<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Where We Are<\/strong><\/h3>\nEarth's ecosystems are vital for sustaining human life.\u00a0Forests regulate water cycles, store carbon, protect communities from climate\u00a0extremes\u00a0and provide livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people. Healthy ecosystems underpin food security, health<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and economic prosperity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThere are encouraging signs of progress\u00a0on Goal 15. Deforestation has slowed, protection of key biodiversity areas has expanded, and more than half of the world's forests are now covered by long-term management plans. By 2025, 155 countries had\u00a0established\u00a0national biodiversity targets,\u00a0catalyzed by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.\u00a0Yet more than 48,600 species\u00a0<\/span>face\u00a0extinction, and global extinction risk continues to worsen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span>This October, the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, will bring countries together in Yerevan, Armenia, for the first global review of progress\u00a0on\u00a0Goal 15.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRead More about Goal 15 \u2013 Life on Land<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSDGs in numbers<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Protected coverage of key biodiversity areas averaged 45 per cent in 2025, marking a significant rise from\u00a025 per cent.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- The annual net forest-loss rate dropped by over half, moving from 10.7 million hectares in\u00a0<\/span>1990s to\u00a04.1 million.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- 55 percent\u00a0of the world's forests<\/span>, <\/span>now fall under the scope of long-term management plans.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Initiatives across 78 developing nations\u00a0assisted\u00a0over one million farmers, researchers, and breeders with crop diversity and resilient seeds.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nMedia Resources for journalists\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nExplore the Media Resources hub for the latest from UN WebTV, UN Audiovisual Library, UN Photo,\u00a0UNifeed\u00a0and more!\u00a0https:\/\/media.un.org\/en<\/a>. For the latest UN Reports, click\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SG-photo-circle.png\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether, let us make a decisive final push to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a healthy, prosperous future for all.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n\u2013 Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span>UN Secretary-General, 07 July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>In Focus\u00a0<\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/COP17-Armenia.png\")
<\/p>\n
UN Biodiversity Conference COP17 (Armenia)<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>19-30 October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThis October, the\u00a0<\/span>17th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17)<\/span><\/b>\u00a0will be held in Yerevan, Armenia. The summit serves as the first official global checkpoint to assess how well nations are delivering their commitments under the\u00a0<\/span>Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWatch the interview with Astrid Schomaker,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in the lead up to the Conference.<\/span>\u00a0Read more<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/731339061_1475752414593004_5168853804467455184_n.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
2026 UN Water Conference \u2013 coming up\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in December<\/span><\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe 2026 UN Water Conference<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>will take place from<\/span><\/span>\u00a08<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>10 December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Th<\/span><\/span>e\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and the Republic of Senegal, is an opportunity to strengthen international, mobilize investments and advance innovative solutions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>cooperation to help build a more water-secure future<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Read more<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Highlights<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/worldsocialreport--600x338.png\")
<\/p>\n
Launch of the World Social Report 2026<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>1<\/span>5<\/span>\u00a0October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe 2026 World Social Report (WSR), titled\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The New Economics of Social Inclusion: Making Transformations Work for All,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>published by UN DESA,\u00a0<\/span>states that inclusion is not simply a social goal,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>but a foundation for stronger economies, more trusted institutions and more resilient societies. Watch\u00a0<\/span>the launch\u00a0<\/span>live on\u00a0<\/span><\/span>UN WebTV<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/worldfoodday2026-600x338.png\")
<\/p>\n
World Food Day<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>16 October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nUnder the theme \u201c<\/span>Innovate<\/span>\u00a0today. Nourish tomorrow<\/span>\u201d,<\/span>\u00a0this year\u2019s World Food Day will spotlight fo<\/span>rward-thinking solutions<\/span>\u00a0that<\/span>\u00a0can help ensure that everyone has access to sufficient, diverse, safe, and nutritious foods, while safeguarding the planet for future generations.<\/span>\u00a0Read more on the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>FAO website<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Where We Are<\/strong><\/h3>\nEarth's ecosystems are vital for sustaining human life.\u00a0Forests regulate water cycles, store carbon, protect communities from climate\u00a0extremes\u00a0and provide livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people. Healthy ecosystems underpin food security, health<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and economic prosperity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThere are encouraging signs of progress\u00a0on Goal 15. Deforestation has slowed, protection of key biodiversity areas has expanded, and more than half of the world's forests are now covered by long-term management plans. By 2025, 155 countries had\u00a0established\u00a0national biodiversity targets,\u00a0catalyzed by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.\u00a0Yet more than 48,600 species\u00a0<\/span>face\u00a0extinction, and global extinction risk continues to worsen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span>This October, the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, will bring countries together in Yerevan, Armenia, for the first global review of progress\u00a0on\u00a0Goal 15.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRead More about Goal 15 \u2013 Life on Land<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSDGs in numbers<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Protected coverage of key biodiversity areas averaged 45 per cent in 2025, marking a significant rise from\u00a025 per cent.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- The annual net forest-loss rate dropped by over half, moving from 10.7 million hectares in\u00a0<\/span>1990s to\u00a04.1 million.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- 55 percent\u00a0of the world's forests<\/span>, <\/span>now fall under the scope of long-term management plans.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Initiatives across 78 developing nations\u00a0assisted\u00a0over one million farmers, researchers, and breeders with crop diversity and resilient seeds.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nMedia Resources for journalists\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nExplore the Media Resources hub for the latest from UN WebTV, UN Audiovisual Library, UN Photo,\u00a0UNifeed\u00a0and more!\u00a0https:\/\/media.un.org\/en<\/a>. For the latest UN Reports, click\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n
