGs, agreeing on the need for urgent, advancements. Increased access to life-saving treatment has averted 20.8 ambitious and transformative efforts to achieve the Goals in full by 2030. In million AIDS-related deaths in the past three decades. In most regions of the the political declaration adopted by the General Assembly, Member States world, girls have achieved parity and even pulled ahead of boys in completing recognized that “the achievement of the SDGs is in peril” and stated their schooling at all levels. Two thirds of the world’s population – 5.4 billion determination “to make all efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda and people – now have access to the Internet, just as work and employment achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by the target year of 2030”. opportunities are being profoundly transformed by technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI). Nearly a year later, intensifying, interconnected challenges continue to endanger the realization of the SDGs by the 2030 deadline. The Sustainable The world must now confront head on the multiple crises threatening Development Goals Report 2024 reveals that progress has ground to a halt sustainable development, marshalling the determination, ingenuity and or been reversed across multiple fronts, despite reaffirmed pledges. The resources that such high stakes demand. To get the SDGs back on track, one lingering impacts of COVID-19, compounded by conflicts, climate shocks foremost priority for the global community is to rally all stakeholders to end and economic turmoil, have aggravated existing inequalities. An additional the conflicts causing unimaginable suffering and misery globally. Sustainable 23 million people were pushed into extreme poverty and over 100 million development is simply not possible without peace. more suffered from hunger in 2022 compared to 2019. While some health Additionally, wealthy economies need to unlock greater financing for targets improved, overall global health progress has decelerated alarmingly vulnerable countries, and developing countries must gain a more equitable since 2015. The COVID-19 pandemic has undone nearly 10 years of progress role in global economic governance and the international financial system. on life expectancy. Education, the bedrock of sustainable development, remains gravely threatened as many countries see declines in student math In all countries, doubling down to pursue a just climate transition is and reading skills, jeopardizing core competencies that will determine future crucial to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, air prosperity. pollution and biodiversity loss while reorienting economies towards more sustainable growth. Achieving dignity for all people of all ages requires A world in great upheaval renewed commitments to gender equality as well as significantly increased investments in health, education and social protection. Around the world, wars are upending millions of lives, driving the highest number of refugees (37.4 million) and forcibly displaced people (nearly 120 The time for words has passed. The political declaration of the SDG Summit million) ever recorded. Civilian casualties in armed conflicts rose by 72 must be translated into actions. It is still possible to create a better, more per cent between 2022 and 2023, the highest spike since the adoption of the sustainable and more inclusive world for all by 2030. But the clock is running 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015. In 2023, 4 in 10 civilians out. We must act now, and act boldly. killed in conflicts were women and 3 in 10 were children. The cumulative impact of multiple environmental crises is threatening the foundations of planetary ecosystems. In 2023, the world experienced the warmest year on record. For the first time, global temperatures were dangerously close to the 1.5°C lower limit of the Paris Agreement. Global greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide reached new records yet again in 2022, with no signs of slowing Li Junhua in 2023. Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Developing and vulnerable countries face vast development challenges. Per capita growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in half the world’s most vulnerable countries is now slower than in advanced economies for the first time this century. This trajectory threatens to reverse a long-term trend towards more income equality among countries. Furthermore, after a decade of rapid debt accumulation, the external debt stock in low- and middle-income countries remains at unprecedentedly high levels. The SDG investment gap in developing countries now stands at $4 trillion per year. These problems are exacerbated by the fact that developing countries are inadequately represented in global economic decision-making, with their voting share falling far short of their membership in many international financial institutions. 