Government falling short on commitments to create a sustainable society says UCL co-authored report
3 October 2022
UCL experts led the research for a report evaluating the UK’s progress towards delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 17 SDGs are the core of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Along with all Member States, the UK adopted the goals in 2015. They provide a framework for the world’s ongoing economic growth, while protecting the environment and addressing social inequalities. The Goals cover topics ranging from work, economic growth, health and wellbeing, climate action and infrastructure, and set out a number of targets for signatories to address, in order to deliver on their commitment to a fairer and more sustainable society.
Over 100 organisations and individuals were engaged in the production of the Measuring Up 2.0 report, including businesses, charities, academia, and professional associations. These include members of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) UK Hub, which is hosted at UCL by the Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose (IIPP).
Researchers at UCL IIPP have contributed to Measuring Up 2.0, a new report of the UK’s performance against the SDGs. The report has highlighted the Government’s continued lack of progress towards meeting its commitments to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the UK.
"Urgent action is needed"
Dr Kate Roll, Anca Tacu and Abby Hauver (UCL IIPP) identified and collected data for the report and authored chapters on the UK’s progress towards its commitments on SDG 13: Climate Action, and on recommendations for addressing deficiencies in the collection of data underpinning the report. It is a follow-up to the first Measuring Up report, published in 2018, and shows the worsening state of many of the SDG Goals in the UK, particularly those related to poverty and inequality.
Dr Roll said: “This report highlights the significant danger of quality of life getting worse in the UK if action is not taken, particularly in light of the energy and cost-of-living crisis and of the increased risks of climate change.”
“Urgent action is needed to ensure the UK achieves the ambitious commitments it made to end poverty, inequalities, and reduce the risks of climate change and ecological decline,” she added.
The 2022 report identified improvements in 23 Targets, regression in 18 Targets, and no change in 65 of the Targets in which the UK was judged to be performing poorly or not well in 2018.
The report was published by the UN Global Compact Network UK, a network of more than 850 organisations dedicated to driving sustainable growth through responsible business practices, including SDGs.
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UCL Institute of Innovation & Public Purpose