The Statistics Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has published the 2026 edition of its annual Sustainable Development Goals Report. Acknowledging that since their adoption in 2015, the SDGs “have delivered results at scale,” the report warns that progress remains “uneven and insufficient.” In addition to statistical data, the report documents the diverse paths of progress, showcasing “how local actions, national policies, and global partnerships are making real differences in people’s lives.”
The report highlights progress achieved through sustained investment, sound policies, and international cooperation. It notes measurable gains across the SDGs, including:
- Nearly one billion people gaining access to safely managed drinking water, and 1.2 billion to safely managed sanitation;
- A 30% drop in new HIV infections between 2015 and 2024, along with a 35% decrease in AIDS-related deaths;
- 92% of the world’s population having access to electricity;
- Internet access having reached 74% in 2025, up from 40% in 2015; and
- Social protection coverage extending to more than half the global population.
The report emphasizes the role of “the data revolution” in enabling countries to identify areas of progress and persistent gaps, noting that while in 2015, data were only available for half of SDG indicators, they now cover nearly every indicator.
Despite progress, the report warns that major challenges remain. Only 36% of the SDG targets with data are on track or making moderate progress, 49% are moving too slowly, and progress on 15% has reversed. It shows that extreme poverty still affects one in ten people, 2.3 billion people are experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity, and more than 150 million children are stunted. Among the factors compounding these trends are escalating conflicts, climate change, slowing economic growth, rising debt, and an unprecedented decline in official development assistance (ODA), according to the report.
Describing the SDGs as the world’s shared “blueprint for peace, prosperity and sustainability,” the report underscores the need for political commitment, financing, innovation, and international cooperation to align to continue – and accelerate – progress. “The task now is to scale up what works – with the urgency, investment and cooperation needed to fulfill the promise of the 2030 Agenda,” said UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua.
The report recommends: delivering on the Sevilla Commitment to close the USD 4 trillion annual SDG financing gap, including through reform of the international financial architecture; strengthening data systems through the Medellín Framework; accelerating the energy transition; harnessing frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) for sustainable development; prioritizing gender equality across the board; and reinforcing multilateral cooperation. It emphasizes that the SDGs must return to the center of global decisions and calls for “a decisive final push [to] keep the 2030 Agenda within reach.”
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 was launched at the opening of the UN High-level Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York, US, on 7 July. It is one of several SDG assessments released each year in the lead up to the HLPF. The UN Secretary-General’s SDG progress report and the Sustainable Development Report by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) also feed into HLPF deliberations.
HLPF 2026 takes place 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.’ Five Goals are undergoing in-depth reviews this year – SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). [Publication: Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026] [Key Messages] [Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 Success Stories] [Publication Landing Page] [DESA Media Advisory] [DESA Press Release]