On SDGs, Progress Must Accelerate at Scale and Speed - UN Chief | HLPF 2026 | United Nations

Opening the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Secretary-General António Guterres said, “our mission is clear: to accelerate progress at scale and speed.” Guterres addressed the ministerial segment of the Forum today (13 Jul) in New York. The UN chief warned that the world is now entering the toughest stretch of its journey. Conflicts are multiplying. He reiterated, “the ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon, and the Gulf region must be fully established and respected. And the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law must be respected.” Guterres noted that crisis by crisis, the Sustainable Development Goals are drifting further out of reach. Just 36 per cent of the 139 assessable SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress, and 15 per cent have gone into reverse. He highlighted that need to accelerate progress at scale and speed, by “investing in the proven tools of poverty reduction — from education to universal health coverage, energy security, and adaptive social protection systems. By adopting policies that promote decent work, gender equality and technological access. By grounding progress in human rights. And by protecting our planet through climate action, biodiversity conservation and a just transition to renewable energy.” Guterres also said, driven by overconsumption, pollution and climate change, the world is using freshwater faster that it can be replenished, with permanent, irreversible effects on many river basins, lakes, aquifers and freshwater ecosystems. He said, “governments, the private sector, businesses and communities must work together to fill gaps in finance, innovation, infrastructure, capacities and governance,” adding “they must join forces and leverage resources to build accountable, equitable, and inclusive institutions that secure clean water and sanitation for all, manage conflicting demands on water, and address the growing risks stemming from unsustainable water use and climate change.” The UN chief also stressed, “Artificial Intelligence must reduce inequalities and mitigate the environmental impacts — not multiply them.” On partnerships, Guterres reiterated, “we must recognize that governments cannot act alone,” adding “development requires all hands on deck — businesses, development banks, innovators, civil society, community leaders and young people. And it requires south-south cooperation, so countries can benefit from shared development expertise and experience without limiting the need for north-south cooperation to continue.”


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