Welcome to the January edition of our In Case You Missed It monthly review – and a cold January it is in my part of the world! A winter storm brought frigid Arctic air to the Eastern US with lots of snow. As my kids navigated the challenges of weather-induced virtual learning this week, I navigated icy roads to restock on bird seed to feed our feathery friends. Fortunately, unlike for many, our power is on and we’re keeping warm.
At the SDG Knowledge Hub, it has become a tradition to start the year with an oomph. In addition to stories outlining annual priorities of UN leadership, the organization’s budget, and other highlights, we updated you on the most read stories of the previous year – and identified areas of global governance to watch going forward.
As multilateralism continues to face strong headwinds and the geopolitical landscape undergoes a dramatic transformation, our top stories of 2025 point to a hunger for solutions – and an appetite for change. Stories about the outcomes in key environmental and sustainable development processes – and stories about the UN Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative to reform the way the organization does business – were among the most read.
In our preview of 2026, we identified five areas that merit close attention:
- The international community’s response to multilateralism in crisis;
- Solutions to the triple planetary crisis;
- Work on chemicals, waste, and pollution;
- Water action; and
- Discussions on a post-2030 sustainable development agenda.
Our first ICYMI update of 2026 highlights recent developments in each of these areas – and more.
Responding to Multilateralism in Crisis
In his priorities for 2026, the UN Secretary-General identified adherence to the UN Charter, “peace with justice” between nations and with nature, and unity in an age of division as his three guiding principles for the year and beyond. Outlining her priorities for the remainder of the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) 80th session, the UNGA President echoed the Secretary-General, cautioning that “without sustainable development and human rights, there cannot be lasting peace,” and “without peace there can be no sustainable development.” This year, the UN will also select the next Secretary-General. Interactive dialogues with the candidates for the position are expected to begin the week of 20 April.
The co-chairs of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on the Mandate Implementation Review of the UN80 reform initiative circulated the zero draft of the resolution on the review of mandate implementation (Workstream 2), kicking off consultations toward its adoption by the UNGA in March. The draft resolution outlines a set of principles to be applied across the UN system throughout the mandate lifecycle, including a culture of continuous improvement, standardized approaches derived from best practices, and enhanced visibility and transparency. The UN80 Initiative also aims to achieve efficiencies and improvements (Workstream 1) and introduce structural changes and programme realignments (Workstream 3).
As the UN works to adapt amid tightening resources, the US announced its withdrawal from more than 65 international organizations and UN entities. The US defined its “withdrawal” as ceasing participation in and funding for UN and other entities. It is uncertain whether and how this disengagement will impact the US’ initial USD 2 billon commitment to the UN’s “life-saving humanitarian work,” announced last December. As it stands, the UN budget for 2026 reflects both the ongoing financial constraints facing the Organization and the broader context of the UN80 reform initiative. Totaling USD 3,450,426,300, the budget is USD 265 million less than the budget proposal unveiled by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in October 2025 – and USD 270 million less than the Organization’s 2025 budget. The US welcomed the UN’s “common sense reform and… a leaner and better prioritized 2026 regular budget,” expecting further “ambitious and tangible reform proposals” in the 2027 and 2028 budgets.
In happier news, the BBNJ Agreement entered into force on 17 January. Its entry into force “stands as a monument to multilateralism and to the years of dedication, dialogue, and cooperative action by countless committed people around the world,” said Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee, who presided over the negotiations. “This Treaty embodies hope, resolve, and a shared commitment to a brighter future for the ocean and our planet,” she emphasized.
Solving the Triple Planetary Crisis
In December last year, the Councils of the family of funds managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved work programs to the tune of USD 372 million in support of climate action, biodiversity conservation, pollution prevention and reduction, and integrated environmental action across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, a recent assessment of the state of finance for nature by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) found that for every dollar invested in protecting nature, USD 30 is spent destroying it, leaving the world “far off track” in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation. Yet, redirecting even a fraction of harmful flows could close the finance gap and unlock a trillion-dollar nature transition economy.
Synergistic implementation of global agreements can also provide solutions and cut costs.
Advancing on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution
2026 is a big year for chemicals. The new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution will meet for the first time next week. The plastics Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) will also reconvene for one day to address organizational and administrative matters. As delegates prepare for these meetings, we explored why regulating chemicals one by one in a world of “chemical cocktails” is no longer fit-for-purpose.
Accelerating Water Action
Preparations are in full swing for the 2026 UN Water Conference, scheduled for December. The co-hosts – Senegal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – announced the co-chair pairs for the six interactive dialogues to be held during the Conference. A high-level preparatory meeting in Dakar helped align actors around the six themes of the interactive dialogues to co-create a shared ambition for the Conference.
Issued ahead of the Dakar meeting, a report by the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) called for a reset of the global water agenda. To manage “water bankruptcy,” it urged prioritization of prevention of further irreversible damage, support for communities’ just transitions, transformation of water-intensive sectors, and institutions built for continuous adaptation. Meanwhile, a community leader from Fiji notes water remains a shared responsibility and a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Laying the Groundwork for a Post-2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
In the lead up to the September 2027 SDG Summit, where the UNGA will review all 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda for the last time before 2030, we are tracking a variety of suggestions aimed at shaping the official negotiations on a post-2030 development agenda.
As early conversations around a post-2030 sustainable development agenda continue, a recent webinar focused on the contribution of the private sector to the SDGs. Speakers called for focus on collaborative governance, including citizen and business engagement, to ensure progress on the 2030 Agenda and beyond.
Our guest authors shared perspectives on why conversations about the future of sustainable development need to take into account the 2030 Agenda’s normative successes and spotlighted a post-2030 initiative that focuses on science for the next global sustainable development agenda.
Data to Drive the SDGs
Underpinning the five areas we are focused on – multilateralism, the triple planetary crisis, chemicals, water, and sustainable development post-2030 – are data. Data help track implementation progress, provide transparency, and comprise a key element in accountability mechanisms for global commitments.
A UN flagship report, World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP), revealed that in 2025, the global economy showed signs of “unexpected resilience,” with solid consumer spending and receding inflation helping to sustain growth. Global trade expanded faster than expected, despite increased policy uncertainty and rising tariffs.
As work continues on measures that complement the traditional gross domestic product (GDP) metric, our January Beyond GDP update focused on solidarity economy, which seeks to rethink development by grounding it in the protection of human rights. The Expert Group on Well-being Measurement put forward its work programme for 2026, outlining how a framework for inclusive and sustainable well-being it is developing will align with the High-level Expert Group on Beyond GDP. An update on the work of the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) reviewed efforts to update the Global SDG Indicators Database.
The outcome of the UNGA’s 20-year review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) focused on data governance, artificial intelligence (AI), and internet governance, among other areas.
A guest article by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs highlighted that the 64th session of the Commission for Social Development in February will mark the first point of accountability for the promises made at the World Social Summit in Doha. Another article shared reflections on the First Global Workshop for 2026 VNRs, which offered a space to share lessons learned and explore emerging challenges and innovations in VNR preparation.
The world’s challenges notwithstanding, we hope this snapshot of January’s SDG news inspires you to look forward to solutions we hope 2026 brings.