It’s now or never: achieving the SDGs hinges on effective crises response

Still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the world now finds itself confronted with numerous crises on several fronts—financial shocks, the war in Ukraine, food insecurity, climate emergency and energy access, rising poverty and inequality.  Years of progress in achieving many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been all but wiped out. Thus, the need for global solidarity and international cooperation has become ever more urgent.

“We are facing continued inequity in the number of people able to get a shot of COVID-19 vaccines, rising inflation, major supply-chain disruptions, and crippling geopolitical uncertainties,” said United Nations Economic and Social Council President Collen Vixen Kelapile. “We are on a dangerous path to harming future generations, if we do not act now. It is within our power to turn the tide.”

On July 5–15, world leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, advocates, practitioners and activists will come together in the UNHQ building in New York for the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development  and ECOSOC High-level Segment to share their successes — as well as setbacks — in achieving the Global Goals. This year’s theme is “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development".

It will allow participants to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 across all SDGs and examine how the international community can effectively recover from the pandemic in a way that realizes the deep systemic reforms we need in the social, economic, environmental and other areas to realize the SDGs. They will also reflect on how to respond to future crises. The HLPF will review in depth Goal 4 on education, Goal 5 on gender equality, Goal 14 on life below water and Goal 15 on life on land, and how all SDGs hinge on improvements in Goal 17 on partnerships for the Goals.

A more comprehensive overview of the progress made in achieving all 17 Goals will be made available on July 7th at the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022. It is looking more likely that the world will fall far short of accomplishing the SDGs by 2030. Against this backdrop,  the 44 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), taking place on 13–15 July, will be of utmost importance. 44 countries — 21 of which are from Africa — will have an opportunity to share their best practices, challenges and lessons learned in incorporating the SDGs into their national plans and policies. This will allow peer learning on how to ensure an SDG-led response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic while building peace.

There will also be a series of special events and close to 400 side events, some of which in-person, involving governments, international organizations, the private sector and major stakeholders most engaged or impacted by the SDGs.

Time is of the essence. The world needs to get back on track in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Countering the triple C threat of “COVID, conflicts and climate change” will require bold, ambitious, collective action on all fronts. The HLPF aims to galvanize energy and actions to this end.

More information at: https://hlpf.un.org/2022

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 will be available on July 7 at: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/