The world is at a critical juncture in financing sustainable development. With official development assistance (ODA) on the decline, countries must increasingly rely on sustainable, domestically generated resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To support this shift, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the 3 by 35 Initiative—a global campaign to raise the real prices of three harmful products—tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks—by at least 50% through tax increases by 2035, tailored to each country’s specific context.

The initiative is designed both to curb the consumption of these products and to generate an additional US$ 1 trillion in public revenue worldwide over the next decade. These three products are major drivers of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which remain the leading cause of death and disability globally. Tobacco alone claims more than 7 million lives each year, while alcohol and sugary drinks further worsen the burden of NCDs, threatening health, productivity, and sustainable development.

By strengthening health taxes, the 3 by 35 Initiative seeks to reduce harmful consumption, save millions of lives, and secure critical domestic resources for development. Evidence shows that a one-time tax increase leading to a 50% price rise could generate up to US$ 3.7 trillion in new revenue within five years—about US$ 740 billion annually, or 0.75% of global GDP. Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/who-initiative-targets-tobacco-alcohol-sugary-drinks-10107561/