Europe and the Future of the Sustainable Development Goals

Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026

Press Release: Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026

Now available: the Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026

Available in: [English](/static/news/2026-02-25-esdr-2025-press-releases/english-pr.pdf) | [French](/static/news/2026-02-25-esdr-2025-press-releases/french-pr.pdf)

**Europe’s Global Role at a Turning Point**

_New SDSN Report Warns that Stagnant Progress, Declining Political Commitment, and Geopolitical Pressures Threaten Europe’s Global SDG Leadership_

**Paris, France (February 26, 2026\)** — The _Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026_ (ESDR 2026), a new report released today by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), shows that progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has stalled in Europe, with stagnation or even reversal on some environmental and socio-economic targets, and declining political prioritization of the SDGs within EU leadership.

Now in its seventh edition, the ESDR provides the most comprehensive assessment of Europe’s performance on the 17 SDGs, covering 41 countries, including all EU Member States, Candidate Countries, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, and the United Kingdom. Notably, the report reveals that while some European countries continue to lead globally in achieving the SDGs, there are important variations in SDG performance across European countries. Currently, no European country has fully achieved or is on track to achieve all 17 SDGs. Europe faces major challenges on key environmental indicators, including international spillovers, but also in implementing the “Leave-No-One-Behind” principle of the SDGs, with a reversal in progress across several European countries on socio-economic indicators, including material deprivation. The report also highlights a decline in SDG prioritization within EU policymaking.

This year’s ESDR is accompanied by a foreword highlighting the importance of EU leadership in reaffirming commitment to the SDGs by Ambassador David Donoghue, former Permanent Representative to the UN for Ireland and Co-facilitator of the SDGs and 2030 Agenda. Additional...

The live launch of the Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026

Launch of the Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026

On **26 February 2026, 10:15-11:15 CET**, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in partnership with the [European Economic and Social Committee](https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en) (EESC) will host an online event featuring the launch and presentation of the Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026 (ESDR 2026).

The report tracks annually since 2019 the performance of all EU member states and partner countries on the SDGs, highlighting successes, challenges, and actionable pathways for a sustainable future.

The report, which is now in its 7th edition, presents an updated version of the SDG Index and Dashboards for Europe and highlights persistent challenges and gaps in Europe’s progress toward the SDGs, including negative spillover effects and declining trends in socio-economic objectives.  
At the same time, it underscores the potential of the SDGs to define long-term pathways and foster new alliances between Europe and global partners including via coalitions of middle powers united by the common goal of achieving sustainable development by 2030 and beyond.  
The report was prepared by the SDSN’s [SDG Transformation Center](https://sdgtransformationcenter.org/) in close cooperation with [SDSN Europe](https://sdsn.eu/), the EESC, and the [Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union](https://eu.boell.org/en).

🗓️ Date: February 26, 2026  
⏰ Time: 10:15-11:15 CET  
🔗 Livestream: [https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/launch-europe-sustainable-development-report-2026](https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/launch-europe-sustainable-development-report-2026)

Following the official launch, on 11 March 2026, SDSN will host an online in-depth discussion with high-level policy makers as well as authors of the report to explore priorities to accelerate SDG progress in Europe by 2030, and Europe’s leadership role in advancing sustainable development beyond 2030.

🗓️ Date: March 11, 2026  
⏰ Time: 13:00-14:30 CET  
🔗 Registration:...

Launch of the Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboards 2026

Now Available: Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboards 2026

_Financing Sustainable Development in the Arab Region_

February 5, 2026 — Launched today at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, the Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboards Report 2026 provides a comprehensive assessment of progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across the 22 member states of the League of Arab States. The Index comprises 118 indicators covering the 17 SDGs, including 28 region-specific indicators reflecting Arab regional priorities and challenges.

Prepared by the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the report highlights the following key findings:

1. **Moderate regional progress and persistent disparities**

   The Arab region’s overall SDG score stands at 60.6, indicating moderate progress from the previous year, yet still below two-thirds of the SDG targets. Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates surpass this threshold, reflecting comparatively stronger performance. However, significant disparities remain across the region, highlighting uneven development outcomes.

