The Impact of the Pandemic on the Implementation of the “Agenda2030”: Aggravating Problems or a Signal for Action?

Abstract

The coming decade was supposed to be a decade of action, a period of promoting of a common vision and accelerated execution of the "The Sustainable Development Agenda 2030” adopted in 2015 by the UN General Assembly and addressing 17 priority goals, from zero hunger and poverty to effective curbing of climate change. However, the rapid spread of the new COVID-19 virus in a short time has changed the world we are used to beyond recognition. Today it is impossible to find an area that would not be affected by the pandemic. In this article, the authors consider its negative impact on the achievement of the main goals of sustainable development and highlight that, despite “the forced retreat into the shadow” of sustainable development issues, the pandemic demonstrated the need to reformat priorities, “reset” the global world order and step-up work to achieve the SDGs at the national and global levels which, most likely, will again translate into practices already in the post-COVID era. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.