The Regional Forums for Sustainable Development, convened annually by the Regional Commissions, are the regional platforms for assessing progress and exchanging knowledge, best practices and policy solutions to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in line with regional priorities and specificities.

Regional Forums for Sustainable Development

• Sixth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, 24 - 27 February 2020,Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
• Third session of the Regional Forum for Sustainable Development for the UNECE region, 19 March 2020, Geneva, Switzerland
• Seventh session of the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, 20 May 2020, Bangkok, Thailand
• Fourth session of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, 28 - 31 March 2020, Havana, Cuba (postponed until further notice)
• Seventh session of the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, 7 - 9 April 2020, Beirut, Lebanon (postponed until further notice)
• Regional Commissions New York Office

Coming soon

HLPF 2020 will be informed by the following reports:

• Report of the Secretary-General on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (Advance unedited version) (14 May)
• Synthesis of voluntary submissions by functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council and other intergovernmental bodies and forums (Advance unedited version)
• Co-Chairs’ Summary of the multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals

Regional Reports

• Note by the Secretariat on reports of the regional forums on sustainable development
• Report of the regional forum on sustainable development: ECE
• Report of the regional forum on sustainable development: ECA
• Report of the regional forum on sustainable development: ESCAP
• Report of the regional forum on sustainable development: ECLAC
• Report of the regional forum on sustainable development: ESCWA

Voluntary National Reviews

• Compilation of main messages for the 2020 voluntary national reviews (Advance unedited version)

Major Groups and other Stakeholders

• Discussion papers on the theme of the high-level political forum on sustainable development, submitted by major groups and other stakeholders (Advance unedited version)

The forum will also be informed by other related reports, including the progress report on the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, and summaries of the 2020 ECOSOC Youth Forum and Partnership Forum.

• Report of the Secretary-General on accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of the action and delivery for sustainable development (Advance unedited version)
• Report of the Secretary-General on long-term future trends and scenarios - impacts in the economic, social and environmental areas on the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (Advance unedited version)

Please click here to access our online platform which contains voluntary inputs from countries participating in the Voluntary National Reviews of the HLPF. The platform also features other voluntary governmental inputs, as well as inputs from ECOSOC functional commissions and other intergovernmental bodies and forums, inputs received from major groups and other stakeholders, as well contributions from multi-stakeholder partnerships and voluntary commitments.

• Letter by the President of ECOSOC to functional commissions of ECOSOC and other intergovernmental bodies and forums for inputs to HLPF 2020

As part of its follow-up and review mechanisms, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages member States to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven (paragraph 79). These national reviews are expected to serve as a basis for the regular reviews by the high-level political forum (HLPF), meeting under the auspices of ECOSOC every year in July. As stipulated in paragraph 84 of the 2030 Agenda, regular reviews by the HLPF are to be voluntary, state-led, undertaken by both developed and developing countries, and shall provide a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders.

The Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The VNRs also seek to strengthen policies and institutions of governments and to mobilize multi-stakeholder support and partnerships for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The VNR countries are expected to submit comprehensive written reports that will be made available in the VNR database. In addition, each VNR country will also provide main messages summarizing their key findings. These main messages are also posted in the VNR database.

In 2020, the 51 countries (28 first time presenters, 22 second time presenters and 1 third time presenter) below will be conducting Voluntary National Reviews at the HLPF. The VNR presentations are planned to begin on Monday, 13 July 2020 (the last of the first five days of HLPF) and proceed for the three days of the ministerial segment of HLPF (14 – 16 July 2020).

For more details, please click here. For the letter of the President of ECOSOC on the VNRs to be presented at the HLPF in 2020, please click here.

Argentina

Armenia

Austria

Bangladesh

Barbados

Benin

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burundi

Comoros

Costa Rica

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ecuador

Estonia

Finland

Gambia (Republic of The)

Georgia

Honduras

India

Kenya

Kyrgyzstan

Liberia

Libya

Malawi

Micronesia (Federated States of)

Morocco

Mozambique

Nepal

Niger

Nigeria

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Republic of Moldova

Republic of North Macedonia

Russian Federation

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

Seychelles

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Syrian Arab Republic

Trinidad and Tobago

Uganda

Ukraine

Uzbekistan

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Side Events and Exhibitions are scheduled to be organized on the margins of the 2020 HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC and sponsored by Member States, the UN system and other intergovernmental organizations and the Major Groups and other accredited Stakeholders.

These side events and exhibitions of the HLPF- held outside the official programme- provide great opportunities to discuss themes and SDGs under review at the HLPF, deepen the discussion on VNRs, identify new issues, listen to all voices, and help spread greater awareness of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs in general at all levels.

