Strengthening SDG Monitoring: How BRICS Can Complement Global Review?

(Sandra Thachirickal Prathap – Observer Research Foundation) As the 2030 deadline approaches, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at a pivotal juncture. Launched in 2015 under the United Nations (UN) as a shared roadmap for people, planet, and prosperity, the 17 goals were designed to balance national priorities with collective global action. Nearly a decade on, the picture is mixed. Some countries and sectors have made tangible progress, driven by sustained political focus and sectoral innovation. Others, however, continue to struggle amid financial pressures, institutional gaps, and growing geopolitical uncertainty. This uneven progress points to a deeper challenge. The challenge is not solely one of resources or ambition, but also of institutional capacity. The SDGs operate as commitments under international soft law rather than legally binding obligations, relying on political will, peer engagement, and review processes to encourage implementation. Sustainable development cannot advance on declarations alone; it requires systems that track progress, identify structural bottlenecks, and enable timely course correction. As 2030 approaches and discussions turn to what follows, the question is whether existing review mechanisms are sufficient or whether complementary platforms such as BRICS can help reinforce implementation. – Strengthening SDG Monitoring: How BRICS Can Complement Global Review?