COLLABORATION
The First-Ever Sequence for Solving the World's Biggest Problems
193 countries agreed on the most important problems the world needed to solve. But the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals came with no guidance on where to start — 169 targets tied in a Gordian knot that The Economist estimated would cost $45 trillion to untangle.
What was missing wasn't ambition. It was sequence. Not which problems matter most — we'd never get agreement on that — but which solutions enable other solutions. After all, when you build a house, you start with the foundation, not the roof.
With the OECD, I surveyed 258 economists, political scientists, and social scientists from around the world to establish that sequence for the first time.
COLLABORATORS: OECD · New America
THE RIGHT ORDER
Top 10 SDG Targets in Ideal Sequence
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11 · Access to energy
12 · End preventable infant death
13 · Literacy & numeracy for kids
14 · Equal opportunity in economic & public life
15 · Ensure equal access to legal rights
16 · Reduce poverty by half
17 · End violence against women
18 · Access to sanitation & hygiene
19 · End human trafficking, harsh labor etc.
20 · Improve tax collection
21 · Access to info
22 · Eliminate child abuse
23 · Provide affordable Internet access
24 · Develop resilient infrastructure
25 · Youth & young adult training & employment
26 · Ensure efficient use of natural resources
27 · Expand social protection for poor
28 · Reduce violence
29 · Boost economic productivity through diversification
30 · Expand sustainable resilient food production
31 · Safe migration of people
32 · Reduce maternal mortality
33 · Participatory planning
34 · Promote sustainable development
35 · Access to reproductive health care
36 · Enhance ability to gather data
37 · Tax policy for fossil fuels
38 · Curtail epidemic of communicable diseases
39 · Ensure year-round food
40 · Boost per-capita GDP
41 · Combat organized crime
42 · Reduce water pollution, water treatment
43 · Protect worker rights
44 · Safe accessible roads & public transit
45 · Conserve & manage forests
46 · Eliminate disparity in education
47 · Understanding of climate change & sustainable development
48 · Address biodiversity and climate change locally
49 · Understanding of human rights, nonviolence & diversity
50 · Safe & productive employment
51 · Prevent crime & terrorism
52 · Expand access to financial services for small businesses
53 · Access to legal identity
54 · Promote small & medium-size business
55 · Reduce waste through recycling
56 · Protect the vulnerable from economic, social & environmental disaster
57 · Promote civil society partnerships
58 · Halt loss of flora & fauna
59 · Water use efficiency
60 · Ensure access to housing
61 · Energy efficiency
62 · Combat water scarcity
63 · International efforts for governance, economics etc.
64 · Sustainable urbanization
65 · Increase investment in rural infrastructure & productive capacity
66 · Boost availability of teachers
67 · Strengthen ability to withstand natural disaster
68 · R&D for vaccine and Rx
69 · Boost employment & GDP of sustainable industry
70 · Combat desertification, restore degraded land
71 · Development aid & direct foreign investment
72 · Decouple local economic growth from environmental degradation
73 · End illegal fishing
74 · End poaching
75 · Return stolen assets
76 · Reduce transaction cost of migration
77 · Promote mental health & wellness
78 · Protect marine ecosystems
79 · Conserve terrestrial freshwater ecosystem
80 · Encourage environmentally sound industrial business
81 · Reduce food waste
82 · Hire & train health care workers
83 · Boost scientific R&D
84 · Double productivity of small-scale food producers
85 · Protect local cultural heritage
86 · Ensure access to financial services for small business
87 · Encourage biz to report sustainability efforts
88 · Reduce death & illness from pollution
89 · Improve chemical waste management
90 · Maintain genetic diversity of agricultural plants & animals
91 · Reduce death from non-communicable disease
92 · Reduce casualties from natural disaster
93 · Improve early warning of health risk
94 · Advance science & technology
95 · Minimize ocean acidification
96 · Protect local natural heritage
97 · Scholarships in emerging fields
98 · Promote sustainable public procurement
99 · Conserve coastal areas
100 · Reduce food price volatility
101 · Reduce marine pollution
102 · Expand sharing of genetic resources
103 · Support local tech R&D
104 · Integrated water management
105 · Value domestic labor
106 · Boost share of global exports
107 · Implement WHO tobacco plan
108 · Provide safe green space
109 · Regional planning for urban-rural connection
110 · Upgrade safety & accessibility of school buildings
111 · Boost marine science
112 · Develop environmental disaster plans
113 · Promote tourism, local culture
114 · Reduce road deaths
115 · Conserve mountains
116 · Provide fishermen access to markets
117 · Reverse effects of alien species on ecosystems
The original list included 169 targets. But we removed 52 — either because they were redundant or because they applied only to specific country types, such as small island nations.
