Will even one of the U.N.'s 17 'sustainable development goals' be met by 2030?

A decade after the U.N. adopted its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, progress remains limited and uneven. In the U.N.’s latest assessment, only 15% of targets with sufficient data are on track, while 21% show moderate progress, 32% marginal progress, 17% are stagnant, and 15% have fallen well below 2015 levels. Experts say the goals themselves may be achievable, but many require “historically unprecedented” rates of improvement. Charles Kenny of the Center for Global Development argues dramatic global policy change is needed, noting wealthier nations’ aid, trade, and migration trends have stalled or reversed. Still, some health indicators are improving.