3 Introduction  Unlocking the power of data for sustainable development Accurate, timely and disaggregated data are vital for measuring progress Development Goals Report 2024 provides a comprehensive overview of towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated the world’s progress nine years into the journey to 2030. Using the latest targets. Data help identify challenges, formulate solutions, monitor available data, the report highlights both successes and challenges as the implementation and make needed course corrections. Without high-quality international community strives to fully realize the ambitions and principles data providing an evidence base, it will be impossible to truly understand of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. where we are succeeding and falling short on the SDGs. The Sustainable I. The current status of the SDGs: severely off track The progress assessment carried out in 2024 reveals that the world is (48 per cent) exhibit moderate to severe deviations from the desired severely off track to realize the 2030 Agenda. Of the 169 targets, 135 can be trajectory, with 30 per cent showing marginal progress and 18 per cent assessed using available global trend data from the 2015 baseline to the most moderate progress. Alarmingly, 18 per cent indicate stagnation and 17 recent year, along with custodian agency analyses; 34 targets lack sufficient per cent regression below the 2015 baseline levels.1 This comprehensive trend data or additional analysis. Among the assessable targets, only 17 per assessment underscores the urgent need for intensified efforts to put the cent display progress sufficient for achievement by 2030. Nearly half SDGs on course. Detailed analysis by target can be found at the end of this report. unt for Overall progress across targets based on 2015–2024 global aggregate data Progress assessment for the 17 Goals based on assessed targets, by Goal (percentage) Goal 1 30% Goal 2 Goal 3 Goal 4 18% 18% Goal 5 ge. Goal 6 Goal 7 17% 17% Goal 8 Goal 9 Goal 10 le and Goal 11 On track or target met Moderate progress Marginal progress Goal 12 Stagnation Regression Goal 13 Goal 14 Goal 15 Goal 16 Goal 17 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 On track or target met Moderate progress Marginal progress Stagnation Regression II. Despite commendable increases in data to monitor the SDGs, critical gaps persist SDG progress assessment is affected by ongoing challenges in the Proportion of countries or areas with trend data (at least two data points availability and timeliness of data to monitor all 17 Goals. Overall, since 2015), comparing 2019 and 2024 databases, by Goal (percentage) commendable progress has been made in improving internationally 100 comparable data for SDG monitoring. In 2016, when the global indicator framework for the Goals and associated targets was initially adopted, only 80 about one third of indicators had good data coverage (that is, data were available for more than 50 per cent of countries), and 39 per cent of the indicators lacked internationally established methodologies or standards. 60 Today, 68 per cent of indicators have good data coverage. Since 2020, all 231 indicators have had well-established and internationally agreed methodologies. Good trend data are available for 51 per cent of the indicators 40 (at least two data points since 2015) in more than half of all countries. The variance in country data coverage plays out differently across the Goals, 20 with major shortfalls in priority development areas, such as gender equality (Goal 5), climate action (Goal 13), and peace, justice and strong institutions 0 (Goal 16). Moreover, data timeliness remains a challenge. Approximately one G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11 G12 G13 G14 G15 G16 G17 third of indicators lack data for the past three years, hampering the ability of 2019 2024 policymakers to make timely informed decisions and course corrections. 1 Due to new data and revised methodologies, this year’s progress assessment is not comparable to those of previous years. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 4 III. How to harness the power of data Robust data build on a strong statistical foundation, innovation and integration A strong statistical foundation draws on both traditional and innovative Notable disparities existed across countries. High-income countries data sources. Traditional data sources include censuses, surveys and achieved nearly a full score for birth and death registration; upper-middle- administrative data. Population censuses provide crucial data for national income countries had an average score of 0.7; low- and lower-middle- and subnational planning and also serve as denominators for numerous SDG income countries scored only 0.2. Disparities in censuses and surveys indicators. Household surveys contribute data for about one third of SDG based on income level also persist, with scores from 0.5 to 0.8, although indicators, according to the Inter-Secretariat Working Group on Household differences were less pronounced. Surveys. Birth and death registrations are vital for accurate population data Data demand for SDG monitoring has spurred innovation and the integration and ensure individuals’ legal rights, providing essential documentation for of different data sources. For instance, Azerbaijan uses remote sensing to accessing health care, education and inheritances. monitor the coverage of important sites for mountain biodiversity (SDG Many countries still face challenges, however, in building a robust statistical indicator 15.4.1). Colombia and Malaysia have integrated geospatial and foundation with