Given the situation linked to COVID-19, after careful consideration, it has been decided that all Side-events and Exhibitions will be held virtually.

Nevertheless, we do invite interested parties to submit their applications to organize an exhibit or a side event during the 2020 HLPF following the guidelines and criteria in the links below.

Application process will be open until 29 May 2020.

After registrations are closed on 29 May, the Secretariat will still screen applications and inform approved organizers so that they provide links to the virtual platforms of their events and exhibitions. Only those events and exhibitions that have been approved will be part of the official programme for HLPF Side-events and Exhibitions.

Guidelines/ Criteria for Exhibitions

Application Form for Exhibitions

Guidelines/ Criteria for Side-events

Application for Side-events using this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2020HLPF

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and its partner agencies and organisations will also organize special virtual events on the margins of the HLPF. More information will be provided as the links to the events are finalized.

SDGs Learning, Training & Practice
Dates: 7-13 July 2020

1. NEW TO THE HLPF

2. REGISTRATION & INDICO

3. ENGAGEMENT & PARTICIPATION

4. SIDE EVENTS, SPECIAL EVENTS, VNR Labs & EXHIBITONS

5. FUNDING

6. MGOS REPORTS

7. LIBRARY

8. CALENDAR

Q: What is sustainable development?

• Sustainable development seeks to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet.
• Poverty eradication, changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development.
• The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders in September 2015, is the plan of action for people, planet and prosperity and aims to transform our world. The 2030 Agenda addresses the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development: the social, economic, and environmental, since a holistic and balanced approach that incorporates these three dimensions is essential for ending poverty, reducing inequalities and combatting climate change in order to achieve sustainable development.
• The 2030 Agenda applies to all countries and aims to improve people's lives and prosperity on a healthy planet, through partnership and peace. All countries, cities and multiple actors of the business sector and civil society are actively engaged in implementing the 2030 Agenda./li>

Q: What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

• Four years ago, member states adopted the 2030 Agenda, which contains the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The SDGs - a core feature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - reflect a new understanding that development everywhere must integrate economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection.
• The SDGs offer the most practical and effective pathway to people's well-being and to address the causes of violent conflict, human rights abuses, climate change and environmental degradation.

Q: What is the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development?

• The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is a multi-stakeholder platform engaging 197 members states in the exchange of experiences in implementation of the SDGs, identifying gaps and lessons learned. It is also a forum for rallying further action and solutions to this end by all stakeholders.
• The HLPF seeks to enhance the integration of economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
• The HLPF also provides a platform for the creation of multi-stakeholder partnerships and the promotion of international cooperation as we advance towards achieving the Goals.
• It meets annually under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council for eight days, including a three-day ministerial segment and every four years at the level of Heads of State and Government under the auspices of the General Assembly for two days.

Q: Why is the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development important?

• The HLPF is the global forum for providing political leadership, guidance and recommendations on implementing the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs.
• The Forum provides an opportunity for countries, organizations of the United Nations and other international and regional organizations, civil society and businesses to highlight the efforts they are taking to achieve the SDGs and helps translate the vision of the SDGs into reality by looking at what is working and what is not at global, regional, national and local levels.
• By serving as a global hub for governments, organizations of the United Nations and other international organizations and major groups and stakeholders to exchange ideas and best practices and review progress on the SDGs, the HLPF enables countries to accelerate progress toward achieving the goals.

Q: How will the SDGs be implemented?

• The successful implementation of the SDGs relies on countries' own sustainable development policies, plans and programmes, and are led by countries. Leaders agreed to develop ambitious responses to the 2030 Agenda.
• Governments also have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review, at the national, regional and global levels, in relation to the progress made in implementing the SDGs.
• Governments continue to develop national indicators to assist in monitoring progress made on the goals and targets, taking into account the global indicator framework.
• The mobilization of resources at both the domestic and international levels is essential to achieve the goals.
• o The follow-up and review process at the global level is undertaken by the HLPF and supported by an annual SDGs Progress Report that is prepared by the United Nations Secretary- General and quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report prepared by a group of independent scientists.

Q: In the four years since the SDGs were adopted, what actions has the international community taken to achieve the Goals?

• Many governments from both developed and developing countries have aligned the SDGs with national policies and strategies, conducting seminars, conferences and campaigns to raise awareness and catalyze action among local governments, civil society, businesses, academia, media and other groups. Many have prepared a roadmap of implementation.
• Many local governments are engaging in SDG implementation.
• Also, many businesses have integrated the SDGs into their companies' practices and invested in new technology.
• Civil society organizations continue to build momentum, developing initiatives at the local level.

