A partnership between the Center for Sustainable Development at The Brookings Institution and The Rockefeller Foundation – 17 Rooms – published its flagship report updating on progress in advancing the economic, social, and environmental priorities embedded in the SDGs through an experimental method that “aims to help groups come together quickly and efficiently to be the change.”

The report titled, ‘17 Rooms: Rejuvenating the Sustainable Development Goals Through Shared Action,’ describes three “ingredients” to drive new forms of SDG progress the initiative has formulated since its inception in 2018. First, it argues, people need to be able to take the SDGs into their own hands, across every level and scale of community. Second, difficult societal problems require diverse mixes of people, perspectives, and assets coming together to drive shared action. Third, leaders and organizations need places to connect across professional and geographical boundaries to broaden outlooks, spark new approaches to action, and pursue broader impact, as per the report.

In 2022, the initiative brought together “an international community of more than 300 people” in 17 groups of around 10-20 people per Room, each of which advanced work on its unique substantive focus and action agenda. In September, the initiative held its annual virtual summit where all Rooms presented their draft plans to the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed for live feedback, to help each group formulate next steps.

The report notes that Room discussions revealed “the many forms of action that can help drive progress toward the SDGs,” including:

• Pursuing large-scale policy progress;
• Prototyping new governance models for frontier technologies;
• Integrating disparate approaches and uniting uncommon allies to unlock new forms of progress;
• Generating tools for local-level action;
• Deploying novel data techniques and tools to confront deep policy changes;
• Spotting opportunities to overcome entrenched systems and structures;
• Reframing problems to mobilize new opportunities; and
• Exploring new norms or collaborations.

The report highlights the main messages from the Action Agenda Summaries developed by each Room:

• SDG 1 (no poverty): bridge poverty measurement and anti-poverty policymaking;
• SDG 2 (zero hunger): promote insect-based products across the African continent;
• SDG 3 (good health and well-being): prioritize approaches and interventions to foster mentally healthy cities;
• SDG 4 (quality education): reimagine the role(s) of schools, systems, and societies in addressing climate change in and through education;
• SDG 5 (gender equality): advance climate resilient, gender equitable care infrastructure;
• SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation): unlock water innovation investments;
• SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy): accelerate just energy transitions in developing countries;
• SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth): elevate training that improves employee retention and economic security;
• SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure): advance new governance models for gender-related digital user data;
• SDG 10 (reduced inequalities): “crack” the politics of development finance to fight inequality;
• SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities): shift power, process, and funding to local leaders;
• SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production): hold companies accountable for SDG outcomes;
• SDG 13 (climate action): align the climate and development agendas;
• SDG 14 (life below water): elevate local actors’ ocean-based visions based on an “SDG narrative approach”;
• SDG 15 (life on land): invest in nature through the natural security initiative;
• SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions): improve communication strategies for urban violence prevention; and
• SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals): launch a “multi-faith and multi-sector” alliance at COP 27.

The report was released on 7 December 2022. [Publication: 17 Rooms: Rejuvenating the Sustainable Development Goals Through Shared Action] [Publication Landing Page]