data from these three traditional sources. In 2022, overall population data to estimate the proportion of the rural population living performance on them across countries averaged around 0.6 (out of 1). within 2 kilometres of an all-season road (SDG indicator 9.1.1). Bangladesh has employed geospatial and survey data to generate local poverty estimates Statistical performance of countries on birth and death registration, censuses and to inform government policies. Ghana and the United Kingdom have tapped surveys, by income level, 2022 (score 0–1) into citizen science data to monitor marine litter (SDG indicator 14.1.1). Low and lower-middle income Kyrgyzstan’s statistical office collaborates with a network of civil society organizations to explore how citizen data can support the Voluntary National Upper-middle income Review. Both the Netherlands and Uruguay monitor air pollution with national networks of sensors (SDG indicator 11.6.2). High income Countries worldwide are recognizing the need to invest in national statistical systems to produce high-quality, timely data for SDG monitoring. This involves not only financial resources but also requires building capacity, World modernizing infrastructure and adopting international statistical standards. As countries continue to strengthen statistical foundations, embracing 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 innovation and integrating diverse data sources and methodologies will be critical in overcoming challenges such as declining response rates as well as Completeness of birth and death registration Censuses Surveys in fostering collaborative partnerships. Engaging citizens in data production is essential to leave no one behind The overarching principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Data availability score by sex and other characteristics and type of indicator, is to leave no one behind. A comprehensive review by the Gender Data 2022 (score 0–100) Compass, however, revealed significant gaps in disaggregated data for 100 90 key social, economic and environmental indicators disseminated online by national statistical offices (NSOs). In 2023, the availability score for 80 sex-disaggregated data ranged from 23 to 83 out of 100. Sex-disaggregated 70 data were most available for indicators on demographics, migration, 60 fertility and reproductive health (with a score of 83) and least available for 50 environmental indicators (23). 40 Further disaggregation by additional characteristics resulted in a significant 30 decrease in data availability. For example, the availability score for 20 demographic and migration indicators dropped to 34 when including 10 disaggregation by sex and other non-geographic characteristics. Subnational 0 data availability was notably low, with average scores ranging from 3 to and migration Environment justice Education Living Agency and Health and Employment and time use conditions Digital connectivity economic advancement nutrition Demography Crime and Fertility and reproductive health 34. Interestingly, high-income countries generally exhibited lower overall disaggregated data availability compared to low- and middle-income countries. Data breakdown by sex Data breakdown by both sex and other non-geographic disaggregation Subnational data by sex and other disaggregation 5 Unlocking the power of data Ensuring that no one is left behind calls for more than just data Involving citizens in data production signifies a shift towards a more disaggregation. Uncovering the intersectional disadvantages faced by the collaborative and participatory model of governance, marking a new chapter most marginalized groups demands additional efforts. For example, a side in the social contract between State institutions and citizens. This refreshed event on citizen data at the fifty-fifth session of the United Nations Statistical dynamic embodies principles of transparency, participation and shared Commission showed that indigenous women and girls with disabilities responsibility, reflecting an evolving relationship where citizens are not just in Bolivia faced significant challenges in accessing reproductive health subjects of governance but active participants in it. The newly proposed information and care. Addressing these challenges and formulating relevant Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data by the Collaborative on Citizen policies to overcome them is possible only when citizen data are collected Data supports such engagement. with the active involvement and support of communities with firsthand knowledge of their own needs. Data openness has improved; use and impact need more work The increased openness, accessibility and effective use of data have been Data openness score, 2022 crucial to better data impact. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, 100 countries have made significant progress in opening up official statistics for 90 public use. According to Open Data Inventory, the average score on data 80 openness for around 180 countries and areas increased from 44 in 2017 to 70 55 in 2022. The openness level was greater in high-income countries, with a 60 score of 67 in 2022, compared to only 42 for low- or lower-middle-income countries. This score represents official statistics that are machine-readable, 50 non-proprietary, have an open data licence or open data terms of use, 40 include available metadata and offer accessible download options. 