The 2026 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July will conduct in-depth reviews of progress towards five SDGs. SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) is one of these Goals. In preparation for the review, this Policy Brief reflects on the status of SDG 9 and its interlinkages with other Goals as the deadline for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development draws near.

When UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs in 2015, they agreed to use the next 15 years to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. SDG 9 is recognized for its “foundational role across the 2030 Agenda” as it strengthens the productive capacities, infrastructure systems, and innovation ecosystems that act as mutually reinforcing enablers of economic growth, poverty reduction, climate action, decent work, energy transitions, and resilience. After more than a decade of implementation, in July, the HLPF will carry out an in-depth review of SDG 9 for the third time.

Among other resources, the SDG 9 review at HLPF 2026 will draw from the UN Secretary-General’s annual SDG progress report, the SDG progress report by the UN Statistics Division, scheduled for launch on 7 July 2026, and the 2026 global SDG assessment by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) – a non-profit operating under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.

Several other inputs will inform the SDG 9 review as well. The outcomes and the Co-Chairs’ summary of the 11th annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum), held in May 2026, will support the HLPF’s deliberations. The STI Forum focused on the theme, ‘Transformative, equitable and coordinated science, technology and innovation for the 2030 Agenda and a sustainable future for all,’ and explored how to:

  • Transform water systems with science, technology, and innovation;
  • Power sustainable development through clean energy technologies for affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all; and
  • Shape the future of science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development in times of uncertainty and change.

Key messages from the SDG 9 Expert Group Meeting, convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in February 2026, will also support the review. The Expert Group Meeting highlighted SDG 9 as the “production engine” of the 2030 Agenda that enables productivity growth, technological upgrading, and structural transformation. However, global progress for most SDG 9 targets is mixed or off-track.

Among major structural transformations shaping SDG 9 towards 2030 and beyond, Expert Group Meeting participants identified the return of industrial policy, restructuring of global supply chains, and the digital and artificial intelligence (AI) transformation. Against this backdrop, they highlighted policy priorities for accelerated action on SDG 9, including:

  • Mission-oriented and adaptive industrial policies aligned with climate, trade, and development strategies;
  • Investment in resilient infrastructure systems;
  • Recognition of data and digital systems as strategic infrastructure; and
  • Strengthening skills, innovation systems, and technology diffusion.

In an increasingly fragmented global landscape, the HLPF’s review of SDG 9 will consider how to account for regional disparities in progress on infrastructure, industrialization, and innovation and how to strengthen international cooperation on infrastructure, industrial development, technology, and innovation to accelerate progress on SDG 9. Member States will seek to identify ways to effectively address structural, financial, and governance barriers to inclusive and sustainable industrialization, particularly for least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing States (SIDS). They will explore strategies, policy approaches, and transformative measures to strengthen synergies between SDG 9 and other Goals, including those related to climate action, energy, decent work, and resilience, while minimizing trade-offs.

The SDG 9 review will also aim to align industrial policies, innovation systems, and infrastructure investments to support green, circular, and resilient economic transformation and to leverage effective policy, financing, and partnership models to mobilize investment, strengthen the means of implementation, and scale up SDG 9 progress.

HLPF 2026 will convene in New York, US, from 7-15 July. In addition to SDG 9, it will review SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). The HLPF’s 2026 theme is ‘Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.’ [HLPF 2026]