25 July 2016: The UN Secretary-General has issued a report on the implementation of key processes related to sustainable development, in preparation for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA’s Second Committee (Economic and Financial) will take up the report, among several others from the Secretary-General, when conducting its substantive work in October and November 2016.

The Secretary-General’s report, titled ‘Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development’ (A/71/212), provides “an update on the implementation of processes derived from” those conferences. In particular, it addresses the 2016 meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which convened on the theme ‘Ensuring that no one is left behind’ under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), from 11-20 July 2016. The report also provides updates on: the implementation of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM); strengthening the science-policy interface and the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR); the regional dimension of sustainable development; and sustainable consumption and production (SCP).

The report includes several recommendations for the UNGA’s consideration, including to invite or encourage Member States and others to: “fully engage” in support of the work of the HLPF in order to consolidate “its central role” in overseeing a network of follow-up and review processes at the global level; ensure multi-stakeholder participation in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and in preparatory processes for the HLPF and voluntary national reviews (VNRs); and support the production of the GSDR and consider establishing a dedicated trust fund. It also suggests that the UNGA could call on the UN system to support countries in the development of national statistical capacities and strengthening of national statistics offices and institutes, to enable the generation and analysis of data, including disaggregated data, necessary to “leave no one behind”; and invite all UN organizations to consider the theme of the 2017 HLPF in their work, in order to enhance coherence in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Secretary-General also issued reports on: ‘Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States’ (A/71/010); ‘Agriculture development, food security and nutrition’ (A/71/012); and ‘Implementation of UN environmental conventions’ (A/71/005), among others. [Publication: Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development: Report of the Secretary-General] [UN Secretary General’s Reports to Second Committee]