Global Policy Watch Blog

ONLINE | Launch of CDP Paper: National Reports on the 2030 Agenda: What do they (not) reveal?

Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, member states and civil society have reported on the progress made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Monday, July 13, 2020, 8:00 am to 9:00 am (EDT). Read more

2020 HLPF, one decade to go: tinkering or transformation?

By Barbara Adams, Karen Judd and Elena Marmo
Preparations are underway for the 2020 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) and review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Member States are engaged in negotiations to adopt by consensus a Political Declaration and 47 have undertaken Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) for presentation at the HLPF. The UN system has issued a number of reports containing analyses and assessments of progress towards the SDGs. In addition to contributing to these processes and reports, major groups have issued a range of analyses and demands. Read more

COVID-19 and the SDGs

By Jens Martens, Bodo Ellmers and Vera Pokorny
The COVID-19 pandemic and the policies with which governments have responded to it have had a serious impact on the global sustainability agenda. While the full extent of the pandemic and its impacts cannot yet be assessed, there is an evident risk that the pandemic will jeopardize the achievement of the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their entirety.
Preliminary forecasts by the United Nations, the World Bank and other international organizations warn that the already fragile progress made in reducing poverty and malnutrition over the past decades will be reversed. Read more

UN Monitor: “All protocols observed”

By Barbara Adams
A new phrase has gained traction in inter-governmental deliberations at the UN in the virtual world ushered in by COVID-19: “All protocols observed”. Many Member States begin their statements with this phrase that replaces the formality of recognizing lists of colleagues and Member States. Read more

UN Monitor: COVID-19 tests the UN’s response to development challenges

By Elena Marmo
Across the UN System, all hands are on deck to address the impact of COVID-19 from immediate humanitarian and health needs, to medium and longer-term socio-economic policy. Various initiatives are circling one another, raising issues of governance, reporting and accountability. Member States in the ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment explored some of these questions as they related to the UN Development System (UNDS), while in the 28 May and 2 June meetings on Financing for Development they also explored policy ideas, with an emphasis on accounting for vulnerability in macroeconomic analysis. Read more

UN75 Political Declaration: Perspectives on the lynchpin role of UN financing

By Barbara Adams
The year 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations as well as the beginning of the final 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the wider 2030 Agenda. The Secretary-General, UN leadership and various Member States have been highlighting the importance of the 75th Anniversary as the opportunity to address challenges to global governance and reinvigorate the UN System with what is needed to deliver meaningful change to people’s lives worldwide. Read more

UN Monitor: COVID-19 Round-Up on Development Activities and Financing – 25/05/2020

Across the UN development system, Member States, the UN Secretariat and UN leadership are exploring the profound socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 and what macroeconomic policy changes are needed to “build back better”. From UN-led programme activity responses to COVID-19 to needed policy responses both by the Financing for Development process and Member State-led initiatives, there are several opportunities to monitor these developments in the coming weeks. Read more

UN Monitor : COVID-19 Tour d’horizon 15/05/2020

Le Secrétaire général des Nations unies, António Guterres, introduisent un rapport et évaluation des progrès de la réforme du système de développement des Nations unies, qui sera examiné lors du segment des activités opérationnelles pour le développement (OAS) de l’ECOSOC. Ce segment se déroulera virtuellement, du 19 au 22 mai et le 27 mai, et son programme officiel ainsi qu’une série de rapports sont maintenant disponibles en ligne. Lire plus