By Eleonora Bonaccorsi and Lynn Wagner, IISD

On 25 September, we marked the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. As we enter the final five years of this goal set, while the primary focus is on how to accelerate progress on the SDGs, some stakeholders are also beginning to ask what’s next for the global sustainable development agenda.

Consideration at the UN on how sustainable development will be advanced post-2030 will officially commence during the September 2027 meeting of the High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development (HLPF) under UN General Assembly (UNGA) auspices, as mandated by the Pact for the Future in action 12.b. In the lead up to this meeting, we expect to see an increasing number of conversations, reports, and other inputs aimed at identifying and exploring options and lessons to consider in this discussion. 

The debate about the post-2030 period will build on lessons from the process leading to the adoption of the SDGs as well as elaborations on the 2030 Agenda and SDG framework that have been identified during the past ten years. With regard to the latter, interconnections and entry points as well as governance levers have been explored as we have learned more about what it means to implement an integrated and indivisible set of 17 Goals. This article reviews two scientific inputs, two major UN reports, and a key Member State negotiated outcome that have built on the SDGs by identifying and refining entry points for transformation and levers for change and are likely to underpin – and be elaborated on – during discussions in the lead up to 2027.

Global Sustainable Development Reports

Four years after the adoption of the SDGs, the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) identified six entry points for transformation and four policy levers for transformation. The entry points for transformation identify topics where integrated action can catalyze progress across multiple SDGs. The levers are mechanisms that can be applied across entry points to drive systematic change. Together, the identification of these entry points and levers helped translate the SDGs into actionable strategies.

The six entry points are:

  • Human well-being and capabilities;
  • Sustainable and just economies;
  • Energy decarbonization and access;
  • Food and nutrition;
  • Urban and peri-urban development; and
  • Global environmental commons.

To achieve transformational change through these entry points, the 2019 report identified four policy levers: governance; economy and finance; science and technology; and individual and collective action. The 2023 GSDR added a fifth lever – capacity building, training, and research.

Our Common Agenda

The UN Secretary-General presented ‘Our Common Agenda’ to UN Member States in 2021. This agenda built on the foundation of the 2030 Agenda and the 2019 GSDR. It added digital cooperation, intergenerational equity, and anticipatory governance and future-oriented planning as emerging levers. ‘Our Common Agenda’ also called for convening a Summit of the Future to consider adjustments necessary to improve the multilateral system and to rethink global cooperation and sustainability.

HLAB Report on Effective Multilateralism

The 2023 High-Level Advisory Board (HLAB) Report on Effective Multilateralism focused on transformative shifts that reinforced the GSDR’s entry points and levers. It also elevated multilateralism as a lever for transformation. The six transformative shifts outlined in this report are:

  • Rebuild trust in multilateralism through inclusion and accountability;
  • Deliver for people and planet by regaining balance with nature and providing clean energy for all;
  • Ensure sustainable finance that delivers for all;
  • Support a just digital transition that unlocks the value of data and protects against digital harms;
  • Empower equitable, effective collective security arrangements; and
  • Strengthen governance for current and emerging transnational risks.

Pact for the Future

The 2024 Summit of the Future, which was called for in ‘Our Common Agenda,’ adopted the Pact for the Future, which was negotiated by UN Member States in the lead up to the Summit. This outcome reaffirms the GSDR’s entry points and levers and operationalizes them into 56 actions related to: sustainable development and financing for development; international peace and security; science, technology, and innovation (STI) and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance. This outcome also includes annexes on a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. As noted above, action 12 in this decision sets the stage for the post-2030 discussions to officially begin in September 2027.

UN80 Initiative

Most recently, the UN Secretary-General launched the UN80 Initiative in March 2025, to advance the UN reform. In addition to proposals for efficiency measures and a mandate review, on 18 September 2025 the Secretary-General released options for adjustments in how the UN is structured, how its entities collaborate, and how it operates. This report titled, ‘Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver,’ proposes structural reforms related to peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, and human rights. While the political, Member State-driven process that will begin in 2027 is not directly related to this round of UN reform, the lessons and adjustments to the UN system are expected to inform the debate. The Secretary-General’s report identifies options for achieving shifts in cross-pillar work related to global collaboration, regional support, and country-level delivery, as well as paradigm shifts in the following areas to enable impact:

  • Accelerating technology and changing mindsets for a future-forward coalition; 
  • Sharing operational support services across pillars; 
  • From fragmentation to coherence in training and research;
  • Build a UN System Data Commons to better link data, statistics, and insights; and 
  • Championing core and pooled funding approaches.

Way Forward

The themes and directions in these reports and the Pact for the Future decision have moved the discussion on the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs by providing a basis for conversations that have started on the next generation framework. The identification of entry points and levers may be complemented by considerations of interlinkages among entry points and possibilities for cross-sectoral strategies. The attention to youth leadership and intergenerational dialogue has already prompted new networks and efforts to engage in new ways. The relatively new emphasis on how to incorporate social norms and values is expected to bring in new questions and perspectives for how to drive change. Many anticipate the consideration of ways to incorporate digital transformation, including artificial intelligence (AI), data governance, and digital public infrastructure, could also identify new opportunities to drive progress as well as threats that should be addressed. Given current geopolitical tensions, the resolve to focus on strengthening multilateral platforms to coordinate transformation efforts will be essential.

There is also an open question as to which governments will emerge as leaders in this discussion. During the 2025 meeting of the HLPF, a number of UN Member States submitted voluntary national reviews (VNRs) with chapters and reflections on the post-2030 discussion. We expect the discussion will gain more traction during HLPF 2026 as governments focus on the theme, ‘Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.’ 

With the recent announcement of the members of the scientific panel who will prepare the 2027 GSDR, communication from and into this report will also provide a glimpse into the direction the next GSDR will take in framing the entry points, levers, and new themes to help the global conversation navigate the process of developing a long-term transformative vision.

Discussions during the next two years will be important for the future of the sustainable development agenda. While there are nuances in the way current conversations around the future of sustainable development are framed, a common thread focuses on incorporating the legacy of the 2030 Agenda, its successes and lessons learned. Capturing a forward-looking vision may, of course, prove challenging, but the Pact for the Future and its reference to themes such as moving beyond gross domestic product (GDP), future generations, and the future of global governance exemplify this forward-looking approach, building momentum towards 2030 and beyond, while reflecting the fundamental nature and meaning of sustainable development – one that is long-term and considers the needs of both the present and future generations.