20 April 2018: The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) published an annual report detailing countries’ progress on the SDGs and recommendations for confronting remaining challenges. The report was presented during the second meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, which met in Santiago, Chile, from 18-20 April 2018.

The publication titled, ‘Second annual report on regional progress and challenges in relation to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean,’ sets out regional progress made in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, assesses each counry’s trends, advances and gaps, and identifies critical links for realizing the 2030 Agenda. It explores the theme of the 2018 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development ’s (HLPF): ‘Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies.’ The report focuses on the SDGs that will be considered during the “in-depth review” at the upcoming HLPF, namely SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 15 (life on land), as well as SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), which is reviewed annually.

In presenting the report, ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena highlighted that 20 of the 33 LAC countries have high-level cross-sector institutions to coordinate implementation of the 2030 Agenda. She noted that by 2018, 19 LAC countries will have presented Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to the HLPF, and three will be doing so for the second time.

Lack of information for producing the global SDG indicators hinders compliance with the 2030 Agenda.

Among the gaps, challenges and rollbacks that must be overcome, the report states that lack of information for producing the global indicators on the SDGs hinders compliance with the Agenda. In addition, poverty in Latin America rose from 28.5% in 2014 to 30.7% in 2016, while extreme poverty increased from 8.2% to 10% during the same period. The report also says that tax evasion totals US$340 billion dollars or 6.7% of GDP. Moreover, more than 100 million people continue to live in urban slums. On disasters and climate change, between 1990 and 2013, more than 43,000 people died and 126 million were affected by disasters in 16 LAC countries, the majority of them associated with climate change.

The report addresses the sustainable use of natural resources, the dynamics of human settlements, energy development, and production and consumption, along with an analysis of the interrelationships between the SDGs and opportunities for policymaking. It stresses the importance of global, regional and national coordination for achieving the SDGs, and refers to means of implementation, specifically trade, technology and financing. It highlights the potential of technology and innovation to accelerate human progress, facilitate access to information and solve problems through more sustainable production models. The report also emphasizes mobilization of public and private resources to achieve the SDGs.

Detailing recommendations, the report urges: strengthening intraregional trade; attracting foreign direct investment in non-extractive sectors that foster links with local and regional suppliers; promoting trade facilitation; nurturing industrialization and innovation by increasing local and regional content in exports; promoting women’s economic autonomy; coordinating fiscal and monetary policies regionally; combating tax evasion and avoidance, illicit financial flows and corruption; and building better global and regional fiscal governance.

The third annual report, to be presented in 2019, will refer to empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality. [Publication: Second annual report on regional progress and challenges in relation to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in LAC] [Report Landing Page] [ECLAC Press Release] [Presentation by ECLAC Executive Secretary (Spanish)]