Implementing the 2030 Agenda: Civil Society finding its Voice

25.07.2016

With the 2013 Agenda, the international community of states made great promises. But is it following these promises with deeds? The “Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda” reports critically.

Cover des Berichts "Spotlight on Sustainable Development"

Image: Cover des "Spotlight Report"; Bild: Spotlight on Sustainable Development"

Eradicate poverty, end wars, stop the destruction of the planet: These were the goals of the international community with the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Transforming Our World", launched in September 2015. Now, it must transform words into actions. Actors from civil society, such as the “Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” will keep observing it closely. The group has already filed its first report.

The 2030 Agenda and its sustainability goals are supposed to influence national, regional and global policies. The practical results are to be reviewed by annual, voluntary government reports. However, a real, differentiated confrontation with the states' implementation of the Agenda is only possible if critical perspectives from civil society are heard as well.

Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda

For this reason, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung supports the Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a coalition of civil society organizations that has been the Agenda's critical observer since its inception. When the first governments presented their reviews at the High Level Political Forum at the United Nations in New York in mid July, the Reflection Group presented their Spotlight Report on Sustainable Development at the same time. This report will be released annually from now on.

In this first report, the Group emphasized that the rich North also is responsible for reaching the sustainability goals. It further comes to the conclusion that without a radical shift of, for instance, trade and tax policy, arms exports and corporate diligence regarding human rights, the goals will not be attained. However, we are still far away from a true change of policy in all these areas.

Call for Endurance and Commitment – Worldwide

Raising awareness in as many states as possible that the 2030 Agenda's success or failure is predicated on a joint commitment by everyone will take a lot more work by the Reflection Group. As a first step, it will present its report and the attendant key messages worldwide, as it did at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Nairobi. Other countries will follow.

More information on the Reflection Group, as well as the complete report, can be found on their homepage: www.2030spotlight.org.