Dr. Julius Rathgens
01.09.2024
By Julius Rathgens
On July 15, 2024, Cepei, the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (wpn2030), and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Germany hosted an official side event at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York. The event aimed to foster exchange and learning among member states and to support capacity building for the integrated implementation and reporting of national and regional sustainability strategies. See here for full report.
During the event, Sarah Löpelt, representing SDSN Germany and wpn2030, emphasized the central role of capacity building in the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In light of current global challenges—ranging from political instability and immediate crises to limited financial resources—strategic, integrated, and forward-looking decisions are of utmost importance. These decisions must contribute to accelerating the implementation of the SDGs while simultaneously overcoming existing systemic barriers. Löpelt highlighted that capacity building is crucial at different phases of transformation, as described in the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) 2023. These phases include the emergence, acceleration, and stabilization of new, sustainable systems. It is essential to build capacities strategically in each of these phases to effectively achieve the SDGs.
Another key focus of the discussion was the specific challenges faced by countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly Colombia, in implementing the SDGs. Philipp Schönrock, Director of the Cepei Think Tank, stressed that stronger political determination is necessary in these regions to measure national progress within a global context. Without improving the capacities for data production, management, and transmission, it will be difficult to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs.
Schönrock also pointed out the declining trust between citizens and state institutions. Many people feel inadequately represented by their governments on social, economic, and environmental issues. A lack of coordination between relevant institutions and insufficient funding were identified as major problems. To address these challenges, Schönrock emphasized the need to strengthen political leadership and inter-institutional collaboration, promote local participation, and more actively involve the private sector and civil society.
The event also highlighted success factors and obstacles for integrated governance of national sustainability strategies, particularly through the example of Germany’s “Transformation Teams.” These teams were established in 2022 to implement the recommendations of the Global Sustainable Development Report 2019. The Transformation Teams work across ministries on central “entry points” to accelerate SDG implementation in six key areas.
Julius Rathgens from wpn2030 explained how the Transformation Teams are being studied through accompanying research to identify the factors that contributed to successful inter-ministerial collaboration and the challenges that had to be overcome. The initial findings show that continuous learning and adaptation are necessary to support the transition from knowledge to action and ensure the relevance and effectiveness of strategies for achieving the SDGs.
Luciana Servo, President of the Brazilian Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), presented insights into Brazil’s efforts and challenges in governing its national sustainability strategy. She emphasized the importance of active civil society participation and highlighted the re-establishment of the National Commission for the SDGs in 2023 as a strong signal of the Brazilian government’s political will and commitment. A central element of Brazil’s strategy is the broad involvement of stakeholders in monitoring the SDGs. Brazil’s first Voluntary National Review (VNR) in 2017 actively engaged various stakeholder groups, marking a milestone in the country’s journey toward achieving the SDGs. However, the
presentation also revealed that, despite positive progress on some goals, nearly half of the SDGs in Brazil could not be adequately assessed.
The event clearly demonstrated that capacity building and inter-ministerial collaboration are essential prerequisites for the successful implementation of the SDGs. The exchange of best practices and the discussion of the transferability of successful approaches to other national contexts played a central role. It was emphasized that continuous learning and adaptation are necessary to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of strategies and to support the transition from knowledge to concrete actions.
The dialogue among participants from various countries and institutions underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between public and private actors, as well as the need to secure resources for long-term sustainable development. The event contributed to identifying common needs for capacity building and provided initial insights into the transferability of these approaches to other contexts.
See here for full report.
