Published Paper Details:

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015, outline a universal blueprint for achieving inclusive development, environmental sustainability, and global prosperity by 2030. Now at the midpoint, this paper critically examines progress achieved between 2015 and 2025, highlighting both achievements and persistent gaps. Drawing on UN SDG Progress Reports, the Sustainable Development Report 2025, and peer-reviewed literature, findings reveal mixed outcomes: significant advances in poverty reduction, education access, health indicators, and clean energy adoption, but slow or regressive progress in areas such as hunger eradication, biodiversity conservation, climate action, gender equality, and strong institutions. While approximately one-third of SDG targets show measurable progress, the majority remain off track, hindered by financing gaps, inequality, data deficiencies, and compounded global shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crises, and climate-related disasters. The paper argues that accelerated financing, integrated policy frameworks, inclusive governance, and multi-stakeholder partnerships are essential to realign global action with Agenda 2030. Without urgent course correction, the SDGs risk remaining an aspirational agenda rather than a transformative roadmap for sustainable development.