U.N. News: Sustainable Development Summit: ‘We must step up our efforts — now,’ Guterres declares
“‘The 2030 Agenda is coming to life,’ declared the U.N. chief on Tuesday, referring to the blueprint for a healthier planet and a more just world, as he launched the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit in New York. However, despite encouraging progress, António Guterres warned that much more needs to be done, and ‘we must step up our efforts. Now.’ The two-day summit, one of the five high-level summits and meetings taking place during the opening week of the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly, will allow leaders from government, business, and other sectors to identify specific actions on the road to 2030…” (9/24).

Xinhua: U.N. chief warns SDGs off track, calls for more actions
“… ‘We are off track,’ Guterres said, adding that deadly conflicts, the climate crisis, gender-based violence, and persistent inequalities are undermining efforts to achieve the goals. Uneven growth, rising debt levels, [and] heightened global trade tensions are creating new obstacles to implementation, he said. ‘Half the wealth around the world is held by people who could fit around a conference table’…” (9/25).

Xinhua: World leaders call for multilateral approach towards common challenges
“World leaders attending the ongoing General Debate of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 74) on Tuesday voiced strong support for multilateralism and called for international cooperation to tackle common threats and challenges together. … The General Debate of UNGA 74 opened Tuesday at the U.N. headquarters in New York with the theme of ‘Galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion’…” (9/25).