The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were conceived in 2015 as a pathway to galvanise the whole international community towards the common aims of economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. With 6 years to go until the 2030 deadline, how far have we progressed in achieving the 17 distinct targets - and why has investment in education consistently been overlooked? We discuss these themes with Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.