CONTRIBUTORS
278 economists, political scientists, and social scientists from institutions including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, the World Bank, IMF, OECD, Brookings, Carnegie Endowment, and the London School of Economics
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Dr. Andrew Abbott (University of Chicago) · Mr. Ammar Abu Zayyad (Open Society Foundations) · Mr. Brad Adams (Human Rights Watch) · Dr. Jonathan Addleton (USAID) · Ms. Liwayway Adkins (OECD) · Dr. Nikhil Agarwal (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) · Mr. Shardul Agrawala (OECD) · Ms. Aziza Akhmouch (OECD) · Mr. Abdulwahab Alkebsi (Center for International Private Enterprise) · Mr. Mark Allen (Center for Social & Economic Research) · Dr. Tim Allen (London School of Economics) · Dr. Laura Diaz Anadon (Harvard University) · Ms. Cheryl Anderson (USAID) · Dr. Belinda Archibong (Columbia University) · Ms. Nazanin Ash (Center for Global Development) · Mr. Andrew Auerbach (OECD) · Dr. Joao Pedro Azevdo (World Bank) · Ms. Raya Barazanji (United States Institute of Peace) · Mr. Owen Barder (Center for Global Development) · Mr. Sebastian Barnes (OECD) · Dr. Robert Barro (Harvard University) · Mr. Kristof Bender (European Stability Initiative) · Ms. Joelline Benefice (OECD) · Mr. Vincent Benezech (OECD) · Mr. Emmanuel Bergasse (Center for Social & Economic Research) · Ms. Monica Bhatia (OECD) · Ms. Romina Boarini (OECD) · Mr. Federico Bonaglia (OECD) · Dr. Reuben Brigety II (Council on Foreign Relations) · Ms. Kaysie Brown (United Nations Foundation) · Ms. Tihana Bule (OECD) · Dr. Daniel Calingaert (Freedom House) · Mr. Neil Campbell (Open Society Foundations) · Ms. Ivana Capozza (OECD) · Mr. David Caprara (Brookings Institution) · Mr. Thomas Carothers (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Mr. Duncan Cass Beggs (OECD) · Dr. Miguel Centeno (Princeton University) · Mr. Laurence Chandy (Brookings Institution) · Ms. Sarah Chayes (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Dr. John Ciorciari (University of Michigan) · Ms. Peggy Clark (Aspen Institute) · Dr. William Cline (Peterson Institute for International Economics) · Mr. Guillaume Cohen (OECD) · Dr. Matt Collin (World Bank) · Dr. Susan Collins (University of Michigan) · Ms. Francesca Colombo (OECD) · Dr. Joseph Conti (University of Wisconsin) · Ms. Laura Cozzi (OECD) · Ms. Mollie Cretsinger (OECD) · Ms. Yvonne Darkwa-Poku (MacArthur Foundation) · Dr. Reinout De Bock (International Monetary Fund) · Dr. Irineu de Carvalho Filho (International Monetary Fund) · Mr. George Deikun (USAID) · Mr. Alex Deprez (USAID) · Dr. Raj Desai (Brookings Institution) · Dr. Larry Diamond (National Endowment for Democracy) · Mr. Ben Dickinson (OECD) · Ambassador Paula Dobriansky (Harvard University) · Ms. Ebba Dohlman (OECD) · Dr. Daniel Drezner (Brookings Institution) · Mr. Jean-Christophe Dumont (OECD) · Mr. Charles Dunne (Middle East Institute) · Dr. Michele Dunne (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Ms. Casey Dunning (Millennium Challenge Corporation) · Dr. William Easterly (New York University) · Ambassador Eric Edelman (United States Institute of Peace) · Mr. John Egan (OECD) · Mr. Poul Engberg Pedersen (OECD) · Dr. Ivan Ermakoff (University of Wisconsin) · Dr. Jean-Paul Faguet (London School of Economics) · Dean Lee Feinstein (Indiana University) · Dr. Raquel Fernandez (New York University) · Dr. Catherine Fieschi (Counterpoint) · Dr. Mike Findley (University of Texas) · Dean Marilyn Flynn (University of Southern California) · Mr. Robert Ford (OECD) · Ms. Marta Foresti (Overseas Development Institute) · Mr. Martin Forst (OECD) · Dr. Marion Fourcade (University of California - Berkeley) · Mr. Douglas Frantz (OECD) · Ms. Lynn Fredriksson (Freedom House) · Dr. Caroline Freund (Peterson Institute