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Stockholm, London – The core principles of indivisibility, integration and universality are essential to the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 but have not been fully embedded in the necessary policies, institutions, and regulatory frameworks, argue Nina Weitz and SEI colleagues in a Comment in Nature Sustainability.
The 2030 Agenda.
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The authors outline their recommendations for putting the core principles into practice, and ensuring that they are reflected in progress measurement, during the second half of SDG implementation.
The 17 SDGs were established in 2015 as an urgent call to action by all countries to tackle global challenges such as poverty and inequality, climate change and environmental decline. 2023 marks the midway point to the 2030 implementation deadline, but SDG progress has so far been slow and piecemeal.
Nina Weitz and colleagues highlight that:
Thus far the core principles of indivisibility, integration and universality have been 'little more than catchphrases', but that without these principles, the SDGs are no more than a 'compilation of goals and targets that already existed under other agreements'. However, this halfway point offers an opportunity to tackle the faltering SDG progress and accelerate implementation up to 2030.
Nina Weitz, Måns Nilsson, Åsa Persson, Henrik Carlsen and Therese Bennich
The authors make a series of recommendations to strengthen the alignment between implementation and the core principles, which would “not only accelerate progress towards the vision of the 2030 Agenda but also revive confidence that multilateral cooperation can solve urgent, multiple and intertwined global challenges”.
In particular, with respect to indivisibility and universality, the authors emphasize:
In particular, with respect to indivisibility and universality, we emphasize the importance of the interlinkages between the different SDGs, and the need for researchers and policymakers to provide stronger evidence on how progress towards one goal may positively or negatively affect progress towards another goal — including across country borders.
Weitz, Nilsson, Persson, Carlsen and Bennich
Additionally, the United Nations should facilitate peer learning among member states on aspects such as the integration of socio-economic development and environment goals.
In total, the authors make 11 recommendations to help return SDG implementation to the core, underlying principles set out in 2015.
This press release refers to a Nature Sustainability Comment piece, not a Nature Sustainability research paper or article. Comment pieces are topical, authoritative Op-Eds pertaining to scientific research and its ramifications.
This Comment is part of the Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals Collection, which marks the mid-point of the 15-year period envisioned to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The Collection includes content published in journals across the Nature Portfolio and highlights the progress made towards the SDGs.
Springer Nature is committed to boosting the visibility of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and relevant information and evidence published in our journals and books. The research described in this press release pertains to all 17 SDGs. More information can be found here.
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