Mapping the Implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a process, which has been mobilizing the international community—and resources—in an unprecedented way. However, even though this worldwide movement is expected to mobilize stakeholders from across all society, it remains unclear how this process is yielding the expected results. In an attempt to address this knowledge gap, this study examines the literature on the implementation of the SDGs and performs a mapping of the extent to which they are being implemented. This study combines a bibliometric analysis using the major scientific databases, with a critical appraisal of the experiences and progresses documented in the “Encyclopedia of the UN SDGs”. The results show that whereas significant progress has been seen in implementing some SDGs, other goals remain under‐prioritized or under‐resourced. Also, some goals such as SDG13 (Climate action), SDG 3 (Health and Well Being), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) are more prominently present in the literature, when compared with the others. Based on the findings, the paper outlines some of the research needs, which should be met, so as to address the implementation problems the mapping has identified.