An Evolutionary Perspective on the Implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were formulated in 2015 by the United Nations to improve human health and achieve sustainable existence at a global level. Failure to reach the SDGs will cause not only increased morbidity and mortality worldwide but also a depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, and irreversible climate warming. Apart from structural and financial barriers, human behavioral reluctance to implement the SDGs is a major challenge. We narratively reviewed and analyzed such behavioral barriers from an evolutionary perspective. One potential explanation of the reluctance to implement the SDGs might be evolved behavioral predispositions that are not consistent with modern, indirectly perceivable threats such as pandemics and climate change. Furthermore, human cooperative behavior did not evolve for long-term cooperation on a global scale. To improve the implementation of the SDGs, it is necessary to develop strategies that are consistent with evolved human behavioral traits.