30 20 Data openness does not always translate into effective use and impact, however. Monitoring these dimensions has been challenging. The 10 Statistical Performance Indicators framework covers data use by national 0 Data openness Data are non- Data are Availability of Download Having open legislatures and executive branches, civil society, academia and international score proprietary machine metadata availability data terms organizations, but only data use by international organizations is available. readable of use More efforts are needed to strengthen data use and impact, and measure High income Upper-middle income Low and lower-middle income World and document results. The role of national statistical offices as data stewards is evolving but challenges in data governance remain Successful SDG monitoring requires NSOs to play a strong stewardship role Proportion of NSOs agreeing on areas where successful data stewardship could within the national data ecosystem. According to a 2023 survey on data contribute, 2023 (percentage) stewardship, nearly all NSOs reported having the mandate to coordinate Increased use of statistics by journalists and other 9 communications professionals the production and integration of official statistics across the national Increased citizen engagement in surveys and statistical system. Perceptions of successful data stewardship, however, censuses 15 Low incidence or impact of data privacy breaches varied. While almost 90 per cent of NSOs agreed that increased data and data security incidents within the national 32 statistical system sharing and reuse within the national statistical system were top priorities, Increased data literacy in society 39 they did not universally recognize active engagement with census and survey Increased availability and timeliness of time series respondents, media interaction and improved data literacy as indicators of data and statistics 46 Increased resources allocated to the production, effective stewardship. dissemination and use of data across all sectors of 59 society More data-driven and statistics-driven Ensuring data privacy and security is crucial in today’s world, with data policymaking 63 produced by both State entities and non-State actors, such as the private Increased trust in data and statistics produced by the 64 national statistical system sector and civil society organizations. Surprisingly, only 30 per cent of NSOs Active engagement between data producers considered this aspect important in their data stewardship role. This finding and data users 65 is consistent with responses to another survey question on which entities Increased data-sharing and reuse between government 84 entities and across the national statistical system are responsible for different aspects of official statistics. While 80 per cent 0 20 40 60 80 100 of NSOs either led or co-led technical and statistical standard-setting, only 50 per cent played a role in data security. This underscores the urgent need to establish national data governance systems that go beyond the current scope of NSO activities. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 6 Strengthening partnerships is key to more inclusive data Building partnerships with diverse stakeholders makes SDG monitoring more coordination. The expanding initiative currently comprises 15 countries inclusive and incorporates different perspectives and needs. According to across Africa, Asia and Latin America and Caribbean. More countries and a 2022 survey on the implementation of the Cape Town Global Action Plan partners are encouraged to join this important effort to ensure that every for Sustainable Development Data, 81 per cent of NSOs had institutional government has data to monitor and drive SDG progress. arrangements with the public sector, followed by international organizations Partnering with local governments enables NSOs to gather more at 66 per cent, academia at 56 per cent and the private sector at 45 per cent. accurate, comprehensive and context-specific data, enhancing the overall Partnerships between NSOs and civil society organizations stood at 37 per effectiveness of SDG monitoring and the responsiveness of development cent. A similar trend was observed in the production of gender statistics, efforts to local priorities. According to the 2023 data stewardship survey, 49 with government ministries being the most common partners. Around 90 per cent of NSOs had established a formal process or dedicated position for per cent of NSOs had established regular or ad hoc collaborations with collaborating with local officials; 27 per cent had organized ad hoc meetings other government entities, compared to only 37 per cent with civil society for such collaboration; 24 per cent either had rare or no arrangements or did organizations. not respond to this question on the survey. As more countries recognize the importance of adopting a “whole-of- Mechanisms to collaborate with municipal/city government data stewards, society” approach to achieve the ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda, 2023 (percentage) increased efforts are being made to acknowledge the contributions of civil society. For example, with support from the Collaborative on Citizen Data and the United Nations country team, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics is 24 establishing a formal partnership with civil society organizations to produce and use citizen data. This initiative represents a significant step for the 49 country in recognizing data generated by non-state institutions. 