January 2016: Civil society organizations (CSOs) have begun responding to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s advance report on a global follow-up and review system for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CSOs have also released reports and articles on financing, inequality, and business and climate change, and provided updates on how their organizations are transforming to become fit-for-purpose to support the implementation process.
Although the UN Secretary-General’s report contains “no fairy dust” on ensuring SDG accountability, it does include some innovative proposals, writes Elizabeth Stuart, Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in a Deliver 2030 blog post. On accountability, she welcomes the recommendation that the review process focus on addressing challenges and future direction, and include voluntary, online commitment tracking, including for companies and NGOs. She highlights that Heads of States will be “called up for SDG accountability every four years.” Stuart also praises Ban’s proposal that the HLPF focus on leaving no one behind as its key theme, saying this will help to fast-track policies to improve the lives of the poorest and most marginalized.
Reduction of fuel and agricultural subsidies are among the largest potential sources of additional funding for the SDGs, finds a report by The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ASEF) and its partners, ‘Who Will Pay for the SDGs?,’ which considers country actions to finance SDG implementation. The report suggests means of financing development, such as: integrating the value of ecosystem services and natural resources into national accounts and tax systems; fulfilling Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments and extending this commitment to countries with a GNI per capita higher than US$20,000; and engaging public and private sources beyond ODA and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The paper also proposes development taxes, such as carbon pricing, a financial transaction duty, a billionaire tax and a solidarity air levy. The report further suggests countries may need to aim for a smaller, priority set of SDGs and could conduct cost-benefit analysis to quantify the SDG targets and compare the costs of implementing policy measures and programmes. The report also provides national case studies on financing sustainable development.
The fight against poverty will not be won until the world tackles the inequality crisis, cautions an Oxfam briefing paper, ‘An Economy for the 1%,’ which argues that, rather than an economy that works for the prosperity of all, for the planet and for future generations, the current economic system is for the 1%. The report presents “evidence of an inequality crisis that is out of control,” stating, for instance, that the wealth of the richest 62 people has risen by 45% since 2010, and the amount of wealth held by rich Africans in tax havens is enough to pay for healthcare for four million children.
The report recommends all world leaders agree to end the era of tax havens. It further recommends, inter alia: paying workers a living wage; promoting gender equality; changing the pricing of medicines so that everyone can access appropriate, affordable medicines; shifting the tax burden away from consumption and labor and towards wealth, capital and income from assets; and prioritizing policies and spending that increases financing for free education and health care.
Global Policy Watch shared reflections on a discussion, hosted by The Guardian, on how businesses can play a leading role in addressing climate change. Participants shared steps their companies are taking to move towards a low-carbon future and divest themselves from fossil fuel investments. Some panelists felt that progress was not fast enough, with one panelist expressing concern about the urgent need for profound changes. Participants agreed government should play a role in setting appropriate policies and regulations while acknowledging the private sector also needs to be held accountable for its commitments.
The SDGs are “the job description for business,” according to one of the ten main messages of the Global Opportunity Network’s ‘Global Opportunity Report 2016.’ It elaborates that Goal 8 (Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all) and Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) have the highest potential for business opportunities, while SDGs that address inequality have the lowest potential.
The report emphasizes: the role of business and civil society in advocating for societal change; technology as an opportunity driver; and “smart farming”—sustainable, more efficient production of food using digital solutions and technology—as a top opportunity. The report also analyzes how the identified opportunities can contribute to the SDG targets and addresses political will for change, including among different geographic regions and sectors of society.
Recognizing the current focus on national and local implementation, CIVICUS, the Climate Action Network International (CAN), Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and the International Forum of National NGO Platforms (IFP/FIP) announced collaboration to define, implement and build support for a new civil society initiative on sustainable development. The group plans to host a meeting in February 2016 to discuss lessons learned from the post-2015 development agenda process and agree on the name, governance and next steps of the civil society platform, with the aim of launching the initiative at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July 2016. [ODI Blog Post] [Global Policy Watch Blog] [Publication: Who Will Pay for the SDGs] [Publication: An Economy for the 1%] [Publication: Global Opportunity Report 2016] [NGO Platform] [IISD RS Story on UN Secretary-General Report]