\u201cTogether, let us make a decisive final push to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a healthy, prosperous future for all.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n\u2013 Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span>UN Secretary-General, 07 July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>In Focus\u00a0<\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n
UN Biodiversity Conference COP17 (Armenia)<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>19-30 October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThis October, the\u00a0<\/span>17th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17)<\/span><\/b>\u00a0will be held in Yerevan, Armenia. The summit serves as the first official global checkpoint to assess how well nations are delivering their commitments under the\u00a0<\/span>Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWatch the interview with Astrid Schomaker,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in the lead up to the Conference.<\/span>\u00a0Read more<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n
2026 UN Water Conference \u2013 coming up\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in December<\/span><\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe 2026 UN Water Conference<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>will take place from<\/span><\/span>\u00a08<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>10 December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Th<\/span><\/span>e\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and the Republic of Senegal, is an opportunity to strengthen international, mobilize investments and advance innovative solutions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>cooperation to help build a more water-secure future<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Read more<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Highlights<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n
Launch of the World Social Report 2026<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>1<\/span>5<\/span>\u00a0October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe 2026 World Social Report (WSR), titled\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The New Economics of Social Inclusion: Making Transformations Work for All,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>published by UN DESA,\u00a0<\/span>states that inclusion is not simply a social goal,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>but a foundation for stronger economies, more trusted institutions and more resilient societies. Watch\u00a0<\/span>the launch\u00a0<\/span>live on\u00a0<\/span><\/span>UN WebTV<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n
World Food Day<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>16 October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nUnder the theme \u201c<\/span>Innovate<\/span>\u00a0today. Nourish tomorrow<\/span>\u201d,<\/span>\u00a0this year\u2019s World Food Day will spotlight fo<\/span>rward-thinking solutions<\/span>\u00a0that<\/span>\u00a0can help ensure that everyone has access to sufficient, diverse, safe, and nutritious foods, while safeguarding the planet for future generations.<\/span>\u00a0Read more on the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>FAO website<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
There are encouraging signs of progress\u00a0on Goal 15. Deforestation has slowed, protection of key biodiversity areas has expanded, and more than half of the world's forests are now covered by long-term management plans. By 2025, 155 countries had\u00a0established\u00a0national biodiversity targets,\u00a0catalyzed by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.\u00a0Yet more than 48,600 species\u00a0<\/span>face\u00a0extinction, and global extinction risk continues to worsen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>This October, the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, will bring countries together in Yerevan, Armenia, for the first global review of progress\u00a0on\u00a0Goal 15.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Read More about Goal 15 \u2013 Life on Land<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n SDGs in numbers<\/b><\/p>\n Media Resources for journalists\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Explore the Media Resources hub for the latest from UN WebTV, UN Audiovisual Library, UN Photo,\u00a0UNifeed\u00a0and more!\u00a0https:\/\/media.un.org\/en<\/a>. For the latest UN Reports, click\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> \u201cTogether, let us make a decisive final push to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a healthy, prosperous future for all.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span>UN Secretary-General, 07 July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> UN Biodiversity Conference COP17 (Armenia)<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>19-30 October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n This October, the\u00a0<\/span>17th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17)<\/span><\/b>\u00a0will be held in Yerevan, Armenia. The summit serves as the first official global checkpoint to assess how well nations are delivering their commitments under the\u00a0<\/span>Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Watch the interview with Astrid Schomaker,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in the lead up to the Conference.<\/span>\u00a0Read more<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> 2026 UN Water Conference \u2013 coming up\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in December<\/span><\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The 2026 UN Water Conference<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>will take place from<\/span><\/span>\u00a08<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>10 December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Th<\/span><\/span>e\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and the Republic of Senegal, is an opportunity to strengthen international, mobilize investments and advance innovative solutions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>cooperation to help build a more water-secure future<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Read more<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> Launch of the World Social Report 2026<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>1<\/span>5<\/span>\u00a0October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The 2026 World Social Report (WSR), titled\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The New Economics of Social Inclusion: Making Transformations Work for All,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>published by UN DESA,\u00a0<\/span>states that inclusion is not simply a social goal,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>but a foundation for stronger economies, more trusted institutions and more resilient societies. Watch\u00a0<\/span>the launch\u00a0<\/span>live on\u00a0<\/span><\/span>UN WebTV<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> World Food Day<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>16 October<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Under the theme \u201c<\/span>Innovate<\/span>\u00a0today. Nourish tomorrow<\/span>\u201d,<\/span>\u00a0this year\u2019s World Food Day will spotlight fo<\/span>rward-thinking solutions<\/span>\u00a0that<\/span>\u00a0can help ensure that everyone has access to sufficient, diverse, safe, and nutritious foods, while safeguarding the planet for future generations.<\/span>\u00a0Read more on the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>FAO website<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/p>\nIn Focus\u00a0<\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>
<\/p>\n<\/p>\nHighlights<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gmilweek2026_610x406-e1790791882187-600x352.jpg\")
<\/p>\n