Four key takeaways from our summer reception
This week at the annual UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) for Sustainable Development, governments and other stakeholders will come together to review international progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the UN Secretary General outlined in his latest report years, or even decades, of development progress have been halted or reversed by the COVID-19 pandemic and this is being compounded by global economic slowdown, persistent conflict, food insecurity, and climate change. The Secretary General has called for an urgent rescue effort to rapidly change course, grounded in a comprehensive response to these interlinked global crises and a renewed commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation.
Against this background, on 15th June we held our summer reception, bringing together parliamentarians, businesses, NGOs, local government, multilateral organisations and domestic SDG champions ahead of the Forum to galvanise action on the SDGs in the UK. At the reception we outlined a clear call to action: that although it has been a difficult few years, now is not the time to give up or step back. Now is the time to redouble our efforts to achieve the SDGs and leave no one behind. It was great to hear Nick Dyer, FCDO Director General of Humanitarian and Development, reiterate the government's commitment to the SDGs and highlight the crucial importance of partnerships to deliver them, welcoming all of us to work together and also challenge the government to improve implementation.
Here are our four key takeaways:
To improve ownership and understanding of the SDGs across government, it is important that delivery is prioritised at the heart of government, in the Cabinet Office, and that the SDGs are fully embraced and delivered by all government departments. Steve Kenzie, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network UK put out a direct call to the Prime Minister and Chancellor to truly champion the SDGs and prioritise their delivery in all that they do - this will only encourage more people across the UK to do the same. The government has an opportunity to align their key priorities - from Levelling Up to Net Zero - with the ready-made framework we already have: the SDGs.
Global cooperation is key and the UK – with our knowledge and expertise – must embrace this. Stephanie Draper, CEO of Bond, highlighted that it is critical that the UK steps up and plays its part on the world stage as we grapple with multiple, intersecting crises, by using the SDGs to respond to these challenges in a comprehensive and joined up way.
The energy and enthusiasm for the SDGs across all sectors was clearly evident at the event. The government must urgently fulfil the commitment it made in 2019 to establish a stakeholder engagement mechanism that will harness the skills and experience of civil society, the private sector, academia, and others, to identify gaps, adapt policies, and target areas where further progress is needed.
We must ensure that we deliver the SDGs for everyone, which means prioritising the most marginalised. The government must clearly outline a whole-of-government plan for how it will deliver on the promise it made in 2019 to Leave No One Behind in a way that is practical for decision-making.
Our partners for the reception, Bond and the UN Global Compact Network UK, will be publishing reports assessing the UK’s progress on the SDGs both in the UK and around the world later this year. Bond’s report will be published on Tuesday 19th July at an online launch event - do join them by signing up here.
