All publications and documents

Wastewater is a growing health and environmental threat, accounting for almost as many planet warming emissions as the aviation industry. Yet, with the right policies, wastewater could be an invaluable resource, providing alternative energy to half a billion people, supplying over 10 times the water provided by current global desalination capacity and offsetting over 10 per cent of global…

Known colloquially as the ‘30x30 target’, Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework contains an ambitious commitment to conserve 30% of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas by 2030, “through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional…

The Global Sustainable Development Report 2023 "Times of Crisis, Times of Change: Science for Accelerating Transformations to Sustainable Development", the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), finds that at this critical juncture, midway to 2030, incremental and fragmented change is insufficient to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the remaining seven years…

This report offers an in-depth exploration of the vulnerabilities, challenges, and transformative potential of Africa’s food systems. A combined response is needed from governments, the private sector, communities, and individuals. Despite being home to nearly 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa remains a net food importer. It spends billions annually to meet its…

In recent years, droughts have had substantial impacts on nearly all regions of the EU, affecting several critical systems such as agriculture, water supply, energy, river transport, and ecosystems. These impacts are projected to further increase due to climate change. While some of the drivers of drought risk are well known for some systems and regions, drought risks and impacts remain hard to…

This publication is the latest instalment in the annual series jointly produced by UN Women and UN DESA. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of gender equality progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Halfway to the end point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world is failing to achieve gender equality, making it an increasingly distant…