What comes after the Global Goals? Rethinking our shared future

As the world looks beyond the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Dr Simona Costanzo Sow explores why progress depends on shared responsibility, fresh perspectives and a willingness to listen.

The world’s biggest challenges don’t respect national borders. But as 2030 approaches, what comes next for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and how do we turn shared ambitions into meaningful change?

At Future Forum, Dr Simona Costanzo Sow, Chief of Academic Partnerships at the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), joined Michael Hayman MBE, Chair of BPI Group, to explore what the international community has learnt from working towards a common development agenda.

One of the most important shifts brought about by the Global Goals was the recognition that development is everyone’s responsibility. No country has all the answers, and every nation faces challenges in building a better, more sustainable future.

But agreeing on shared priorities is only the beginning. The challenge is translating international commitments into practical action, while balancing immediate pressures with longer-term ambitions.

Costanzo Sow also highlighted the importance of listening to different perspectives, particularly voices that might otherwise be missing from conversations about global development.

After all, meaningful cooperation isn’t simply about bringing people together. It’s about being willing to learn from one another, challenge assumptions and recognise that solutions can emerge from unexpected places.

As the world considers what might follow the SDGs, the conversation raised a question that sits at the heart of Future Forum: who gets to shape what comes next?

Because the future of global progress depends not just on the goals we set, but on the people we bring together to achieve them.