The Middle East conflict has dealt yet another major shock to a world economy already grappling with the lingering effects of recent crises, heightened geopolitical and trade tensions, and shrinking fiscal space. A severe global downturn has so far been avoided, but growth remains subdued and risks are substantial.

Global growth is now projected at 2.6% in 2026 and 2.9% in 2027, slightly below forecasts at the start of the year and well below the pre-pandemic pace of 3.2%. The energy shock has also reignited inflationary pressures, with Brent crude hovering around $100 per barrel in early September, 40% above pre-conflict levels.

 

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 shows that since their adoption in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have delivered results at scale—expanding access to clean water, electricity, health care and digital connectivity for billions of people. With less than five years remaining to achieve the Goals, the report provides a candid assessment of progress: meaningful gains have been made across the SDGs, but they remain uneven and insufficient in the face of serious headwinds— from escalating conflicts, slowing global economic growth, climate change, rising debt burdens and declining official development assistance. Without a decisive push to rapidly scale up proven…

The crisis in the Middle East has delivered yet another shock to the global economy, slowing growth, reigniting inflationary pressures and heightening uncertainty.

Global GDP growth is now forecast at 2.5 per cent in 2026, 0.2 percentage points below the January projection and well below pre-pandemic norms. A modest recovery is projected at 2.8 per cent in 2027. Solid labour markets, resilient consumer demand, and AI-driven trade and investment in select economies are expected to provide some support, but the downgrade underscores a further weakening of an already subdued global outlook.

The shock is primarily felt in the energy sector—through constrained supply, surging…

The Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2026: Implementing the Sevilla Commitment finds that development progress is imperiled by global fragmentation and a financing squeeze facing developing countries. Instead of progress promised in 2015, the world is rapidly moving backward. The FSDR 2026 shows how the Sevilla Commitment can be operationalized to reverse the current trends in financing for development, even in these most difficult circumstances. The implementation of the Sevilla Commitment represents the best hope to achieve the SDGs.

Young people are a vital driving force in all societies, contributing energy, innovation and creativity to national development and to the achievement of the Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, many continue to face significant barriers that limit young people’s ability to realise their full potential and to participate meaningfully in society.

World Population Highlights 2026: Youth provides sound, comparable and timely data on global youth population trends, including changes in size and geographical distribution and key dimensions of youth well-being. The report identifies priority actions to reduce disparities, promote sustainable livelihoods…

The World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being examines how youth mental health and well-being are shaped by six social determinants, i.e. education, employment, family dynamics, poverty, technology, and societal attitudes. The Report highlights how inequalities in these areas create disparities in mental health outcomes, noting that stigma, discrimination, and unequal access to opportunities and care compound risks for young people. 

Drawing on extensive literature reviews, expert consultations, youth surveys, and real-life youth testimonies, the Report stresses cross-sectoral action, inclusive policies, and youth-led initiatives. Ultimately, it calls for…

Global economic output is forecast to grow by 2.7 per cent in 2026, slightly below the 2.8 per cent estimated for 2025 and well below the pre-pandemic average of 3.2 per cent.

During 2025, unexpected resilience to sharp increases in U.S. tariffs, supported by solid consumer spending and easing inflation, helped sustain growth. However, underlying weaknesses persist. Subdued investment and limited fiscal space are weighing on economic activity, raising the prospect that the world economy could settle into a persistently slower growth path than in the pre-pandemic era.

The report notes that a partial easing of trade tensions helped limit disruptions to international commerce…

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary in 2025, this report by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) traces the evolution of sustainable development within the UN system. It highlights the organization’s role in shaping both the understanding and the practical application of sustainable development. 

The UN DESA Annual Highlights report is a tool to communicate the contributions of the Department to the realization of internationally agreed development goals and shared social, economic, and environmental aspirations. It showcases the Department’s role in gauging trends, building capacities, and shaping solutions. UN DESA Highlights 2025 covers activities over the period of the 79th Session of the General Assembly (September 2024 – August 2025) and reflects the Department’s response to the set priorities and expressed needs of Member States. Seven (7) thematic chapters showcase how UN DESA put its expertise to the task of supporting Member State efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda…

The global economy is expected to experience subdued growth in the coming months amid a challenging trade environment and heightened macroeconomic uncertainties. The world economy is projected to grow by 2.5 per cent in both 2025 and 2026 — below the 2.8 per cent recorded in 2024 and the pre-pandemic average of 3.2 per cent (2010–2019). The 2025 forecast has been raised by 0.1 percentage points since May, while the 2026 outlook is unchanged, with both remaining well below expectations at the start of the year. The modest upgrade to the 2025 outlook reflects stronger-than expected frontloading of economic activity ahead of new U.S. tariffs, lower effective U.S. tariff rates than initially…

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2025 is the latest edition in an annual series produced by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Covering all 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the report spotlights the latest data and evidence on gender equality, tracking trends and revealing progress and gaps.

The 2025 Gender Snapshot sounds the alarm: If current trends continue, the world will reach 2030 with 351 million women and girls still living in extreme poverty and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 to achieve gender equality and…

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 marks the tenth annual stocktaking of global progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the 2030 deadline only five years away, the report delivers a stark assessment: the Sustainable Development Goals have improved millions of lives, but the current pace of change is insufficient to fully achieve all the Goals by 2030.

The report reveals real and substantial development gains during the past decade. Since 2015, the world has made notable strides in expanding access to education, improving maternal and child health, and bridging the digital divide. Effective prevention efforts have significantly reduced the…