Since the 2019 SDG Summit, global crises stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-reaching socio-economic impacts, intertwined with the worldwide ramifications of the war in Ukraine, mounting financing needs for the SDGs, raising levels of debt and inflation, and the triple planetary crisis have set back progress towards the 2030 Agenda. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, the G20 sought to assume a dual role: first, as a crisis management group committed to “do whatever it takes” to overcome the pandemic and expedite a robust global recovery; second, as a global forum for sustainable development cooperation to uphold the pursuit of, and further align its work with, the 2030 Agenda. 

This joint UNDP-OECD report assesses G20’s attempts over the last four years to drive global recovery and progress towards the SDGs. The analysis unveils that the G20 took unprecedented actions in a wide range of areas, contributing to averting further disruptions. However, it was not sufficient to tackle global challenges and their adverse impacts on developing countries, and further decisive action and effective implementation of G20 commitments are needed to rescue the SDGs.