GUEST ARTICLES
A High Level Political Forum that Recognises and Supports Decentralised Action, and National and Local Ownership
Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in UN DESA
We are at a crucial moment in our collective effort to build sustainable, equitable and inclusive societies.
Implementation Case Study on SDG Targets 3.4 and 3.c: A Regional Approach to Mental Health is Influencing Change in West Africa
It is estimated that 80% of people with mental health conditions come from low- and middle-income countries[1]. The degree to which they are disabled depends on the barriers that they face in society, but many people with psychosocial disabilities grapple with living in poverty, poor physical health and human rights violations.
POLICY BRIEFS
What are Regional Priorities for HLPF 2017?
In preparation for the 2017 session of the UN High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development (HLPF), five Regional Forums on Sustainable Development (RFSD) convened to follow up on and review progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The RFSDs offered an opportunity for countries to share lessons learned, best practices and challenges in implementing the SDGs and to identify conclusions and recommendations, providing regional-level input to discussions at the 2017 session of the HLPF.
FEATURED
Agencies Launch Initiatives for Valuing and Financing Water
June 2017: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched a Roundtable on Financing Water to promote investments in maintaining water security and achieving the water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The High-Level Panel on Water (HLPW) is developing a set of Principles for Valuing Water that will help guide action on water at the country level. The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is supporting a series of dialogues on these ‘Valuing Water’ principles, and in June, South Africa became the first country to host a national dialogue on the topic.
Secretary-General’s Report on Repositioning UN System Highlights Gaps in Addressing SDGs
30 June 2017: UN Secretary-General António Guterres published a report outlining his vision on the repositioning of the UN development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The publication notes “significant gaps” in thematic coverage of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of expenditures and personnel, including on water and sanitation (SDG 6), energy (SDG 7), industry and infrastructure (SDG 9), sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12), and the environment (SDGs 13, 14, and 15).
IEA, EU and China Advance Energy Efficiency
29 June 2017: According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy efficiency is the one energy resource that every country possesses in abundance and is the quickest and least costly way of addressing energy security, environmental and economic challenges. Recent initiatives by the IEA, the EU, Morocco and China have sought to give a boost to energy efficiency.