Success factors of global goal‐setting for sustainable development: Learning from the Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were an important precursor to the Sustainable (SDGs). Hence, identifying conditions that made MDGs successful enhances our understanding of global goal-setting and informs endeavour achieve SDGs. Drawing on a comprehensive review 316 articles published between 2009 2018, we identify six factors have enabled or hindered MDG implementation. Our analysis stresses importance path dependencies shows catalysed changes only for those countries with sufficient resource availability, administrative capacity economic development, as well adequate support from external donors. National ownership NGO pressure bolstered efforts implement MDGs. These findings suggest globally agreed goals do not easily trickle down national level. Thus, this article adopts forward-looking perspective draws key lessons current implementation SDGs in developing countries.