The UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development

Translated by Martina Marino

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development represents an ambitious global program promoted by the United Nations, aimed at improving people’s living conditions, protecting the environment, and fostering fair and long-lasting economic and social development. Signed on 25 September 2015 by the governments of the 193 UN Member States and adopted by the General Assembly, the Agenda outlines a shared pathway to address some of the most urgent challenges of our time.

The plan is structured around 17 SDGs, Sustainable Development Goals (or OSS in Italian), supported by 169 concrete targets to be achieved by 2030. These goals seek to integrate the environmental, economic, social and institutional dimensions of development, recognizing the need for a coordinated and multilateral approach. While it cannot, on its own, solve all global problems, the 2030 Agenda represents a fundamental starting point for building fairer and more resilient societies, ensuring opportunities for growth and well-being for all.

The SDGs, which officially came into effect in 2016, are conceived as an evolution of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of 2000, overcoming some of their limitations. Unlike the MDGs, which were mainly aimed at developing countries, the SDGs are universal in scope and involve all countries, developed and developing alike, acknowledging the global interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental challenges. The guiding principle of the Agenda is clear: no one must be left behind.

The 2030 Agenda also introduces a significant innovation: sustainability is no longer understood as an exclusively environmental issue, but as an integrated concept that also includes economic and social dimensions. The program acknowledges the unsustainability of the current development model and promotes innovative strategies for resource management, reducing inequalities, creating decent work, combating climate change, and protecting biodiversity.

Italy has played an active role in shaping the 2030 Agenda, contributing to the development of a shared plan at the international level. In the preamble of the Declaration “Transforming Our World,” the country committed, together with other UN members, to building a more sustainable world based on five fundamental principles: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships. These pillars guide national and international policies toward greater coherence and integration, highlighting the value of multilateral cooperation.

Progress toward achieving the SDGs is monitored through over 240 indicators, periodically updated at the global level. The UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) oversees the review and implementation of the Agenda, while the United Nations Statistical Commission, through the Inter-Agency Expert Group on SDGs (IAEG-SDGs), defines measurement and monitoring tools. At the national level in Italy, the National Council for Development Cooperation (CNCS) contributes to coordinating development cooperation policies in line with the SDGs, ensuring compliance with commitments and alignment with global strategies.

A crucial role is also attributed to the private sector and to young people, considered key agents of change. Companies of all sizes and sectors are encouraged to develop responsible business models, invest in innovation and technology and collaborate through partnerships to contribute concretely to achieving the goals. In this context, SDG 17, “Partnership for the Goals,” highlights the importance of collective, collaborative and synergistic action among governments, businesses and civil society.

The 2030 Agenda also has a significant economic and financial dimension. The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held in 2025, presented 130 initiatives linked to the Seville Commitment, aimed at stimulating sustainable investments, addressing the debt crisis of the poorest countries and strengthening their participation in the international financial architecture. Italy actively participated, promoting instruments such as the international Call to Action and the Debt Conversion Initiative for 15 African countries, with the goal of fostering local and sustainable development.

The European Union also contributes in a structured manner to achieving the SDGs, using around 100 indicators adapted to the European context. The EU has monitored the implementation of the SDGs since 2017, publishing periodic reports on the progress achieved. Supreme audit institutions, such as the European Court of Auditors, play a fundamental role in assessing policies and programs, helping to make the Union more resilient and sustainable.

The 2030 Agenda represents a global framework that guides international action toward inclusive, fair and sustainable development. By involving governments, businesses, civil society and young people, and by continuously monitoring progress through global indicators, the Agenda provides concrete tools to transform global challenges into opportunities for shared growth and prosperity.

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