News

Prof. Phoebe Koundouri has the great honor to announce that, on 20 September 2025, she was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists tasked with drafting the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR). This report is widely regarded as the most critical of the Global Sustainable Development Reports, serving as the final assessment before the 2030 deadline of the UN Agenda 2030, and will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Agenda.

Published every four years, the GSDR is a flagship UN science-policy report that strengthens the connection between science, policy, and society. Building on the legacies of The Future is Now (2019) and Times of Crisis, Times of Change (2023), the report will serve as a rigorous, evidence-based resource to support policymakers in accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The newly formed Independent Group of Scientists brings together a diverse range of experts from all regions of the world, spanning the natural and social sciences, economics, law, business, and policy. The group will provide scientific guidance on the state of global sustainable development, address emerging challenges, and offer actionable recommendations for governments, the private sector, and civil society.

Today, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the first Member State briefing was held to officially launch this process. Supported by a UN task team — comprising the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNCTAD, and the World Bank — the initiative will engage a broad network of stakeholders to ensure that the 2027 GSDR is inclusive, relevant, and impactful.

For more information, visit: GSDR Overview
Read the official press release here: UN Press Release