2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda calls for no less than the ‘transformation of our world’. Its aim is to reconcile global economic progress with social justice and the conservation of natural resources, all while ensuring that no one is left behind. Since it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, the 2030 Agenda, along with the Paris Agreement, have guided German development cooperation and provided the overarching framework for GIZ’s work.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) form the core of the 2030 Agenda. They are based on the principle of universality, meaning that they apply to developing countries, emerging economies and industrialised nations alike. All countries undertake to implement policies that contribute to sustainable development, to define their contributions themselves and to report regularly on the implementation of these to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) as part of the Voluntary National Review (VNR) process.

Progress at the half-way mark: the global community is not on course to achieve the 2030 Agenda

At the half-way point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the results are sobering. Just 15 per cent of the total of 140 individual measures are on track. There has been no change in over 30 per cent of goals and, in some cases, the situation has actually deteriorated since 2015. No country is on course to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. If the world continues along its present trajectory, 590 million people will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030 (SDG 1). With respect to hunger (SDG 2), the world has slipped back to 2005 levels, and at the current rate it would take almost 300 years to close gender-specific gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws (SDG 5). The COVID-19 pandemic halted or even reversed much of the development progress that had been made. This general downward trend is now being exacerbated by climate change, war and conflict. Pioneering interventions and reforms that drive radical, society-wide transformation are needed to get us back on track. This calls for extensive resources and the engagement of all stakeholders in society.

Financing the 2030 Agenda

Developing countries are currently facing an annual shortfall of USD 4 trillion for implementation of the SDGs. That is 56 per cent more than four years ago. A massive global effort will be needed to close this considerable and ever-growing SDG financing and investment gap. Levels of foreign debt in developing countries remain unprecedentedly high. Around 60 per cent of low-income countries are at high risk of, or already experiencing a debt crisis. The SDG Stimulus proposed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for the implementation of a range of measures aimed at mobilising additional sustainable development financing of at least USD 500 billion per year. Our partnerships and networks in German development cooperation play a pivotal role in mobilising the necessary political capital. It is not just about mobilising funding – the international financial architecture, particularly that of multilateral development banks, must be reformed to make more money available for poverty reduction, gender equality and climate action. Private sector engagement will also have to be stepped up, with more investment in sustainable projects. The funding gaps can only be bridged if all stakeholders work together.

The importance of the 2030 Agenda for GIZ’s work

GIZ’s work is guided by the 2030 Agenda. We work with our partners, commissioning parties and clients on a broad range of issues, from supporting host communities for refugees in Türkiye to promoting digital transformation in Rwanda. We are developing practical training programmes in Jordan and helping rice farmers in Thailand to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. All of these projects are doing their part to help achieve the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs.

Under the 2030 Implementation Initiative, GIZ has mobilised funding for work on the SDGs, while strengthening Namibia’s financial ecosystem. The programme is implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

We have reformed the Namibian tax administration system in such a way that tax policy and actual tax collection are now conducted independently of each other. A new tax authority, the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), was established for this purpose under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance in 2021. Since then, Namibia has exceeded its tax collection targets every year, meaning it has more money to work towards its development goals. Moreover, the country is now able to comply with international tax regulations.


Through the 2030 Implementation Initiative, a unique bilateral programme, GIZ also supports developing countries and emerging economies in implementing the 2030 Agenda on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The programme places particular emphasis on the inclusion of all interest groups relevant to the transformation process and on mobilising local resources. Since 2016, a total of almost 50 measures in 32 partner countries and three regional organisations have been supported by the initiative to the tune of EUR 110.6 million.

Five principles for implementation 

The 2030 Agenda is an integral part of the planning, implementation and monitoring of all projects. We are guided by five principles in this context:

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Universality

To achieve sustainable development, every country needs to change. The 2030 Agenda therefore applies universally to all countries of the world – developing countries, emerging economies and industrialised nations alike.
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Leave no one behind

All human beings should be able to lead a dignified life, free from poverty and hunger. No one should be left behind or excluded from social development. The focus is on the most marginalised groups.
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Integrated approaches

The SDGs are indivisible and balance the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
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Shared responsibility

To protect our planet’s natural resources and promote prosperity and peace, a new understanding of global cooperation and partnership is needed.
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Accountability

The effectiveness of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is reviewed at the national, regional and global levels. Countries are required to submit regular progress reports that are transparent and verifiable.

Additional information

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GIZ Profile: sustainable development for a liveable future

Our references

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The 2030 Agenda: let’s talk money!