Global poverty has been in decline since efforts began in the 1990s to stamp it out. However, with a deterioration in global stability, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change starting to make its presence felt, low-income countries escaping poverty are seeing their populations slide back into it. The world is now set to miss its 2030 aspiration with almost one billion people now either living in poverty or at risk from falling into it.

In many countries, conflict, poverty, inequality, poor health and climate change drive hunger. This has escalated the urgency of SDG 2 as food insecurity and malnutrition have increased for millions. The pandemic and its economic fallout will increase by between 70 and 161 million the number of people experiencing hunger. If we do not take significant action now, these acute crises could set the stage for increasing levels of chronic hunger and related health problems in the long run.

Good health and well-being of a country’s population is the foundation of a stable economy. As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, poor health infrastructure can have catastrophic consequences on the economy and peoples lives. With populations rising and areas becoming more overcrowded, dramatic measures need to be met to strengthen health infrastructure across the globe and improve access to essential health services.

The dearth of basic education for children has been for centuries an insurmountable foe for humanity. It has played a paramount role in increasing the likelihood of conflict, stifling economic development, undermining social change, humbling societies and civilizations. However, there is still a large remainder of this mountain to climb, as 260m children still do not attend school, while a further 852m lack the skills required to find employment.

The fifth SDG, gender equality, aims to end all forms of discrimination against women and girls by 2030. But unfortunately, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2020, given the current rate of progress, it will take more than 100 years to achieve gender equality. The actual situation might even be worse because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impending economic crisis.

Water is essential to all forms of life on our planet. As humans, we need water to produce our crops, water our livestock, to quench our thirst, for sanitation, and fundamentally, to survive. It is a basic human need and should be easily accessible to all. However, due to increasing demand for water, reduction of water resources, and increasing pollution of water, we find ourselves in a water crisis. The pressure of climate change is hindering our progress as it increases the frequency and intensity of drought events. If such trends continue, one in four people might experience water shortages regularly by 2050.

The Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s caused a paradigm shift to the use of coal, oil, and natural gas as the primary sources of energy. As the population increased, the demand for these non-renewable resources also increased exponentially, and this is now pushing the environment to the brink of destruction. Our energy choices and decisions impact the Earth’s natural system in various ways. It is essential that we choose our energy sources carefully.

Economic growth should be a positive force for the whole world, and it is incumbent upon society to make sure that financial progress creates decent and fulfilling jobs while not harming the environment. This includes taking action to protect labour rights and put a stop to modern slavery and child labour.

Functioning and resilient infrastructure is the foundation of every thriving community. Innovation, together with inclusive and sustainable industrialization, will bring prosperity, create jobs, bring about new technologies and enable us to use our resources more efficiently.

Primarily aimed at reducing income inequality, SDG 10 also tackles inequalities in age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion and economic status. Reducing inequality within and among countries is necessary to address the broader sustainable development agenda.

Today, more than half of the world’s inhabitants live in cities. In order to accommodate the continued global migration to cities, we need new intelligent urban planning that creates safe, affordable, and resilient cities with green and culturally inspiring living conditions.

We ​​currently consume far beyond what our planet can provide. To reverse the harm done by our overconsumption, we must learn how to consume, use, and produce in sustainable ways. SDG 12 aims to ensure sustainable use of resources and a better quality of life for all.

Man made climate change is a global menace that threatens not just humanity, but planet Earth itself. Failure to rise to the challenge and confront climate change will result in both immediate and longer term threats to the planet. The objective of SDG 13 is to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”.

The ocean absorbs a quarter of the carbon dioxide emissions produced by humans, provides three billion people with almost a fifth of their protein, and 10% of the population depend on it for their livelihood. Yet we treat it with contempt. SDG 14 aims “to conserve and sustainably use the oceans and marine resources for sustainable development”.

The fate of humanity is tied to the health of the planet. Yet, we see ourselves in an ecological breakdown. The aim of SDG 15 is to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.”

We cannot hope for sustainable development without peace, stability, human rights and effective governance. Yet our world is increasingly divided. SDG 16 aims to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”

The scale and magnitude of the world’s crises are too overpowering to be tackled alone. The only way for the sustainable development goals to be realised is when all actors cooperate with a shared vision focused on the people and the planet.