UN System Support
The United Nations system supports Member States throughout their work towards a transformative and universal post-2015 development agenda through existing and innovative collaborative mechanisms.
The
UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), the highest-level coordination forum of the United Nations system, and its subsidiary bodies (HLCM, HLCP and UNDG) as well other looser interagency platforms such as ECESA Plus, continue to avail their technical expertise and coordinated action in support of Member States deliberations.
Relevant contributions in support to past and current work streams have been gathered through the following UN system coordination mechanisms:
UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Established by the UN Secretary-General in January 2012, the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda brought together more than 60 UN agencies and international organizations. Co-chaired by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme the Task Team supports the post-2015 process by providing analytical thinking and substantial inputs.
An inter-agency technical support team (TST) was established to support the Open Working Group, under the umbrella of the UN System Task Team. The TST is co-chaired by DESA and UNDP, and it consists of over 50 UN entities. The TST provided technical support, including analytical inputs, background material and expert panellists. A key output of the TST were 29 issues briefs covering the full range of issues considered by the OWG. The TST is open ended (http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/owg.html).
To support the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing, a UNTT working group on financing for sustainable development was created.
Its work is also open ended.
The UN Development Group (UNDG)
In an effort to assist Member States in building a coherent post-2015 development agenda, the United Nations Development Group spearheaded an unprecedented, multi-stakeholder outreach to facilitate a global conversation to contribute to the work of the Secretary-General�s High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the deliberations of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals.
The ongoing initiative provides a space for people�s voices, including a sustained effort to reach out to the poor and marginalized.
The consultations were held as national dialogues led by United Nations country teams in collaboration with governments, civil society and other partners, global thematic consultations,
along with the
World We Want web platform and
My World global survey.
Building on the results of the national consultations, regional United Nations Development Group teams and the UN Regional Commissions convened consultations that further broadened the scope of country representation in the multi-stakeholder dialogues. Preliminary findings of the ongoing global initiative are captured in the United Nations Development Group reports (available from the World We Want web platform), entitled The Global Conversation Begins: Emerging Views for a New Development Agenda and A Million Voices: The World We Want � A Sustainable Future with Dignity for All.
Description
The process of arriving at the post 2015 development agenda was Member State-led with broad participation from Major Groups and other civil society stakeholders.
There has been numerous inputs to the agenda, notably a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by an open working group of the General Assembly,
the report of an intergovernmental committee of experts on sustainable development financing,
GA dialogues on technology facilitation and many others.
The General Assembly called upon the Secretary-General to synthesize the full range of inputs and to present a synthesis report before the end of 2014 as a contribution to the intergovernmental negotiations in the
lead up to the Summit.
The United Nations has played a facilitating role in the global conversation on the post 2015 development agenda and supported broad consultations.
It also has the responsibility of supporting Member States by providing evidence-based inputs, analytical thinking and field experience.
Intergovernmental Inputs
Open Working Group
In its
resolution adopted on 10 September 2014, the General Assembly welcomed the report of the Open Working. The resolution, as orally amended, states that the proposal of the Open Working Group shall be the main basis for integrating the sustainable development goals into the future development agenda.
The Open Working Group was established on 22 January 2013 by decision of the General Assembly. The OWG held 13 sessions, 8 of which were used for stock-taking and the remaining five for the preparation of its proposal for SDGs.
Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing
The Rio+20 outcome document called for the establishment of a 30 member
intergovernmental expert committee on financing. Established on 21 June 2013, the experts were nominated by regional groups with equitable geographical representation. In August 2014, the committee adopted its report which provides a menu of ways to mobilize resources for sustainable development. The work of the committee was supported by a Working Group on Financing for Sustainable Development under the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Technology
Rio+20 contained a section on technology, including a request to relevant United Nations agencies to identify options for a facilitation mechanism that promotes the development,
transfer and dissemination of of clean and environmentally sound technologies. Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 67/203 (21 December 2012),
the President of the General Assembly convened
four workshops on the subject of the development,
transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies in developing countries. Building on the workshops, the General Assembly decided to hold a series of
four one-day structured dialogues to consider possible arrangements for a facilitation mechanism to promote the development, transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies.
The dialogues resulted in a
summary of the discussions and recommendations, including on the possible modalities and organization of such a mechanism, for consideration and appropriate action by the Assembly at its sixty-ninth session.
Special Events by the President of the General Assembly
To set the stage for the post-2015 development agenda, the President of the General Assembly organised
six high-level events and thematic dialogues throughout the first half of 2014. These events focused on water sanitation and sustainable energy; the contributions of women, the young and civil society; the role of partnership; ensuring stable and peaceful societies; contributions of North-South, South-South, Triangular Cooperation and ICT for development; and human rights and the rule of law. He also held an interactive briefing with civil society to solicit their views and foster an open dialogue.
A
high-level stocktaking event in September 2013 served to bring the findings from these events together and to
reflect upon the various post-2015 development agenda processes.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
ECOSOC plays a key role in convening development actors to address a broad range of themes that contributed to preparations for a unified and universal post-2015 development agenda. The Council and the entire ECOSOC system provide a platform for coherence, coordination, integration and inclusion and contributing to the global effort to achieve sustainable development for all.
High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
The High-level Political Forum on sustainable development is the main United Nations platform on sustainable development. It provides political leadership, guidance and recommendations. It follows up and reviews the implementation of sustainable development commitments and, as of 2016, the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It addresses new and emerging challenges; promotes the science-policy interface and enhances the integration of economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
Regional commissions consultations on monitoring and accountability
Monitoring, reporting and accountability at the regional level will be important for the implementation of a post-2015 development agenda. Countries in the same region share similar challenges and are likely
to make greater progress by collectively addressing them. The United Nations regional commissions have held a series of consultations exploring the regional dimension of monitoring and accountability.
Non-intergovernmental inputs
High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
In July 2012 the UN Secretary-General launched his
High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Co-chaired by the Presidents of Indonesia and Liberia and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Panel assembles representatives from civil society, private sector, academia and local and national governments.
The panel published its report
A New Global Partnership in May 2013 in which it calls for five transformative shifts.
These include fighting extreme poverty and inequalities; putting sustainable development at the core of the post-2015 development agenda; transforming economies for jobs and inclusive growth; building peace and effective, open and accountable institutions for all; and creating a new global partnership.
Sustainable Development Solutions Network
The
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) is a global, independent network of research centres, universities and technical institutions that works with stakeholders including business, civil society,
UN agencies and other international organizations. SDSN supports the development of the SDGs.
In 2013, the SDSN submitted its report
An Action Agenda for Sustainable Development to the Secretary-General, in which it proposes ten goals to foster sustainable development.
The SDSN has also issues a draft indicator report
Indicators and a monitoring framework for Sustainable Development Goals that outlines proposed indicators for the OWG�s SDGs.
