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SDG Progress Update: Technology as a Transformational Driver of the SDGs

By Elissa Bozhkov

On May 3rd and 4th, 2023, the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT), convened by UN-DESA and UNCTAD, and the 10-Member Group of high-level representatives appointed by the UN Secretary General hosted the eighth annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) to facilitate discussion on how STI can contribute to and accelerate progress in achieving the SDGs. 

The 2023 STI Forum was held under the theme of “Science, technology and innovation for accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”. The Forum brought together UN agencies, government, academia, private sector, NGOs, and youth to highlight current gaps and challenges of STI, share technological learnings and successful case stories, and call for political action to enable technology as a transformational driver of the SDGs. 


SDSN’s Head of Climate and Energy, Elena Crete, spoke at a side event hosted by the MGCY Youth Science Policy Interface and Engineering for Change called “Preparing the future workforce to engage with transition pathways for urban decarbonization” to discuss how to address emerging skills gaps and workforce development for decarbonization transition pathways. Crete spoke about the importance of mentorship programs and connecting universities with local communities and stakeholders to co-design locally-led, interdisciplinary solutions, and shared how free online resources like the 30+ courses on sustainable development offered by the SDG Academy can all help to meaningfully engage young technical professionals in sustainable urban development agendas. 


SDG Progress Update:

With this year marking the midpoint to the accomplishment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is abundantly clear that the world is not on track to achieve the SDGs. The UN Secretary-General has released a special edition annual report on SDG progress called the “Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Towards a Rescue Plan for People and Planet” to sound the alarm on the lack of SDG progress, stating that specifically “only 12% of the SDGs are on track, nearly 50% of the targets are off track, and approximately 30% have actually regressed below the 2015 baseline.” Under current trends, the report warns of challenges remaining across many of the SDGs. In regards to education, gender and inequality, the report predicts that “575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030” and it will take 286 years to close gender gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws” while “some 84 million children will be out of school and 300 million young people will be illiterate”. Indicators for progress on energy decarbonization and sustainable industry are similarly stalled, with the report stating that “carbon dioxide levels will continue to rise to a level not seen in 2 million years” and “renewables will remain a mere fraction of our energy supplies in 2030” while “some 660 million people will remain without electricity, and close to 2 billion will continue to rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking.” Ahead of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) and the SDG Summit, the UNSG’s report makes the following recommendations to Member States to rescue these SDGs and accelerate progress between now and 2030.


SDG Progress Report Recommendations:

  1. All Member States to recommit to action to achieve the SDGs at national and international levels between now and 2030;
  2. Governments to set and deliver on ambitious national benchmarks to reduce poverty and inequality by 2027 and by 2030;
  3. A commitment from all countries to end the war on nature;
  4. Governments to strengthen national institutions and accountability; and
  5. Greater multilateral support for the UN development system and decisive action at the 2024 Summit of the Future.

Science, technology, innovation, and engineering play a vital role in driving sustainable and transformative change, as they provide the necessary knowledge, solutions, efficiency, data, and collaboration needed to build resilient systems and address interconnected societal challenges. While technological advances and rapid digitalization have the potential to enhance the way we live and drive breakthroughs in healthcare, education, and sustainability, the gaps in connectivity; the unequal access to digital technologies within and between countries; and the risks that come with the emergence of higher-level digital infrastructure—such as artificial intelligence (AI)—present serious concern about leaving people behind and exacerbating existing inequalities.


The STI Forum brought together technical experts, advocates, and policymakers in our international community to address the challenges and opportunities to make science, technology, and innovation work in service to society, and to promote technological advances that improve the lives of all.


STI Forum Key Takeaways:

  • Strengthen trust in the science-policy interface, and demonstrate the value of robust scientific facts and understanding for policy-making and related actions
  • Integrate tech solutions to address interconnected issues in the climate, land, energy, water (CLEW) nexus
  • Think global, act local—promote people and community led innovation and tech infrastructures to develop and enhance “smarter” and inclusive cities
  • Close the gender and geographic digital divide—make innovation ecosystems more inclusive and representative, and ensure an equitable digital future for all
  • Facilitate knowledge-sharing through developing multi stakeholder global cooperation, investing in capacity building, and fostering public-private partnerships for research & development


The sessions at the STI Forum showcased many examples and lessons learned from initiatives that are already addressing some of these key challenges and are currently accelerating the potential of technology to enhance the lives of billions. With the world’s population continuing to grow especially in cities and urban areas, the decisions made by local governments and communities have the potential to contribute greatly to global achievement of the SDGs. Building effective technology solutions in energy, food, water, and climate that minimize major trade-offs and optimize synergies across other areas, and promoting local, people-led innovation systems is key to addressing shared global challenges.


Opportunities & Innovations:

  • The development of innovative technologies can contribute to integrated sustainable development solutions: These include the rapid deployment of renewable energy technologies (including solar, wind, and hydropower); the improved energy efficiency measures (across industry, buildings, and transportation sectors); the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (i.e. conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and organic farming); the development of water-efficient technologies (i.e. drip irrigation and waste-water reuse); and the investment in climate-resilient infrastructure (such as energy-efficient buildings, smart grids, and flood-resistant transport systems)
  • Public-private partnerships and investments in research, development and deployment of innovative technologies provide opportunities for developing countries and emerging markets to leapfrog both in technological infrastructure development and in capacity building (especially by creating enabling policy environments that support South-South partnerships and learning)
  • The creation of enhanced global cooperation mechanisms can promote coordination, enhance synergy and efficiency, and act as a catalyst for information flow on science and technology issues: 47 UN entities have come together to assemble the UN Interagency Task Team on STI for the SDGs (IATT) to enhance coordination and innovation, including developing pilot projects for localizing STI for SDGs (i.e., roadmaps, individual capacity building workshops customized for country needs, etc.), mobilizing financial flows to promote technology transfer and gender inclusiveness, and harnessing youth innovation potential

Looking Ahead:

In the lead up to the HLPF and the SDG Summit this year, the UN Secretary General’s 10-Member-Group of High-level Representatives of Scientific Community, Private Sector, and Civil Society in support of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism has released “Science, Technology, and Innovation for the SDGs – Progress, Future vision, and Recommendations”, with the aim to provide a broad perspective on STI and serve as catalyst for action by sharing recommendations in the form of “political asks” and “high-impact initiatives” for Member states.

10-Member Group STI Report Recommendations:

  • Develop sustainability science and technology cooperation package for future generations
  • Build the next generation Web 3.0 distributed system for all by 2027 and build worldwide capacity on generative AI for the SDGs
  • Create a one-UN programme on digitalisation for developing countries
  • Create a Global Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) fund and market
  • Boost global public investment in global public goods to reach (0.2% of GNI)


As Ms. Xiaolan Fu, Founding Director of the Technology and Management Centre for Development (TMCD), Professor of Technology and International Development, and former member of the 10 Member Group to support the Technology Facilitation Mechanism shared: “Many of the technologies we need already exist. We need to focus on unblocking bottlenecks for technology diffusion and adapt technology to local conditions.”

The key to solving this unprecedented wave of interlinked crises, with the abundance of science, technology, and innovation at our fingertips, is to think global, act local. Promoting and financing people-led innovation and practical pace-based solutions that are adapted to local circumstances and incorporate indigenous knowledge is the way forward. As developing countries continue to bear the brunt of the world’s collective failure to achieve sustainable development, we need now, more than ever, ambitious and coherent international cooperation and action to restore trust and solve common existential threats.