4 May 2016: Heads of State and government, ministers and mayors, and representatives of UN agencies, civil society, academia and the private sector exchanged lessons learned and recommendations for policy innovation and integration to guide the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, during the UN Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) Integration Segment 2016. A summary will be considered during the Council’s High-level Segment (HLS) and as part of the follow-up and review process to be carried out at the High-level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF) in July 2016.

The Integration Segment focused on the theme of ‘Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through Policy Innovation and Integration,’ and took place from 2-4 May 2016, in New York, US.

In opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on countries to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with interlinkages in mind, and stressed the importance of access to information and knowledge, digital innovation and basic services.

Delivering the keynote address, Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister of Estonia, cited “e-government” solutions that saved time and money in Estonia while lowering barriers for participating in government services. He said Estonians can start a company online in 20 minutes, with all reporting and tax declarations handled digitally. He also suggesed that governments should operate more like start-up companies, with faster planning cycles, policies based on feedback, and more agility with regard to changing conditions.

Abze Djigma, Founder and CEO of AbzeSolar, called for translating information, policies and measures into respective national languages. She added that vocational training can help match the needs of industries, improve the quality of entrepreneurship and secure inclusive green-growth business. Hannes Astok, e-Governance Academy (Estonia), identified lessons that other countries could learn from Estonia’s experience: supporting massive computerization and internet connection for schools to build children’s skills from an early age; and building supportive legislation and institutions.

Gerald Abila, Founder and Director, Barefoot Law (Uganda), said access to justice can be assured by: in developing countries, enforcing the rule of law; and in developed countries, reducing the costs of access to justice. Rolf Alter, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), noted that good governance has always been relevant for policy performance, and said central governments must mainstream sustainable development in their policies. Uwe Deichmann, World Bank, said there have been fewer free elections, the “Facebook revolutions” have faltered, and technology can only solve parts of a problem. K.C. Mishra, Co-founder, Svadha, Sanitation Social Business (India), highlighted the need to increase technological interconnectivity for policy integration.

David Nabarro, UN Special Adviser on the 2030 Agenda, outlined actions that support innovation, including: interconnected thinking, and transforming people into experts in working across sectors; connecting, especially through mobile technology use; governing, so that societies move from control to empowering governance; and changing how people view themselves, to ensure they understand that their roles are to “renew, refine and restore.”

On institutional frameworks and policy planning, David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland, said national-level systems should break down the silos between human rights, gender equality and equality in general. He also highlighted the importance of parliamentary engagement, among other stakeholders. Ricardo Cardona, Sectoral Minister for Social Development and Inclusion, Honduras, said SDGs must “become State policies” as well as part of the school curriculum, and noted the need for communication policies, including with the private sector, to reach all citizens and children. Dang Huy Dong, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Viet Nam, noted support for social enterprises in his country that provide services to vulnerable groups, and the creation of a web-based crowd-funding tool for social development. Åsa Persson, Stockholm Environment Institute (Sweden), cautioned that policy integration needs to be done carefully to avoid policy dilution. Jenik Radon, Columbia University, stressed the need to make companies’ environmental assessments public to increase transparency and accountability, as well as to motivate companies to do business responsibly.

On innovative thinking in action, Rachel Kyte, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), said the global emissions problem can be reframed as a source of jobs in clean energy. Julián Ugarte Fuentes, Executive Director for Latin America, Socialab, observed that throughout Latin America, companies based on empathy and solutions are growing more popular. For consumers and investors, this provides opportunities to support “the guy who loves” instead of “the one who is selfish.”

In an exchange of views from the multilateral system, several participants noted that the different administrative, funding and managerial structures in the UN system make it difficult for UN entities to cooperate, and noted the need for co-funding and pooled funding. Some suggested learning from examples of integrative and collaborative initiatives, such as the Gavi Alliance and SE4ALL, and called for a whole-of-government approach at the national level.

Farooq Ullah, Executive Director, Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future, introduced three reports prepared by the Stakeholder Forum on universality and integration for the SDGs. Based on the targets analyzed in the reports, he noted that SDG target 3.9 (on substantially reducing the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination) and target 12.4 (on achieving the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle) are among those showing the strongest interlinkages.

Christian Friis Bach, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said regional-level intergovernmental structures allow for breaking silos, highlighting UNECE processes on energy, transport and environment. Maged Abdelaziz, UN Special Adviser on Africa, called for a common and harmonized review and reporting framework to promote synergies and support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the 2063 Agenda (Africa’s long-term global strategy).

Michael O’Neill, UN Development Programme (UNDP), called on UN Member States to provide strategic guidance for UN reform, building on evidence and “without micromanagement.” Elliott Harris, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said integration and ‘One UN’ should not reduce the specialization of individual UN entities but facilitate learning and communicating across silos. [Integration Segment Webpage] [UN Meeting Coverage, Day 1] [UN Meeting Coverage, Day 2] [UN Meeting Coverage, Day 3] [IISD RS Sources]