27 Similar partnerships have flourished globally. At the SDG Summit in September 2023, the High Impact Initiative on the Power of Data was launched. It aims to deliver data needed to achieve the SDGs by mobilizing With a formal process or an established position Ad hoc meetings only political support and investments in national data systems, fostering unified Rarely, no arrangement or nonresponse national data strategies, and strengthening partnerships, collaboration and Coordinated efforts can close funding gaps and boost national data and statistical capacity In 2023, only 65 per cent of countries had fully funded and implemented entities are imperative to systematically address data and capacity gaps. national statistical plans. The funding gap is more pronounced in low- and Mechanisms such as the Statistical Training Needs Assessment Tool, lower-middle-income countries, where only 35 per cent have sufficient developed by the Global Network of Institutions for Statistical Training, can funding, compared to only 11 per cent of high-income countries. Forty-five aid in systematically assessing national statistical capacities to guide funding countries or areas received funding from donors; half were low- and lower- allocations. Colombia and Ghana have used the tool to develop plans that middle-income countries. help prioritize capacity-building needs. In the Hangzhou declaration on accelerating progress on the Cape Town Proportion of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data, countries agreed on under implementation, 2023 (percentage) “an urgent and sustained increase in the level and scale of investments in data and statistics from domestic and international actors, from the public, Low and lower-middle income 36 private and philanthropic sectors, to strengthen statistical capacity in low- Upper-middle income 72 income countries and fragile states, close data gaps for vulnerable groups and enhance country resilience in the current context of economic crisis, High income 89 conflict, climate change and increased food insecurity.” While acknowledging the contribution of development partners in building World 65 national data and statistical capacity, a holistic approach to such support is crucial to prevent silos and duplicated efforts. Effective coordination and 0 20 40 60 80 100 proper funding allocations between development partners and national 7 Unlocking the power of data  No poverty The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shocks from 2020 to 2022 have hampered global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. The global extreme poverty rate increased in 2020 for the first time in decades, setting back progress by three years. Since then, recovery has been uneven, with low-income countries lagging behind. By 2030, 590 million people may still live in extreme poverty if current trends persist. Without a substantial acceleration in poverty reduction, fewer than 3 in 10 countries are expected to halve national poverty by 2030. Traders transport charcoal to the market in Madagascar, among the Despite increasing efforts and commitments to expand social protection countries with the world’s highest poverty rates. programmes, significant coverage gaps left 1.4 billion children uncovered in 2023. Ending poverty requires a wide-ranging approach that combines Climate change is hindering poverty reduction, and disasters result in comprehensive social protection systems, inclusive economic policies, millions of households becoming poor or remaining trapped in poverty. investments in human capital, measures to address inequality and climate resilience, and international cooperation and partnership. Extreme poverty rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels except in low-income countries The COVID-19 pandemic caused extreme poverty to rise in 2020 for the first Proportion of the population living below $2.15/day, by country income level, time in decades, reversing global progress by three years. The share of the 2015–2022 (percentage) world’s population living in extreme poverty rose from 8.9 per cent in 2019 20 to 9.7 per cent in 2020, driven by increases in low- and lower-middle-income countries. In contrast, extreme poverty continue to decline in upper-middle- 15 and high-income countries, attributed to swift fiscal support for vulnerable 12.2 12.0 groups. By 2022, extreme poverty had returned to pre-pandemic levels in 10.5 10.6 10 8.9 most countries, except low-income ones. In 2022, 712 million people (or 9.0 9 per cent of the world’s population) lived in extreme poverty, an increase of 23 million people over 2019. Projections suggest that by 2030, 590 million 5 people, or 6.9 per cent of the global population, may remain in extreme 1.7 0.6 1.4 poverty if current trends persist. 