Many of the goals laid out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development have already been pursued for many years, but they have not yet been achieved. There are a number of reasons for this.

A great many structures still have to be improved and obstacles overcome. Above all, of course is the matter of finance. In spite of international agreements, countries do not yet provide enough funding for sustainable development. Some developing countries are so seriously indebted that they have practically no leeway. Unfair terms of global trade further aggravate this situation. And many initiatives are conducted on an isolated basis. Often important stakeholders are not involved, be it industry, the science and research community or civil society, with their result that their views are ignored. Potentials remain unharnessed, and measures are less effective and less sustainable than they could be.

What must be done?

Everybody is called on to do their bit: governments, the private sector, the science and research community and civil society in all countries must work as partners to realise the global goals. The various policy fields must also be better coordinated: industry, environment, education, social affairs, internal affairs and foreign policy need common sustainable strategies. The international community must deliver on its pledges and provide more money, especially for developing countries, which must also mobilise more resources themselves. Global trade must become more open and more equitable, and developing countries must gain easier access to export markets. They need free access to research and technology, and they need more global knowledge sharing.

Facts and figures

• In 2015 the industrialised countries on average spent 0.3 per cent of their gross national income on development assistance. Within the framework of the UN, it has been agreed that countries should spend 0.7 per cent. A very small number of countries comply with this target (with Norway and Sweden among the few that do).
• Between 2000 and 2014, the poorest countries on Earth almost doubled their share of global exports of goods from 0.6 to 1.1 per cent.
• Developing countries export almost 80 per cent of their goods to developed countries free of customs duties.