Youth Must Lead the UN’s Vision for a Post-2030 Development Agenda

17 Goals for People, for Planet.

Less than five years from 2030, it is time for the international community to confront the future of Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs transformed a generic declaration into a tangible and actionable blueprint. Yet, as ample evidence shows, implementation has been a major disappointment, with all goals off track.

Recent UN assessments highlight how far the world remains from meeting the SDGs. Only 16–17 per cent of targets are on track. Of 137 targets with available data, about 35 per cent show on-track or moderate progress, 47 per cent show marginal or no progress, and 18 per cent have regressed since 2015.

Some of the most urgent goals — including Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Sustainable Cities (SDG 11), Life Below Water (SDG 14), Life on Land (SDG 15) and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) — are among those furthest behind.

Weak institutional commitments, poor coordination, failure to integrate the SDGs into budgets and policies, and the voluntary nature of reporting have all held back progress. At the same time, breaches of planetary boundaries linked to climate change and biosphere fragility threaten the very conditions needed for sustainable development.

Even where gains exist — such as in education and disease reduction — they remain slow and fragile. The data is clear: the world is not on course for 2030.

As the world edges toward the target year, discussions about the future can no longer be postponed. The SDGs created a shared language for justice, dignity and sustainability. They shaped policy debates and mobilised public attention in ways unprecedented in global development — even if governments often ignored the direction they set.

Despite limited implementation, the SDGs served an indispensable purpose for the international community. They functioned not only as a springboard for action but also as an accountability tool, helping to keep states’ commitments in check.

Unfortunately, leadership never matched the ambition of the goals. Many governments failed to translate the SDGs into national or regional strategies capable of real impact. Least developed countries lacked financial resources and strong institutions, while corruption and mismanagement further weakened reform efforts. Wealthier nations, meanwhile, refused to scale up development cooperation to the levels required for transformative progress.

Both the Global South and Global North share responsibility for failing present and future generations.

Yet, despite this loss of momentum, the international community still has time to design a stronger, more effective post-2030 framework.

The slowdown reflects more than technical shortcomings. It highlights fragile political will, especially in a model built on voluntary participation. Governments treated the SDGs as optional, turning the gap between aspiration and action into both a moral and governance failure.

When the SDGs were launched, enthusiasm was high. Negotiations — first through the Open Working Group and later through Intergovernmental Negotiations — attracted strong participation from civil society and global advocacy networks. Their expertise and campaigning brought local realities and justice concerns into the room.

But after 2015, the initial excitement faded. The rise of climate change as an urgent global threat, while rightly prioritised, overshadowed other important development agendas.

What comes next?

In 2027, the UN will formally begin discussions on the future of Agenda 2030. How should the next framework be shaped?

Ensuring broad participation will be essential but not sufficient. Civil society contributions must evolve into a more democratic process that extends beyond established organisations. Communities living the consequences of global policies must be able to shape the new agenda directly.

The next framework should address weaknesses in the global oversight system. Instead of relying on the voluntary National Voluntary Reviews under the High-Level Political Forum, a more robust model — similar to the Universal Periodic Review used by the Human Rights Council — could require mandatory, annual reporting.

Localization must also become central. Local governments must play a stronger role, and local communities must be empowered to participate in planning and decision-making. Without local ownership, global frameworks remain abstract and ineffective.

The essential role of youth

As discussions begin on “what comes next”, young people must have a significant voice. Youth engagement is one of the best guarantees of stronger, more inclusive governance.

Imagine youth-led labs, assemblies and forums around the world shaping post-2030 scenarios. Such processes must avoid the traditional top-down model and instead embed principles of grassroots deliberative democracy and shared decision-making.

Without profound acceleration, current SDG trends will not change. The world is likely to reach 2030 with an abysmal record of achievement. But the international community can avoid repeating mistakes by designing a post-2030 framework that is accountable, inclusive and grounded in lived experience.

This requires listening to those who will inherit the consequences of today’s decisions. The next development framework can be radically different if young people — not only diplomats and government officials — meaningfully shape and own the process.

Young generations must lead the design and implementation of a new “Global Sustainable Development Deal”. Only then will governments take seriously their responsibility to secure a future for humanity.