0.3 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 In the 75 most vulnerable countries, which qualify for concessional lending Lower-middle-income countries Low- and middle-income countries from the World Bank’s International Development Association, one in four Upper-middle-income countries High-income countries people live on less than $2.15 a day – more than eight times the extreme World poverty rate in the rest of the world. One in three of these countries are now Note: The lack of recent survey data limits the reporting of extreme poverty estimates poorer on average than before the pandemic. exclusively for low-income countries. Working poverty has declined but still afflicts 241 million workers 133.9 The global working poverty rate slightly increased to 7.7 per cent in 2020 Proportion of the employed population living below $2.15/day, 2015 and 2023 before declining to 6.9 per cent in 2023. This indicates a consistent (percentage) downward trend in working poverty worldwide since 2015. Despite progress, Sub-Saharan Africa 35.4 32.8 nearly 241 million workers globally still lived in extreme poverty in 2023. 21.9 Oceania* 23.7 Little positive change is expected in 2024. 14.9 Central and Southern Asia 8.0 There are wide regional disparities amid the overall positive global trend. 2.5 Northern Africa and Western Asia 6.2 Despite a falling working poverty rate, more than half of workers living in Latin America and the Caribbean 2.5 extreme poverty were still in sub-Saharan Africa (145 million). Central and 3.3 Southern Asia notably reduced working poverty by 6.9 percentage points Eastern and South-Eastern Asia 2.4 0.9 between 2015 and 2023. Conversely, Northern Africa and Western Asia saw Least developed countries 32.0 an increase in the rate from 2.5 per cent in 2015 to 6.2 per cent in 2023. 29.7 World 8.4 Working poverty disproportionately affects some groups. Globally, youth 6.9 6.9 23.7 26.8 are twice as likely as adults to be in working poverty. Women typically 0 10 20 30 40 experience higher working poverty rates than men, with the most 2015 2023 pronounced gender gap observed in the least developed countries (LDCs). * Excluding Australia and New Zealand. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 8 Despite improvement, 7 in 10 children worldwide still lack social protection coverage In 2023, only 28.2 per cent of children aged 0 to 15 globally received child Proportion of children covered by social protection cash benefits, by country cash benefits, up from 22.1 per cent in 2015. This left 1.4 billion children income level, 2015–2023 (percentage) without social protection coverage. Significant regional variations were 100 evident, and despite a near doubling of coverage from 4.5 per cent in 2015 to 8.7 per cent in 2023, low-income countries were still far from universal 75 coverage. During the same period, lower-middle-income and upper-middle- income countries raised coverage from 15.0 to 23.5 per cent and from 21.8 to 27.8 per cent, respectively. High-income countries maintained a continued 50 progression towards universal coverage, with rates rising from 76.8 to 25.6 26.9 27.8 27.9 28.2 22.1 22.8 23.5 24.4 80.5 per cent. 25 Achieving universal coverage will require closing a major financing gap. To guarantee at least basic social security for all children, upper- and lower- 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 middle-income countries would need to invest an additional $98.1 billion and $88.8 billion, respectively. Low-income countries would require an additional Low-income countries Low- and middle-income countries $59.6 billion. Upper-middle-income countries High-income countries World Efforts to reduce disaster impacts and risks have not yet stemmed 105.3billions in economic losses112.2 106.4 101.9 Despite significant efforts to reduce disaster impacts, related economic Direct economic losses from disasters, 2015–2022 (billions of dollars) losses remain stubbornly high. From 2015 to 2022, average annual direct 200 economic losses exceeded $115 billion worldwide, an amount equivalent to 191.4 0.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) of reporting countries. 160 85.4 LDCs and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) suffer disproportionately 120 133.9 from disasters. Disaster-related economic losses in LDCs are over six times 112.2 111.5 the global average. From 2015 to 2022, this group of countries accounted 105.3 106.4 101.9 80 for 6.9 per cent of global reported economic losses from disasters despite comprising only 1.1 per cent of reporting countries’ combined GDP. Similarly, 64.9 40 LLDCs reported 4.9 per cent of total economic losses, four times the global average, while accounting for only 1.1 per cent of reporting countries’ combined GDP. 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Government spending on essential services is ticking up but with a chronic gap between advanced and developing economies Based on recent data from about 100 countries, worldwide government Proportion of total government spending on essential services, 2000–2022 spending on essential services – encompassing education, health and social (percentage) protection – averages around 50 per cent of total government expenditure. 