The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders at the United Nations on 25 September 2015, is a broad and ambitious plan of action for people, planet and prosperity, with the overarching objective of leaving no one behind. At its core are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets.

As this editorial is written, war has broken out in Europe. The current terrible crisis caused by the large scale aggression by Russia against Ukraine constitutes a clear violation of international law and a serious threat to the rules-based international order. It constitutes a direct threat to peace and stability on the continent and puts the most elementary human rights at risk. It also casts a dark cloud on the possibility of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The dangers are real and reach far beyond the European continent. Global peace and security may be disrupted and many countries across the world are likely to be affected by the economic and social consequences of this act of aggression.

The 2030 Agenda sets out ambitious goals for people, the planet and prosperity. How far have OECD countries travelled to reach the SDGs? How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted countries’ progress? And how much is the assessment of where OECD countries stand being affected by what we currently do not know? The OECD report The Short and Winding Road to 2030: Measuring Distance to the SDG Targets aims to help Member countries evaluate where they currently stand with regard to the SDGs, to assess the direction and pace of their recent trajectory, and to identify areas where additional effort is needed. It also sets out the statistical agenda ahead – showing how much we do not yet know and how this might affect both the achievement of the SDGs and decisions about what to prioritise across this vast agenda.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015 by all the members of the United Nations, has an unprecedented ambition, but also confronts countries with complex challenges. This report aims to help OECD Member countries meet their obligations to monitor and report on the SDGs by looking at how far OECD countries have come in achieving each of the SDG targets for which data exist. The chapter finds that while a few targets have already been met (mainly those relating to securing decent living standards and to the implementation of policy tools and frameworks), in many areas OECD countries still have a long road to travel. In particular, OECD countries have scope to strengthen their efforts to ensure that no one is left behind, to restore trust in institutions and to limit pressures on the natural environment.

The “People” theme of the 2030 Agenda aims at eradicating poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential, in particular in terms of health and education, and including without being penalised because of their gender. Relying on the global indicator framework, this chapter assesses whether by 2030 the OECD countries are likely to achieve the SDG targets that focus on People. It shows where OECD countries are standing both in terms of their current performance and in terms of changes over time, and what part of the People theme of the 2030 Agenda currently remains unmeasurable. It also discusses some of the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the People targets.

The “Planet” theme of the 2030 Agenda focuses on protecting the planet through limiting climate change and encouraging more sustainable consumption and production along with the sustainable management of water resources, oceans and terrestrial biodiversity. Relying on the global indicator framework, this chapter assesses whether OECD countries are likely to achieve the SDG targets on the Planet. It shows where OECD countries are standing in terms of their current performance but also in terms of changes over time, and what part of the 2030 Agenda on the Planet currently remains unmeasurable. It also discusses some of the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Planet targets.

The “Prosperity” theme of the 2030 Agenda aims at ensuring “access to prosperous and fulfilling lives” and covers the interactions between economic, social and technological progress and the environment. Relying on the global indicator framework, this chapter assesses whether OECD countries are likely to achieve the SDG targets focusing on Prosperity by 2030. It shows where OECD countries are standing in terms of their current performance but also considers recent changes over time, and what part of the 2030 Agenda currently remains unmeasurable. It also discusses some of the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Prosperity targets.

The “Peace” theme of the 2030 Agenda aims at promoting “peaceful, just and inclusive societies”, while the “Partnerships” theme looks at the means required to implement all the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda. Relying on the global indicator framework, this chapter assesses whether OECD countries are likely to achieve the SDG targets pertaining to Peace and Partnership by 2030. It shows where OECD countries are standing in terms of their current performance but also in terms of recent changes over time. It also shows what part of the 2030 Agenda on Peace and Partnerships currently remains unmeasurable and discusses some of the likely impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Peace and Partnership targets.

With the aim of helping its Member countries to implement the 2030 Agenda, and at their request, the OECD has developed a unique methodology for measuring the distance that OECD countries have to travel to achieve SDG targets. Since 2016, a series of reports has shown OECD average and country-level distances from the SDG targets based on indicators from UN and OECD databases. These reports also presented the current data gaps, identifying areas where statistical development would be critical to assess whether OECD governments are meeting the commitments they made when signing the 2030 Agenda in 2015.