On September 18-19, 2023, the global Summit dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goals (2023 SDG Summit) took place in New York.
The SDG Summit is a High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) that from 2019 brings together world leaders to discuss united efforts to achieve the SDGs. The 2023 Summit program included Presidents, Prime Ministers, and leaders of international institutions and organizations. In particular, the Presidents of Hungary, Kazakhstan, Poland, Kenya, Slovenia, Mozambique, Senegal, as well as the Prime Ministers of Ireland, Qatar, Barbados, Denmark, Cook Islands, Iceland, Sweden and Canada took part in the Summit.
The UN Secretary General presented a report "Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: towards a rescue plan for people and planet".
António Guterres noted: "It is time to sound the alarm. At the midpoint on our way to 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals are in deep trouble. A preliminary assessment of the roughly 140 targets for which data is available shows that only about 12 per cent are on track; more than half, although showing some progress, are moderately or severely off track; and some 30 per cent have either seen no movement or regressed below the 2015 baseline".
To accelerate the progress it is suggested:
- increase funding for SDGs;
- align world markets with SDG requirements;
- use scientific and technological innovation potential to achieve the SDGs;
- strengthen the role and increase the activity of international organizations in achieving the SDGs.
On the eve of the Summit, on September 12, a global report on sustainable development was also presented: "Times of Crisis, Times of change Science For Accelerating Transformations To Sustainable Development". The report was prepared by an independent group of scientists. The document also contains recommendations and practical solutions to accelerate the processes of achieving the SDGs.
The report notes that a number of crises have converged in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, rising costs of living, armed conflict and natural disasters, which together have reversed years of progress towards achieving the SDGs. Most researchers note a slowdown in progress.
Thus, the transformation is inevitable. The overall transformation framework for the SDGs could consist of six elements:
- national plans of action to counter negative trends or stagnation in implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals;
- local and industry-specific planning to feed into national plans;
- initiatives through the Addis Ababa Action Agenda or otherwise to increase fiscal space, including tax reforms, debt restructuring and relief, and increased engagement by international finance institutions for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals;
- investment in data related to the Goals, science-based tools and policy learning;
- partnerships to strengthen the science-policy-society interface; and,
- measures to improve accountability of governments and other stakeholders.
The outcome of the SDG Summit was a political declaration, which once again confirmed the participants’ commitment to the Agenda 2030.