Belgium struggling to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Belgium must make additional efforts to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, according to a report by the Federal Planning Bureau based on the evaluation of 51 indicators. If the current trend continues, only 16 of these will be achieved.

Belgium's path to sustainable development is marked by 17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015. These objectives are themselves divided into several monitoring indicators for a total of 86.

For its evaluation, the Planning Bureau considered 51 indicators, or three per target, over the period 2000-2020. For 25 of them, there is a numerical objective to be achieved by 2030, which makes it possible to accurately assess their evolution. The other 26 can only be assessed on the progress made to achieve them, rather than on statistical factors.

Two evaluation methods have been put in place. For the 25 indicators with a target, the evaluation consists of extending the current trend to see if it meets its target in 2030. This is the case (with a margin of 10%) for eight indicators. On the other hand, of the remaining 20, 17 are not moving fast enough or are moving in the wrong direction and only one could not be evaluated due to large fluctuations.

For the 26 indicators without numerical targets, the method is to assess whether the trend is heading in the right direction. For the period 2000-2020, this is the case for eight of them, while five are in the opposite direction to their objective and 13 have not been evaluated for lack of significant development.

Considering the assessment of these 51 indicators, the Federal Planning Bureau concludes that only two Sustainable Development Goals are progressing favourably: zero hunger, and clean water and sanitation.

On the other hand, the goals for quality education and gender equality reveal a worrying situation. There is no clear trend for the other objectives.