This joint UNDP-UNRISD report reviews recent trends in six areas that are fundamentally important to achieving the 2030 Agenda. These six 'mega-trends' relate to (i) poverty and inequalities, (ii) demography, (iii) environmental degradation and climate change, (iv) shocks and crisis, (v) development cooperation and financing for development, and (vi) technological innovation. Some of the trends are positive, including on the reduction of absolute poverty and several technological innovations. Yet negative trends in several of the others pose a significant risk to the realization of the SDGs. The report explores this in more detail and discusses policy implications for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.