80 Among advanced economies, this figure rises to 60 per cent, while in emerging market and developing economies, it stands at 40 per cent. Over 60 the past two decades, both groups have seen a slight uptick in their shares, maintaining a consistent 20-percentage-point gap between them. 40 On the components of essential services, advanced economies notably outpace emerging market and developing economies in social protection 20 spending by roughly 15 percentage points on average, largely due to broader pension coverage. Health spending accounts for about 5 percentage points of this difference. The pandemic temporarily skewed these trends, 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2022 with increased spending on social protection and health and a decline in education expenditure due to school closures. While these measures are Advanced economies Emerging and developing economies expected to be short-lived, prolonged health issues and educational losses among individuals could potentially have long-term impacts on human capital. 9 Goal 1 | No poverty  Zero hunger After rising sharply in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, global hunger and food insecurity remained persistently high and almost unchanged for three years. In 2023, about 733 million people faced hunger, and 2.33 billion people experienced moderate to severe food insecurity. Despite progress, 148 million children under age 5 suffered from stunting in 2022. If current trends persist, one in five children under age 5 will be affected by stunting in 2030. In 2022, almost 60 per cent of countries worldwide faced moderately to A woman sells produce in a village on the southernmost tip of abnormally high food prices due to the spillover effects of conflicts, such Madagascar, where farmers are struggling to harvest parched crops. as disrupted supply chains. Achieving zero hunger requires intensified efforts to transform food crucial to meeting the target of halving the number of children suffering systems so they are sustainable, resilient and equitable. Moreover, from chronic undernutrition. accelerating improvements in diets, nutrition, health and hygiene is Hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition remain prevalent, calling for intensified efforts After rising sharply from 2019 to 2021, global hunger, measured by the under age 5 will be affected by stunting in 2030. Some 37 million children prevalence of undernourishment, persisted at nearly the same level for (5.6 per cent) were overweight, while 45 million (6.8 per cent) experienced three years, affecting 9.1 per cent of the population in 2023 compared with wasting, above the global target of 3 per cent by 2030. Three quarters of 7.5 per cent in 2019. Between 713 and 757 million people faced hunger in children under age 5 with stunting lived in Central and Southern Asia 2023 – one in 11 people globally, and one in five in Africa. Moreover, an (36.7 per cent) and sub-Saharan Africa (38.3 per cent). More than half of estimated 28.9 per cent of the world’s population, or 2.33 billion people, those affected by wasting lived in Central and Southern Asia (56.2 per cent) were moderately or severely food insecure in 2023 – 383 million more than and almost one quarter in sub-Saharan Africa (22.9 per cent). in 2019. To achieve Goal 2, significant efforts are needed to mitigate the impacts Malnutrition among children under age 5 remains a significant concern, of climate change, conflict and economic crisis. Record-high food prices in posing heightened risks to their growth and development. Globally in 2022, 2022 worsened purchasing power and access to food, negatively impacting an estimated 22.3 per cent of children under age 5, or 148 million, were food security and nutritional outcomes. Increased global public expenditure affected by stunting (being too short for their age), down from 24.6 per cent on agriculture was at least one positive trend. in 2015. Based on current trends, one out of five (19.5 per cent) of children Accelerated action could bring productive and sustainable agriculture within reach globally Productive and sustainable agriculture is key to ensuring the attainment and Status in achieving productive and sustainable agriculture, 2021 continued satisfaction of human needs in present and future generations. To (score between 1 and 5) assess global progress in sustainable agriculture, the Inter-agency and Expert Sub-Saharan Africa 2.7 Northern Africa and Western Asia 2.8 Group on SDG Indicators adopted a new set of seven subindicators covering Central and Southern Asia 2.8 economic, social and environmental dimensions. Data from 2021 suggested Latin America and the Caribbean 3.6 that the world was at a moderate distance from achieving productive and Oceania 3.7 sustainable agriculture (with a score of 3.4 out of 5) and had witnessed a Eastern and South-Eastern Asia 3.8 slight improvement since 2015. Regional disparities were evident, however, Europe and Northern America 4.1 with the highest score of 4.1 in Europe and Northern America compared to Least developed countries 2.6 the lowest score of 2.6 in the LDCs. While more detailed analysis is required Landlocked developing countries 2.6 to investigate the root causes of varying rates of progress, evidence suggests Small island developing States 3.4 that all regions urgently need to take sustained, concerted actions to improve productive and sustainable agriculture by 2030. They otherwise risk missing World 3.4 the target by a wide margin. 1 2 3 4 5 Close to achieving productive and sustainable agriculture(3.5 to