(United Nations) War and lack of funding have stymied efforts to meet the United Nations development goals, which include several measures to combat climate change, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Friday.
Member States adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, aiming in particular to end extreme poverty and hunger in the world by 2030.
But Mr. Guterres said Friday that “the world is failing” to achieve them.
“Our failure to secure peace, combat climate change and revive international finance is harming development,” he told a meeting in New York, unveiling the latest progress report.
“We need to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals, and we have no time to lose: only 17% of the goals are on track,” he added.
Wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, increasing climate disasters and the rising cost of living, among other things, are preventing the achievement of these goals.
But “the refusal to meet the basic needs of so many people is scandalous and inexcusable,” said Antonio Guterres, adding that it is necessary to bring peace to the conflicts raging across the world and to deploy efforts for a ecological transition.
There are still some signs of hope, according to the UN Secretary General, with the reduction in new HIV infections, increasing access to the internet and the “booming” use of renewable energies.
“We need to increase the lending capacity of development banks to provide more resources for climate action and sustainable development,” said Mr. Guterres.