US sets a bad example on this crucial UN agenda

The United Nations General Assembly began its 77th session on September 13, with world leaders now taking center stage during High-Level Week from September 19-23. As the world endures myriad crises that deserve the UN’s attention, one issue is being left to the wayside that profoundly concerns the organization – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015.

The SDGs are a group of 17 global goals meant to be a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” They range from poverty reduction to quality education and are meant to be achieved by 2030. Per UN metrics, the world is falling short of these lofty goals and, in fact, is no longer making progress for the second year in a row as of 2021. 

According to the UN’s annual Sustainable Development Report, the…