for International Economics) · Professor Julia Fromholtz (Arizona State University) · Ms. Sara Fyson (OECD) · Ms. Lauren Galacia (Freedom House) · Mr. Arvind Ganesan (Human Rights Watch) · Mr. Tom Garrett (International Republican Institute) · Dr. Alan Gelb (Center for Global Development) · Dr. Gaston Gelos (International Monetary Fund) · Mr. Carl Gershman (National Endowment for Democracy) · Mr. Daniel Gerson (OECD) · Mr. Michael Gestrin (OECD) · Ms. Gargee Ghosh (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) · Dr. John Glenn (U.S. Global Leadership Coalition) · Mr. James Goldston (Open Society Foundations) · Dr. Stuart Gordon (London School of Economics) · Mr. Michael Green (Social Progress Imperative) · Ms. Shannon Green (Center for Strategic & International Studies) · Ms. Louisa Greve (National Endowment for Democracy) · Dr. Lloyd Gruber (London School of Economics) · Mr. Alejandro Guerrero Ruiz (OECD) · Mr. Jeffrey Gutman (Brookings Institution) · Ms. Barbara Haig (National Endowment for Democracy) · Dr. Morton Halperin (Open Society Foundations) · Mr. David Harden (USAID) · Dr. Caroline Harper (Overseas Development Institute) · Mr. Masato Hayashikawa (OECD) · Mr. Edward Hedger (Overseas Development Institute) · Dr. Robert Herman (Freedom House) · Dr. Gary Herrigel (University of Chicago) · Mr. Paul Horrocks (OECD) · Ms. Irène Hors (OECD) · Mr. Scott Hubli (National Democratic Institute) · Dr. Macartan Humphreys (Columbia University) · Mr. William Hynes (OECD) · Dr. Elena Jarocinska (Center for Social & Economic Research) · Mr. Stephen Johnson (International Republican Institute) · Ms. Karen Jorgensen (OECD) · Dr. Sigrun Kahl (Yale University) · Dr. Robert Kahn (Council on Foreign Relations) · Dr. Dean Karlan (Yale University) · Ms. Katia Karousakis (OECD) · Ms. Rima Kawas (International Republican Institute) · Mr. Mark Keese (OECD) · Dr. Daniel Keniston (Yale University) · Mr. Homi Kharas (Brookings Institution) · Mr. Adnan Kifayat (The German Marshall Fund) · Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Mr. Gerald Knaus (European Stability Initiative) · Mr. David Kramer (Arizona State University) · Dr. Melvyn Krauss (Stanford University) · Mr. T. Kumar (Amnesty International USA) · Mr. Andrzej Kwiecinski (OECD) · Ambassador Mark Lagon (Freedom House) · Mr. Frans Lammersen (OECD) · Mr. Edwin Lau (OECD) · Mr. Xavier Leflaive (OECD) · Ambassador Maria Leissner (Community of Democracies) · Mr. Patrick Lenain (OECD) · Dr. Phil Levy (Chicago Council on Global Affairs) · Dr. Santiago Levy (Inter-American Development Bank) · Ms. Carina Lindberg (OECD) · Dr. Johannes Linn (Brookings Institution) · Ms. Myriam Linster (OECD) · Dr. Sida Liu (University of Wisconsin) · Ms. Clare Lockhart (Yale University) · Dr. Kristin Lord (IREX) · Mr. Barry Lowenkron (The German Marshall Fund) · Mr. Hans Lundgren (OECD) · Mr. Derek Luyten (International Republican Institute) · Mr. Rahul Malhotra (OECD) · Ms. Sarah Margon (Human Rights Watch) · Mr. Jean-Francois Marteau (World Bank) · Ms. Elisa Massimino (Human Rights First) · Mr. Michael Matera (Center for Strategic & International Studies) · Dr. John Mukum Mbaku (Brookings Institution) · Mr. John McArthur (Brookings Institution) · Dr. Rachel McCleary (Harvard University) · Ms. Ida Mcdonnell (OECD) · Mr. Stephen McInerney (Project on Middle East Democracy) · Mr. Thomas Melia (USAID) · Ambassador Sarah Mendelson (United Nations) · Ms. Mathilde Mesnard (OECD) · Mr. Duncan Millard (OECD) · Dr. Prachi Mishra (International Monetary Fund) · Dr. Philipa Mladovsky (London School of Economics) · Mr. John Morrell (Center for International Private Enterprise) · Dr. Todd Moss (Center for Global Development) · Mr. Patrick Moulette (OECD) · Ms. Susan Nicolai (Overseas Development Institute) · Ms. Julia Nielson (OECD) · Mr. Stephen Nix (International Republican Institute) · Ms. Ana Novik (OECD) · Ms. Keiko Nowacka (OECD) · Mr. Paul O'Brien (OECD) · Mr. Robin Ogilvy (OECD) · Mr. Joaquim Oliveira Martins (OECD) · Dr. Benjamin Olken (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) · Mr. Adam Ostry (OECD) · Ms. Beth Paige (USAID) · Ms. Maura Pally (Clinton Foundation) · Ms. Sara Pantuliano (Overseas Development Institute) · Dr. Stewart Patrick (Council on Foreign Relations) · Ambassador Mary Ann Peters (The Carter Center) · Dr. Michael Peters (Yale University) · Mr. Vukasin Petrovic (Freedom House) · Mr. Stephen Pickford (Chatham House) · Dr. Helene Poirson (International Monetary Fund) · Ms. Cindy Pollet (OECD) · Dr. Carlos Ponce (Freedom House) · Dr. Christian Pop-Eleches (Columbia University) · Dr. Lant Pritchett (Center for Global Development) · Mr. Arch Puddington (Freedom House) · Ms. Roberta Quadrelli (OECD) · Dr. Vijaya Ramachandran (Center for Global Development) · Mr. Shaun Reidy (OECD) · Mr. Jan Rielaender (OECD) · Dr. Kenneth Rogoff (Council on Foreign Relations) · Mr. Daniel Runde (Center for Strategic & International Studies) · Mr. Doug Rutzen (International Center for Not-for-Profit Law) · Ms. Angelica Salvi Del Pero (OECD) · Mr. Conor Savoy (Center for Strategic & International Studies) · Dr. Yezid Sayigh (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Rep. Marietje Schaake (European Parliament) · Dr. Kim Lane Scheppele (Princeton University) · Mr. Marc Schleifer (Center for International Private Enterprise) · Ms. Liz Schrayer (U.S. Global Leadership Coalition) · Ms. Rachel Scott (OECD) · Mr. Simon Scott (OECD) · Dr. Brad Setser (Council on Foreign Relations) · Ms. Anita Sharma (United Nations Foundation) · Ms. Ritu Sharma (Center for Strategic & International Studies) · Ms. Cecile Shea (Chicago Council on Global Affairs) · Ms. Shruti Singh (OECD) · Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter (New America) · Ms. Dina Smeltz (Chicago Council on Global Affairs) · Dr. Juan Sole (International Monetary Fund) · Dr. Konstantin Sonin (University of Chicago) · Mr. Ernesto Soria Morales (OECD) · Mr. Joseph Stead (OECD) · Dr. Maria Stephan (United States Institute of Peace) · Dr. John Sullivan (Center for International Private Enterprise) · Dr. Ann Swidler (University of California - Berkeley) · Mr. Wieslaw Szczuka (World Bank) · Dr. Theodore Talbot (Center for Global Development) · Ms. Cristina Tebar Less (OECD) · Mr. Stephen Thomsen (OECD) · Dr. Tomicah Tillemann (New America) · Dr. Camilo Tovar (International Monetary Fund) · Dr. Cihan Ziya Tugal (University of California - Berkeley) · Dr. Christopher Udry (Yale University) · Dr. Milan Vaishnav (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Mr. Joao Vasconcelos (OECD) · Dr. Eric Verhoogen (Columbia University) · Mr. Jose Miguel Vivanco (Human Rights Watch) · Ambassador Kurt Volker (Arizona State University) · Dr. James Walsh (International Monetary Fund) · Dr. Susan Waltz (University of Michigan) · Mr. Michael Ward (OECD) · Dr. Alfred Watkins (Global Solutions Summit) · Dr. Catherine Weaver (University of Texas) · Dr. Eric Weese (Kobe University, Japan) · Dr. Barry Weingast (Stanford University) · Mr. Thomas Weko (OECD) · Ms. Sarah Leah Whitson (Human Rights Watch) · Dr. Dirk Willem te Velde (Overseas Development Institute) · Ambassador Clint Williamson (Arizona State University) · Mr. Damon Wilson (The Atlantic Council) · Ms. Karen Wilson (OECD) · Dr. Jonathan Wyrtzen (Yale University) · Dr. Anna Wziatek-Kubiak (Center for Social & Economic Research) · Ms. Talita Yamashiro Fordelone (OECD) · Dr. Richard Youngs (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) · Mr. Ziga Zarnic (OECD) · Mr. John Zemko (Center for International Private Enterprise) · Mr. Roman Zhukovskyi (World Bank) · Mr. Felix Zimmermann (OECD)