SDG shadow implementation – hidden in plain sight

Global Policy Watch - Briefing #26

By Barbara Adams and the GPW team

The annual UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) has a unique role to review progress, define policies and flag priorities at national, regional and global levels for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the SDGs. This agenda has also become the premier driver and justification for institutional, financial and data reforms and capacity development.

A number  of decisions have been adopted during the twelve months since the last HLPF that are central to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, particularly the measurement of progress towards the SDGs and strategies to finance them. They are complemented by or responsive to proposals of the UN Secretary-General on the funding and institutional architecture of the UN system.

However, these developments are not prominent in the HLPF review process itself and are cause for concern as the current trajectories are inadequate to achieve the 2030 Agenda and do not correct the undermining of multilateralism.