We all know the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): To build a fairer world where people and planet thrive. A world that leaves no one behind.

But we also know that with just five years left, we still have a long way to go. Looking around the globe, it is not hard to see why.

Conflicts rain destruction. Funding for development is drying up. And the climate crisis strikes blow after blow.

And yet, even in this turbulent moment, we see signs of progress, hope, and opportunity. A record number of girls are in school — and graduation rates for all students are rising.

Child mortality has declined, as has maternal mortality. HIV infections are falling.

Electricity now reaches 92 percent of the global population, with the Asia Pacific region on track to universal energy access.

None of this progress is by chance. It is the result of deliberate decisions.

These and many other examples show how investing in development pays. And how the work of so many in government, civil society, women’s organizations, youth movements and the private sector are making a concrete difference.

The question before us is: “How do we expand and speed up progress?”

The answer lies in the Goals themselves. Their strength is their interconnectedness.

Education advances gender equality. Climate stability strengthens food security. Fighting famine paves the way for peace.

This matters because the SDGs follow the law of increasing returns. The further we get on each goal — the easier it becomes to achieve others. And momentum is building.

This year saw strong outcomes at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, the Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, and the Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa.

The coming World Summit for Social Development in Qatar, and the UN Climate Conference in Brazil are opportunities for more speed, and more scale.

The SDGs dare us to imagine a better world. The exact path to reach it differs depending on national contexts. Small Island Developing States, Landlocked Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries are all facing unique challenges and opportunities. But for all countries, some things remain the same.

First, we must reform the global financial architecture. That means delivering real debt relief, tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and ensuring developing countries have a greater influence in the institutions that govern their economic fate.

Climate action must also take center stage. We must act immediately to keep the 1.5 degree goal within reach, and harness the full potential of the renewables revolution.

I look forward to all countries putting forward ambitious national climate plans, and for developed countries to honor their pledges on both Loss and Damage, and adaptation.

We must also prepare for technological transformation. New digital tools have the potential to supercharge sustainable development. But we need guardrails to ensure safety and inclusion, as well as financing to bridge digital divides.

And in all we do, we must make peace a priority. In 2024 global military spending was thirteen times official development assistance. That is equivalent to the entire GDP of the African continent. In other words, this is not a question of resources — it is a question of choices. That is why good governance is essential.

The just and transparent institutions described in Goal 16 are vital to the 2030 Agenda. And we must make strengthening them a priority.

As the General Assembly commences this week, we will hear talk of targets and percentages.

We must never forget that every percentage point, every fraction, every decimal, represents lives changed and lives saved.

It’s time to intensify our efforts to achieve the SDGs. We must regroup, recommit and refocus.

We must keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.

(Excerpts of the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ remarks to the SDG Moment Event 2025 on 22 September 2025.)