The Sustainable Development Goals are a call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity everywhere.

These 17 goals form a unique fusion of two global agendas, namely sustainable development and development cooperation. The focus of this agenda is on "universality", which means that implementation must be ensured not only in the Global South, but also on the entire planet.

In order to monitor progress in achieving the UN goals and subgoals, a set of 242 global indicators to measure the 169 sub-targets was presented in March 2016. A central aspect is that several indicators should be divided into relevant categories such as gender, age, geographical location, etc. The SDGs can be divided into 5 main themes: people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership.

The impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is broad and transformative, aiming to address the world's most pressing challenges. Key impacts include:

• Poverty Reduction and Social Inclusion: the SDGs have helped raise awareness and mobilize resources to reduce poverty, improve access to healthcare, education, and social services, and promote equality for marginalized groups.
• Environmental Protection: they have driven global efforts to combat climate change, protect ecosystems, and promote sustainable resource use, resulting in more countries adopting renewable energy and conservation initiatives.
• Global Accountability and Cooperation: The SDGs create a framework for countries, businesses, and organizations to set targets, measure progress, and collaborate on issues such as clean water, food security, and economic development. This fosters accountability and shared responsibility across sectors and nations.

While progress varies by region and goal, the SDGs have elevated sustainable development to a global priority, guiding policy-making and investments for a better future.