WILL THE GOALS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BE ACHIEVED IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?

Abstract

Purpose - To harmonize diverse aspects of development, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlined three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. The goals of the 2030 Agenda cover a wide range of different development issues in which the principles of sustainability are applied at international, national, regional, and local levels. According to the Sustainable Development Goals Report (SDGR, 2023), the European Union is on track to achieve approximately 66% of the Sustainable Development Goals and is making limited progress on an additional 20% of the goals based on key indicators. However, it is falling behind on 13% of the stated goals. The aim of this study is to analyze selected indicators in relation to specific Sustainable Development Goals in targeted countries of the European Union in order to answer the research question: Are the Sustainable Development Goals being achieved in the European Union? Methodology - Eurostat data was analyzed against selected 2030 Agenda indicators to determine progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals in selected European Union countries. Results - Localization of the SDGs is the process of translating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into the local context., This includes identifying challenges, as well as defining, implementing and monitoring local actions and policies that contribute to the global achievement of the SDGs. The analysis indicates that EU member states are making progress on some goals but most still have room for improvement. Contribution - The analysis in this article contributes to the broader understanding of SDG indicators of the EU Member States and the importance of local actors in the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The article further recommends the launch of a new EU program for the exchange of best practices between cities and regions across the EU, as well as cities in non-EU regions and continents. This would facilitate identification of global best practices and promote international cooperation. The article also identifies the need to harmonize statistical data for all EU regions.