Five years from the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, we face a development crisis. Our collective ambition to eradicate poverty and hunger, combat catastrophic climate change, and achieve a sustainable future for all is at serious risk.
The SDG financing gap has widened dramatically and is estimated at more than $4 trillion per year. This was before recent global setbacks: declining aid, escalating trade barriers, and a deteriorating economic outlook.
The primary source of this crisis is a lack of long-term financing and investment.
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About the author
Li Junhua
Li Junhua is the undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the secretary-general of the U.N.’s Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, 2025. Information about the conference is available on the United Nations website.
