Ahead of the July session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the UN has issued the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on the long-term trends and challenges in the context of sustainable development and globalization. This year’s report explores the role of technology in “pursuing a globalization that advances sustainable development and shares its benefits equitably within and between countries.”

The report describes technology as “a primary driver of globalization” that accelerates growth of international trade, financial flows, and knowledge diffusion. At the same time, technology is increasingly reshaping the nature and direction of globalization by expanding opportunities for connectivity, innovation, and growth on the one hand – and contributing to new forms of inequality, vulnerability, and systemic risk on the other.

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The report highlights technology’s transformative power in altering labor markets and access to economic opportunities. Noting that emerging technologies, such as digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI), are restructuring skills demand, the organization of work, and the quality of employment, it warns that while these changes can expand access to new forms of work, they also risk job displacement, labor market polarization, and increased insecurity. The report cautions that these technological shifts carry important implications for equity, social protection, and the ability of individuals and communities to benefit from sustainable development.

Also contributing to fragmentation and uneven outcomes in a globalized world is “a complex policy environment in a multipolar world,” marked by diverging national priorities and varying levels of technological development. This situation results in both “unprecedented opportunities and heightened uncertainties,” according to the report. The report emphasizes the need for enhanced international cooperation, better policy coordination, and effective governance “to ensure that globalization remains inclusive and sustainable.”

Dated 17 June 2026, the report (A/81/94-E/2026/76) is titled, ‘Sustainable Development and Globalization: Long-term Trends and Challenges.’ It will inform the deliberations during HLPF 2026 where Member States will carry out in-depth reviews of 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) – the only Goal to undergo review annually. [Publication: Sustainable Development and Globalization: Long-term Trends and Challenges: Report of the Secretary-General]