Scotland was one of the original signatories to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, joining 193 UN member states committed to tackling global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, sustainable development is a responsibility to the planet and future generations. The 17 interconnected SDGs and their 169 targets provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future. In 2025, the UN Sustainable Development Goals website noted that although conflict, climate disruption, economic instability and rising geopolitical tensions threaten progress, improvements have been made since 2015. These include progress in poverty reduction, child mortality, electricity access and the fight against certain diseases. “Scotland and the Sustainable Development Goals: a national review to drive action”, introduced by the Scottish Government in 2020, outlines societal goals and guides government action. It is the main mechanism for implementing the SDGs in Scotland. In 2025, the Scottish Government confirmed a period of reform to develop a more strategic and impactful model.
Progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals at a worldwide level is mixed. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 states: “only about 35 per cent show adequate progress – 18 per cent are on track and 17 per cent are making moderate progress.
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