© UNICEF/Carmel Ndomba Mbikayi School children in the eastern DR Congo wash their hands as part of hygiene measures to help prevent the spread of Ebola.

‘Shared blueprint for peace’: Development goals deliver for billions, but challenges remain

8 July 2026 - With fewer than five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new UN report says sustained investment and international cooperation have improved billions of lives, but warns that governments must urgently accelerate action if the goals are to be met by their 2030 deadline.

Photo: Onur Çağlar

Delivering energy access: leaving no one in the dark

8 July 2026 - Despite notable progress over the past decade, millions of people still live without electricity. With 2030 fast approaching, we spoke with UN DESA’s energy data experts Leonardo Souza and Jessica Ying Chan about closing the energy divide for good with insights from Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026.

Photo: UN DESA/Jennifer Kim

For over a decade, the Sustainable Development Goals have delivered results — now the world must urgently scale up what works, UN report finds

7 July 2026 - Since their adoption in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have delivered results at scale – bringing access to water, electricity and health care to billions. Without a decisive push to rapidly scale up what works, the promise of the SDGs risks slipping out of reach, according to The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, released today.

Photo: © FAO/Giulio Napolitano

4 things you should know about the latest data on SDG progress

6 July 2026 - As world leaders gather at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to take stock of progress on the 17 SDGs, UN DESA’s Statistics Division is releasing The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 on 7 July 2026. Here is what the data show.

Photo: UNDP Lebanon

Cooperatives for SDG 16: Building trust and the foundations for peaceful societies

2 July 2026 - On 4 July 2026, the International Day of Cooperatives will bring together cooperative enterprises, policymakers, scholars and partners to reflect on the contributions of “Cooperatives for a peaceful world.”

HLPF 2026: Where hope turns into action for a sustainable future

1 July 2026 - At the 2026 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, taking place from 7 to 15 July, the international community will come together to take stock of global progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and forge solutions.

UN Photo/Amanda Voisard  |  The principles of the UN Charter are the foundation of the Organization’s work—guiding its mission to promote peace, development, and human rights for all.

Guterres urges renewed commitment to multilateralism on UN Charter Day

30 June 2026 - Secretary-General António Guterres and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock reaffirmed the principles outlined in the UN Charter and called for a renewed commitment to multilateralism at a General Assembly meeting on Friday marking the Charter’s 81st anniversary.

UN Photo/Oddbjorn Monsen

Seeking integrated solutions at the 7th Global Conference on Climate and SDG Synergies

29 June 2026 - At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, the world is facing an unprecedented convergence of challenges. Recognizing this, the Seventh Global Conference on Climate and SDG Synergies, to take place on 29-30 June 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, will focus on practical ways to address multiple challenges and to translate integrated planning into coordinated action.

Photo: Finn Mund/Unsplash

5 things you need to know about the global economy in 2026

26 June 2026 - After showing notable resilience in 2025, the global economy faced a major setback in the first half of 2026. As UN DESA released the mid-year update of the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026, here are 5 key things you should know.

Photo: iStock/pixdeluxe

655 million people still living without electricity underscore urgent need to deliver on universal energy access target

24 June 2026 - At a time when energy security and affordability have risen to the top of the development agenda, 655 million people globally still lack access to electricity, and two billion use polluting fuels and technologies for cooking putting their health and well-being at risk.

United Nations/Florence Mondou | At London Climate Action Week on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres insisted it was time for AI to "come clean" about its environmental footprint from data centres, among other ambitious measures.

Climate crisis: UN chief lays out solutions blueprint for clean energy transition

23 June 2026 - As a deadly heatwave continued to grip Europe on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued an impassioned appeal for more ambitious global action on climate change caused by fossil fuels, to prevent irreversible damage.

UN Public Service Awards to honour 12 initiatives for accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals

22 June 2026 - Twelve initiatives from Azerbaijan, Brazil, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Thailand will be recognized at the United Nations Public Service Awards Ceremony, to be held at the conclusion of the UN Public Service Forum on 25 June 2026 in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The essential role of public servants in an uncertain world

19 June 2026 - This month, the 2026 UN Public Service Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia will explore practical solutions to these challenges. We spoke with UN DESA’s Elizabeth Niland about what it will take to build governments that work for everyone.

Driving coordinated action on SDG 16 to advance the 2030 Agenda

17 June 2026 - The SDG 16 Conference on 17 June will explore how action on access to justice and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions can deliver tangible results for societies and support national development priorities, in line with Action 7 of the Pact for the Future.

UN Photo/Stuart Price

International Day of Family Remittances: Driving rural resilience

16 June 2026 - On 16 June, the world marks the International Day of Family Remittances, recognizing the vital contributions migrant workers make to their families, communities and economies worldwide.