The NCD Countdown to 2030 tracks global progress on non-communicable diseases against commitments to reduce deaths from NCDs by a third by 2030. The report notes that although premature death from NCDs is declining in the majority of countries, the pace of change is too slow to achieve SDG target 3.4 in most countries. The authors used mathematical modelling to assess how many options countries have for accelerating mortality decline. The report also highlights five interventions needed to move countries forward.