Set in 2015 by the UN General Assembly, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all", intended to be achieved by 2030. The goals include zero poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, clean and affordable energy, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action. In connection with achievability of SDGs there is substantial variation both between regions, and between goals within regions. For example:

• In sub-Saharan Africa, although the proportion of people living in extreme poverty is set to fall by 2030, the absolute number is projected to rise due to population growth. Only two-thirds of children in sub-Saharan Africa are projected to complete secondary education by 2030, while for the rest of the world the proportion is expected to reach 90 per cent.
• South Asia is on track to see 350 million people escape extreme poverty, yet the region is likely to have a maternal mortality rate almost double the global target.
• In East Asia and the Pacific, both extreme poverty and maternal mortality are projected to fall substantially, however it is set to continue to have the most unequal economic growth in the world.
• Latin America and the Caribbean is projected to sustain impressive progress on pro-poor growth, but is likely to continue to suffer a high number of violent deaths – the highest of any region.
• The OECD is projected to continue to impose the biggest environmental impacts in per person terms. This highlights that even in the richest countries, major shifts are needed in order to achieve the SDGs, particularly in regard to addressing climate change and sustainable waste management.

A rapid acceleration in current progress is required to achieve these ambitious goals. Simply maintaining the status quo won’t be enough. Radical change is required. Many of the SDGs would be within reach by 2030 if the world could replicate the progress of some of the top performing countries over the MDG era. However, change will need to begin immediately and countries must not delay implementing the SDGs at a national level. Each additional day that the current rate of progress is just maintained will make it that much more difficult to achieve the SDGs by 2030.