2. **Divergent SDG Performance Across Subregions**

   Subregional analysis highlights divergent development trajectories. North Africa records the highest average score (approximately 68), followed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (approximately 64\) and the Levant and Iraq subregion (approximately 62). The subregion of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) lags behind with an average score of approximately 52\. Conflict-affected countries consistently underperform, and current scores are likely to understate recent humanitarian impacts in contexts such as Gaza and Lebanon due to data lags.

3. **Most SDGs Remain Off Track Across the Region**

   At the goal level, approximately 85% of SDG scores indicate major or significant challenges, and nearly half of all trends show...

Benin Sustainable Development Report 2025

**Now Available: Benin Sustainable Development Report 2025**  
_Green Transition: Agroecology and Renewable Energies_

**Ten Years of Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Benin Lays a Strong Foundation to Accelerate its Green Transition**

Available in: [English](/static/news/press-release-benin-sustainable-development-report-2025/english-pr.pdf) | [French](/static/news/press-release-benin-sustainable-development-report-2025/french-pr.pdf)

_A decade after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, Benin is emerging as a regional model for green transition, placing agroecology and renewable energy at the heart of its sustainable development strategy._

January 21, 2026 (Paris, France) — Released today by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the _Benin Sustainable Development Report 2025_ reveals that Benin has emerged as one of Africa’s leaders in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2015, the country has achieved a \+10.1-point increase in its SDG Index score, outpacing the West African average of \+3.1 points.

This progress reflects the country’s sustained commitment to the 2030 Agenda. Notably, Benin became the first African country to issue an SDG Bond in 2021, raising €500 million to advance the SDGs and positioning itself as a pioneer on the continent in innovative sustainable finance. In recent years, the country has intensified its efforts, particularly in combating climate change. September 2025 marked a significant milestone for the country, with the launch of the National Green Financing Framework, designed to coordinate climate action and align public and private investments with Benin’s green transition efforts.

Since 2021, the SDSN has partnered with the Government of Benin to support the country’s SDG implementation efforts. The _Benin Sustainable Development Report 2025_ marks the fourth edition produced under this partnership. This edition assesses Benin’s overall SDG...

A theory of change approach to enhance the post-2030 sustainable development agenda

As the 2030 deadline for the SDGs approaches and progress remains far off track, researchers are increasingly calling for reforms to the global sustainable development framework. This article argues that future proposals for a post-2030 agenda must go beyond adding new goals or targets, and instead be grounded in a clear “theory of change” that explains how real-world transformations will occur. By reconstructing the implicit logic behind the current SDGs, the authors identify key successes and shortcomings, and propose a systematic way to assess post-2030 proposals based on both their potential impact and political feasibility.

Guillaume Lafortune (SDSN) is a co-author of this article and, together with Katsia Paulavets, participated in a series of international workshops in Indonesia and Sweden over the past 18 months that informed this research.

This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of the AAAS for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Science on 15 January 2026, [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz5704](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz5704).

[Access the article](/static/docs/blog-posts/theory-of-change-approach-to-enhance-the-post-2030-sustainable-development-agenda.pdf)


The Hidden Costs of Global Trade: Building Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chains

 Background

Global supply chains are the backbone of international trade, yet they are increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, climate risks, natural disasters, regulatory uncertainty, and economic fluctuations. Recent crises - from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate-related disasters and rising geopolitical instability - have highlighted how disruptions in supply chains can cascade across the global economy.

Beyond their role in trade and economic growth, global supply chains are powerful determinants of environmental, social, and economic outcomes worldwide. From raw material extraction to manufacturing and logistics, supply chains generate significant spillover effects, including greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, labor exploitation, and social inequities. These impacts often occur far from the point of consumption, disproportionately affecting communities and ecosystems in emerging and developing countries.

In today’s uncertain world, understanding and measuring these impacts is critical for building sustainable and resilient supply chains. By quantifying environmental, social, and economic spillovers, governments and businesses can identify vulnerabilities, anticipate risks, and prioritize interventions to reduce exposure to shocks. Systematic assessment of supply chain impacts enables trade networks to be designed in ways that mitigate environmental harm, improve social outcomes, enhance global resilience, and boost competitiveness.

The session will examine key global trade and governance reforms needed to enhance the sustainability and resilience of global supply chains, while exploring the role of governments in addressing systemic vulnerabilities and negative externalities. It will also demonstrate how science-based tools and robust data systems for measuring trade impacts can help minimize exposure to risks and shocks and build supply chains and trade systems aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The...

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