Whole-of-society transformation pivotal to SDGs acceleration, say scientists in new UN report

A recent United Nations report by an independent group of scientists calls for transformational shifts rooted in science that would urgently reverse course and turbocharge the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on the latest data and scientific insights, the Global Sustainable Development Report 2023, entitled “Times of crisis, times of change: Science for accelerating transformations to sustainable development,” offers practical solutions to accelerate SDG implementation.

The report, written by 15 academics and scientists appointed by the UN Secretary-General, is the result of four years of research and global consultations. It provides policymakers with a concrete pathway for approaching the achievement of the SDGs at the “halftime” of the 2030 Agenda, making clear that incremental and fragmented change is insufficient to achieve all 17 goals in the remaining seven years, or even by 2050. Instead, strategic, whole-of-society transformations that leave no country, society or person behind are needed.

“The 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report helps to shine new light on transformative processes and practices that can help move the world from commitment to action, and from declaration to delivery,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The report, mandated by the UN General Assembly, served as a major input to the SDG Summit held in September.

Speaking at the Summit, GSDR Co-chair Imme Scholz, Co-president of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, said: “Transformations as envisioned by the 2030 Agenda are possible, if guided by bold, ambitious and coherent actions by all stakeholders, governments at all levels, citizens, civil society and the private sector.”

Other authors of the report participated in the SDG Media Zone and the UN DESA Global Policy Dialogue on “Time for Transformation” on the margins of the UN General Assembly High-level Week, each noting that science must play a major role in advancing sustainable development.

Overall, the report calls on universities, policymakers and research funders to increase support to research guided by the 2030 Agenda, especially in the Global South. To be meaningful, science needs to be transparent, inclusive, and transdisciplinary – produced in diverse contexts by heterogeneous and multidisciplinary groups engaging all possible actors, including youth.

“One of the things we have learned is that when we are designing programmes or interventions, we do need to have different disciplines, groups of people in that space designing,” said one of the GSDR authors, Nyovani Madise, Director of Development Policy and Head of the Malawi office of the African Institute for Development Policy, in the SDG Media Zone.

An interconnected and systemic approach will be key

The report shows new evidence that understanding the interconnections between individual goals will be essential. Decision-makers must devise policies that manage difficult trade-offs and avoid international spillovers—for example, rising carbon emissions in one country due to the production of goods consumed in another.

The scientists have found that there are more synergies than trade-offs between the SDGs, especially when investments are made in poverty reduction, health, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, clean energy and partnerships.

For example, there is evidence that investments in photovoltaics not only directly support access to affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), they also indirectly support progress on education (SDG 4) by enabling students to spend more time on their studies with access to better quality light while reducing indoor air pollution.

Promising interventions for transformations need to be accelerated and stabilized

The report provides detailed guidance on how different societal actors can shape transformations for sustainable development and actively accelerate progress, noting that interventions in certain areas – such as sustainable food systems, human well-being or energy decarbonisation with universal access – can have systemic effects.

The scientists advise policymakers to target such entry points, applying levers like governance, science and technology, business and finance, individual and collective action, and capacity-building toward transformation.