Sri Lanka has achieved significant progress on goal No. 1: End Poverty and with significant reduction of all forms of indicators. By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere in the country, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day is well ahead of the target level. But major challenges still remain. 

Sri Lanka has aimed to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Although the scores of SDG 02 are moderately improving, insufficient to attain goal, major challenges still remain.

Sri Lanka has achieved significant improvement of the scores of some of indicators under this goal; it still has major challenges on the Goal No: 03 – “Good Health & Well Being”.

Quality Education which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, is one of the most success stories for Sri Lanka as it has achieved the all the targets of this Goal.

Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls are major objectives under this goal which Sri Lanka very much lags behind the targets with scores stagnating or increasing at less than 50% of required rate. Hence Sri Lanka has much to achieve under the goal no 05.

SDG Goal No: 08, decent work and economic growth recognizes promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. The Scores of the targets of this goal are moderately improving in Sri Lanka or insufficient to attain the goal, Sri Lanka should focus much to achieve the overall targets of the Goal No: 08.

Since the end of civil war, Sri Lanka has rapidly expanded the infrastructure network all around the country, and aimed to increase industrialization which is Goal No: 09 of the SDGs - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. Major challenges still remain.

Goal No: 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Score stagnating or increasing at less than 50% of required rate is major challenge that Sri Lanka deals with.

Although with a background of the sustainable patterns of consumption in the historic past, Sri Lanka has found many challenges in ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns at present which is the goal No: 12 of SDGs. Sri Lanka lacks proper data on this field while it still has so many challenges to overcome to achieve the indicators of this goal.

Sri Lanka has written success story on the SDG goal 13 as it has achieved all indicators of the goal 13 which is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Sri Lanka has shown significant achievement on this particular goal.

As Sri Lanka island nation, there is great significance with sea around which generates huge economic and environmental value for the country. As the SDG 14, Life below Water indicates “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development,” Sri Lanka should still maintain high standards to achieve targets in this goal.

The Goal No: 15 which is to Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss directs Sri Lanka to maintain high standards that it has had earlier in the 20th century as Sri Lanka is one of the countries in the world with high rate of biodiversity. Since the scores of the indicators of this goal are decreasing, Sri Lanka has to take most urgent and necessary actions to meet the goals of SDG Goal 15.

As a war experienced country in the world, Sri Lanka recognizes the importance of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels which is the goal No: 16 of SDGs. There are major challenges remaining to achieve the targets of the Goal No: 16 for Sri Lanka.