Sustainable Development Goals and Multilateralism: Agenda 2030 and Beyond

The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 in 2015 marked a major milestone in multilateral cooperation. As the 2030 deadline approaches, it is becoming increasingly evident that the current pace of progress is highly insufficient. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 by the United Nations paint a grim picture. Out of 169 targets, only 12% of targets are on track or have been met. 18% of targets are not even tracked due to lack of data. 14% targets have stagnated while 12% of targets have even regressed, which means that these areas have gone backwards. 43% of the targets have made marginal or moderate progress with acceleration needed as we inch towards 2030.

As implementation of SDGs began in 2016, the year 2026 marks a decade of SDG implementation. The 2027 SDG Summit is expected to initiate intergovernmental discussions on a follow-up framework for sustainable development beyond 2030. Action 12 of the Pact for the Future, adopted through UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/1, calls on Member States to “plan for the future” and strengthen efforts to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda “by 2030 and beyond”.

The meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) next year, to be convened under the auspices of the UN General Assembly and referred to as the 2027 SDG Summit, is expected to serve as a key moment for initiating official discussions on a global sustainable development framework beyond 2030. It will also be the final review of the SDGs at the level of Heads of State and Government before the 2030 deadline.

With this background, TERI is organising this webinar to deliberate on the possible contours of a sustainable development framework beyond 2030, with a particular focus on perspectives from the Global South. The discussion will examine key institutional, structural and political questions concerning the future of sustainable development, including financing, technology access, data systems, accountability, implementation gaps, multilateral reforms, and the continued importance of equity.

The webinar will bring together experts to contribute to agenda-setting, strengthen Global South perspectives, and identify priorities for a more equitable, implementable and future-oriented global development framework.