Mapping the Implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Bibliographic Data

ID12306954
AuthorsWalter Leal Filho (0000-0002-1241-5225, Department of Natural Sciences Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester UK), Tony Wall (0000-0003-2334-3279, Liverpool Business School Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK), Amanda Lange Salvia (0000-0002-4549-7685, European School of Sustainability Science and Research Hamburg University of Applied Sciences Hamburg Germany, corresponding author), Pınar Gökçin Özuyar (0000-0002-2505-2216, Department of Business Administration Bahçeşehir University Istanbul Turkey), Luciana Brandli (0000-0002-0763-7149, Graduate Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Passo Fundo Passo Fundo Rio Grande do Sul Brazil), Anabela Marisa Azul (0000-0003-3295-1284, CNC‐UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology Rua Larga, University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal), A Sharifi (0000-0002-8983-8613, The IDEC Institute & Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS) Hiroshima University Higashihiroshima Japan)
Year2025
Volume33
IssueS1
Pages561-576
Publication date2025-06-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSustainable Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0968-0802 • E-ISSN: 1099-1719
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/sd.70012
OpenAlexW4411611916
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited81

The implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a process, which has been mobilizing the international community—and resources—in an unprecedented way. However, even though this worldwide movement is expected to mobilize stakeholders from across all society, it remains unclear how this process is yielding the expected results. In an attempt to address this knowledge gap, this study examines the literature on the implementation of the SDGs and performs a mapping of the extent to which they are being implemented. This study combines a bibliometric analysis using the major scientific databases, with a critical appraisal of the experiences and progresses documented in the “Encyclopedia of the UN SDGs”. The results show that whereas significant progress has been seen in implementing some SDGs, other goals remain under‐prioritized or under‐resourced. Also, some goals such as SDG13 (Climate action), SDG 3 (Health and Well Being), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) are more prominently present in the literature, when compared with the others. Based on the findings, the paper outlines some of the research needs, which should be met, so as to address the implementation problems the mapping has identified

Business · Economics · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Political science · Process management · Regional science · Sustainable development · Environmental and Social Impact Assessments · Sustainable Building Design and Assessment · Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy

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