The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) convened its annual regional forum on sustainable development (RFSD) in preparation for the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July. Participants reflected on policies and innovations that can drive the transformation towards sustainability and discussed progress towards the Goals undergoing in-depth review in 2025.
In his opening remarks, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Bob Rae emphasized that with global solidarity and multilateralism being put to the test, “it is no time to be turning away from the obligations to each other and to a better and a stronger global order.”
UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development “despite multiple global crises and shifting priorities.” She highlighted the Regional Forum as “an important opportunity and critical platform to strengthen partnerships for the SDGs and translate them into concrete actions at the regional, national and local level.”
The Regional Forum’s discussions drew from recent and upcoming intergovernmental summits, including the 2024 Summit of the Future (SoF), the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in June 2025, and the Second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025.
According to the UNECE SDG Progress Report 2025, the region is on track to achieve only 21 targets, or 17% of the 125 measurable targets, by 2030, with 84 needing acceleration, and 20 requiring a reversal of trend. Participants underscored the need for solutions and partnerships to be significantly scaled up to strengthen SDG progress, identifying entry points at many levels.
According to a UNECE press release, participants saw “ample opportunity to engage the private sector in financing for sustainable development and to enhance the collaboration between public and private sectors to unlock resources.” They also recognized the potential of technology, digitalization, and artificial intelligence (AI) to support sustainability.
Participants emphasized the critical role of meaningful collaboration between governments, the private sector, international organizations, civil society, youth, parliamentarians, and science in helping co-create effective policy pathways. The Forum featured interactive peer learning round tables where stakeholders discussed multi-sectoral, inclusive, collaborative, and evidence-based approaches to advance implementation of the SDGs under review this year – SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 14 (life below water), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals).
Themed, ‘Advancing Sustainable, Inclusive, Science- and Evidence-based Solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs in the ECE Region, Leaving No One Behind,’ the 2025 UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2-3 April. The Forum provides the region’s official input to the HLPF.
The UNECE region comprises the countries of Europe and Central Asia as well as countries in North America (Canada and the US) and Western Asia (Israel). [UNECE Curtain Raiser] [UNECE Press Release]