Sustainability has become one of the most frequently discussed issues in both public policy and the business world in recent years. Yet global indicators tell a different story.

Part 1 — Defining the Problem

Sustainability is being discussed more than ever, yet global indicators are telling a different story.

In recent years, sustainability has become one of the most frequently discussed issues in both public policy and the business world. However, the United Nations’ 2025 Sustainable Development Goals Report shows that this intense attention has not translated into the expected level of global progress.

This picture raises a simple yet uncomfortable question:

Adopted in 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set out a shared global framework for sustainable development. Yet the 2025 Sustainable Development Goals Report makes it clear that progress toward these goals is not advancing at the expected pace.

According to the report, sufficient progress has been achieved in only a limited share of the targets. Progress remains slow in many areas, and some indicators are even moving backward.

Looking at global data for the 2015–2025 period:

• Only 18% of targets are on track or showing progress in line with the target.
• 17% show moderate progress.
• 31% show only marginal progress.
• 17% have stagnated.
• 18% are in regression.

In other words, while sustainability discourse is becoming increasingly widespread, global indicators do not show improvement on the same scale.

This reveals an important contradiction.

On the one hand, sustainability investments, strategies, and reporting practices are increasing. On the other hand, global progress is not unfolding at the expected pace.

To answer this question, we need to look not only at the goals themselves, but also at the way we are trying to achieve them.