The world is off track. According to the latest progress report on sustainable development goals, of the 169 targets, only 14% are on track, while 20% are not even tracked. Disturbingly, 14% show regression, including critical areas like hunger, education, employment, and the environment. The first global stocktake highlights the urgency, showing that to meet temperature targets, emissions must drop by 43% by 2030 as compared to 2019 levels, but current national commitments only achieve a 2% cut—pointing to gaps in both action and data. Acceleration on sustainable development and climate solutions is clearly needed, for which partnerships are key. The present edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit will be held under the theme ‘Partnerships for Accelerating Sustainable Development and Climate Solutions. The Inaugural Session of the World Sustainable Development Summit 2025 will set the stage for the Summit deliberations.