SDG Pulse 2024: The Pulse of Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals

The SDG Pulse reveals progress in various areas, but setbacks continue to undermine momentum. Economic and social distress, particularly for those most in need, is exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, and in Gaza, leading to longer and more expensive trade routes, increased hunger and food insecurity, and rising CO2 emissions, impacting developing countries’ ability to meet the SDGs, and the need for reliable information becomes even more critical.

SDG Pulse serves three main purposes: firstly, to update on the evolution of selected official SDG indicators and complementary data and statistics; second, to report on progress in developing new concepts and methodologies for SDG indicators for which UNCTAD is a global custodian; and third, to showcase UNCTAD’s support to member States in implementing the 2030 Agenda. Building on the previous edition, SDG Pulse continues to track progress according to four transformations identified at UNCTAD’s intergovernmental meeting in Bridgetown (UNCTAD, 2021).

The report also delves into thematic issues relevant to the 2030 Agenda bringing to the forefront key messages related to trade and multilateralism, development finance, economic diversification, and sustainability and resilience. This year’s In-Focus topic explores gender equality in trade. Despite global advancements, gender inequality persists, affecting women's lives through economic participation, education, health, and political empowerment worldwide. UNCTAD’s new gender equality in trade indicator set helps illuminate gender gaps in trade to inform effective policy actions and accelerate just and equal development.

This overview provides a glance at recent developments and analysis related to sustainable development.