As we reach the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals Action Weekend held in September at United Nations Headquarters in New York city showcased the actions taken towards achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda, and the enormous amount of work yet to be done, with a focus on the intersectionality of the SDG Framework. Much emphasis was placed on the importance of individual action for the Global Goals, and active participation in the mechanisms of the United Nations. “This week, this house of the United Nations, belongs to you” said United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at his SDG Action Weekend Opening Plenary address in the General Assembly Hall. The UN Secretary General also recognized the need for drastically accelerated action at a civil society dialogue, commenting on progress towards the 2030 Agenda. “Not only are we not on track, we are enormously off track” he stated in conjunction with the fact that 60% of the SDG targets are off track, with the financing gap to implementing the SDGs by the 2030 deadline estimated at $4 trillion USD.

The SDG Action Weekend canvassed themes related to all the SDGs, with an overarching theme of approaching the second half of the 2030 Agenda with a people-based approach to policy, decision making, and targets, cited lack of meaningful individual participation as a major flaw in the actions taken thus far. “The planet is in havoc” stated Amina Mohammed, Under Secretary General of the United Nations in the session, “Generation Equality, the Midpoint Moment” on action for gender equality and climate change, in response to the point that 1 in 4 women globally are at risk of food insecurity given the current trajectory.

A point of positive growth highlighted in the full-day SDG Digital event was the benefits of technology and digitalization for implementation of the SDGs, including the uses of Artificial Intelligence. One third of people globally are off-line, and several speakers pinpointed this as an area of great potential growth and opportunity to encourage more meaningful individual action globally, across all sectors and age groups.

Prevailing through the UNGA Science Summit was a widespread call for greater collaboration and multilateralism, including all perspectives. In particular, those of youth, calling on decision makers to give youth not just a seat at the decision-making table, but also a voice in the proceedings. Only widespread participation globally can provide an inclusive, holistic approach necessary for the last leg of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. This call for collaboration also was present at the SDG Action Weekend, with President of the 78^th General Assembly Dennis Francis quoting, “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.

Image credit: Photograph of UNGA sign at United Nations Headquarters, New York City, USA. Photo by Fiona N. Brown