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  2. High-level Political Forum 2016
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  4. Creating Ownership At The National Level

Creating ownership at the national level

In September 2015, the Member States of the United Nations adopted the historic 2030 Agenda, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core. The Agenda and the SDGs were only aspirations, however, until they were brought back to Capitals around the world—and to cities, states, regions and provinces—and absorbed into the national context. This session will address the process of nationalizing and localizing the SDGs, including the institutional and policy challenges and opportunities, progress to date, and prognosis for the future.

The 2030 Agenda is defined by its universal nature, serving developing and developed countries alike. But this universality is meaningful only with the understanding that one size does not fit all circumstances. As Member States embark on the process of bringing the SDGs to the national level, they are adapting the 2030 Agenda to pre-existing national sustainable development strategies and plans and also, concurrently, adapting national strategies and plans to the Agenda. This two-way process takes a variety of shapes. Based on the experiences and institutional arrangements from the Millennium Development Goals, countries will be focusing on a broader range of goals and targets under a universal agenda. Thus domestic implementation means breaking new ground and adopting a new mind set.

In both developing and developed countries, governments will succeed in implementing the 2030 Agenda only if they engage a wide range of stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Civil society, academia, parliamentarians, local authorities, and business people together constitute the national landscape, and they together will create national ownership of the SDGs. By working with diverse stakeholders, Member States can help ensure that all voices are heard and that no one is left behind.

Possible questions for discussion:

  1. How can Member States strike the balance between respecting the universal nature and transformative ambition of the 2030 Agenda and tailoring it to their national contexts? What are the challenges and opportunities in this regard?
  2. How will countries adapt the global SDG indicators framework in light of its national circumstances?
  3. How will the process of localizing the SDGs and creating national ownership contribute to the scope and effectiveness of global follow up and review?

Chair:

  • H.E. Mr. Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to the UN and Vice President of ECOSOC

Moderator:

  • Ms. Jessica Espey, Associate Director of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

Panellists:

  • Mr. Yonglong Lu, Professor at State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Mr. Louis Meuleman, Senior Fellow at the University of Massachusetts, Boston and Wageningen University, Netherlands

Lead discussants:

  • Ms. Annika Lindblom, Counsellor to the Ministry of the Environment, Finland
  • Mr. Ivane Shamugia, Head of the Donor Coordination Unit, Administration of the Government of Georgia
  • Mr. Adolfo Ayuso, Deputy Director General for Internationals Affairs at the Office of the President of Mexico
  • Mr. Gomer Padong, Development Cooperation and Advocacy Director of the Philippine Social Enterprise Network