Q: Has there been progress in achieving the SDGS?

• Globally, from 2000 to 2016, the under-five mortality rate dropped 47 per cent, and the total number of under-five deaths dropped from 9.9 million to 5.6 million.
• Since 2000, the maternal mortality ratio in sub-Saharan Africa has been reduced by 35 per cent and the under-five mortality rate has dropped by 50 per cent.
• In Southern Asia, a girl's risk of marrying in childhood has declined by over 40 per cent.
• The absolute number of people living without electricity dipped below the symbolic threshold of one billion.
• In the least developed countries, the proportion of the population with access to electricity has more than doubled from 2000 to 2016.

Q: Where have there been setbacks?

• After a prolonged decline, world hunger appears to be on the rise again: the number of undernourished people rose from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in 2016, mainly because of conflicts, drought and disasters linked to climate change.
• In 2017, economic losses attributed to disasters were estimated at over $300 billion, among the highest losses in past years, largely due to the costliest North Atlantic hurricane season on record. And the past 5-year average global temperature is the highest on record.
• While the extreme poverty rate in 2013 was a third of the 1990 value, there are pockets of the world where it stubbornly persists: 783 million people still lived below $1.90 (2011 PPP), with more than half living in sub-Saharan Africa and about one-third living in Southern Asia
• The world is not on a trajectory towards ending malaria by 2030 - In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria, compared to 210 million cases in 2013.
• More than half of all children and adolescents are not meeting minimum proficiencies in reading and mathematics.
• In 2015, 6 in 10 people lacked access to safely managed sanitation services.

Q: How does the HLPF guide progress on the SDGs?

• The HLPF allows for a participatory, transparent and integrated follow-up and review platform at the global level that will help countries to learn from one another and maximize and track progress in implementing the Goals to ensure that no one is left behind.
• At the HLPF, countries present the progress and obstacles they face in implementing the Goals at the national level in the form of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs).
• The HLPF helps translate the vision of the Goals into reality by providing political leadership and recommendations and sharing experiences and lessons learned.
• The HLPF brings together Member States, organizations of the United Nations and other international and regional organizations, civil society, NGOs, the private sector and other stakeholders to discuss progress and review successes, exchange lessons learned and experience.
• The HLPF also creates an opportunity to showcase and develop multi-stakeholder partnerships around the SDGs.

Q: What will be the focus of the 2020 HLPF?

• The 2020 HLPF, to be held between 7-16 July 2020 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, will be the first HLPF after the SDG Summit in 2019. The forum will continue to provide political leadership and recommendations in follow up and review of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs. It will follow up to the outcomes of the SDG Summit including on “a decade of action”.
• The President of the General Assembly has appointed H.E. Mr. Graig John Hawke, Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations to facilitate the process related to the identification of the theme for the ECOSOC and HLPF in 2020.

Q: Who will be attending the 2020 HLPF?

• Ministers and other senior government officials, experts from different sectors and representatives of Permanent Missions to the UN in New York, from both developed and developing countries will attend HLPF.
• Ministers and other senior officials from fifty countries will present their review of their national efforts for implementing the SDGs.
• Civil society, the private sector, academia, local authorities and other stakeholders will also attend and provide major inputs at the HLPF.
• Many members of parliaments will also attend and participate and contribute to the HLPF.

Q: What are Voluntary National Reviews, and how can they help achieve the 2030 Agenda?

• The Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) are a central element of the follow-up and review mechanisms of the 2030 Agenda at the global level to inform about national implementation. (See more on 2020 VNRs Q&A here)
• In 2016, 22 countries presented VNRs at the HLPF, followed by 43 countries in 2017, 47 countries in 2018, and 47 countries in 2019 HLPF.
• Guidelines for VNRs are intended to be flexible and allow for adaptation to national circumstances.
• All countries are encouraged to report on all SDGs - especially those identified as national priorities - and to use the voluntary guidelines for VNR reports to facilitate comparability and analysis.

Q: Why are VNRs significant?

• VNRs are voluntary and demonstrate the commitment of countries to mobilize efforts towards achieving the Goals.
• VNRs generate a process of reflection and consultation at the national level which builds understanding of progress, gaps and challenges and can improve policies, coordination and correlations.
• VNRs by countries at the HLPF provide the opportunity to learn from each other, mobilize support to overcome shared challenges, identify new and emerging issues and provide recommendations for implementing the Goals.
• The presentation of VNRs is a peer learning experience and can spur further action to implement the SDGs at the national level.
• Success in achieving the SDGs will help to address some of the most pressing global challenges, such as climate change, providing a better life for women and men and building a firm foundation for stability and peace in all societies, everywhere.