Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Canada and the world

In 2015, world leaders adopted the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda, which introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sets out a transformative plan for people and the planet. It aims to promote shared prosperity, environmental sustainability and progress on sustainable development that leaves no one behind. Realizing the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda requires a whole-of-society approach. Governments, citizens, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector all have roles to play in contributing to sustainable development outcomes.

Cooperation Canada contributes to the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Canada and the world through research and analysis that focuses on identifying and promoting good practices that governments, civil society organizations and others can use to inform their efforts. We are also a proud member of Alliance 2030Canada’s national network of organizations, institutions and individuals committed to achieving the 17 SDGs by 2030. 

2030 Agenda Resources and Publications

Global civil society review of efforts to progress national SDG implementation

“Progressing National SDGs Implementation” is a regular series of reports commissioned by civil society and published by Cooperation Canada (2017-2021). The report provides an independent analysis of the Voluntary National Review (VNR) reports submitted to the UN’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).  

Good Practice in 2030 Agenda Implementation Series

Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Program, Cooperation Canada partnered with the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation to produce a series of policy briefs on key issues concerning 2030 Agenda implementation, in particular multi-stakeholder engagement, capacity development, partnerships, localization, policy integration and coherence, coordination, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting.  

Multi-stakeholder engagement in 2030 Agenda implementation (2020) 

Cooperation Canada partnered with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to research how governments engage with diverse stakeholders to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda calls on governments to apply a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals. Based on a review of countries reporting to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development over 2016-2019, the study identified trends and country experiences with respect to multi-stakeholder engagement. The report showcases 10 lessons to inform inclusive and participatory approaches to 2030 Agenda implementation.   

Academic-civil society partnerships in support of the 2030 Agenda

In addition to Cooperation Canada’s policy and analysis, the Next Generation Collaboration for Development Program will identify how Canadian research is supporting the 2030 Agenda, funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Program.

For more information on this initiative, check out the NextGen Database.

Articles and Media

Sixth Edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation

Sixth Edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation

This report, the sixth edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation, aims to provide useful insights and recommendations to inform these discussions and help guide improved implementation and reporting. The review of the 42 VNR reports submitted to the HLPF in 2021, as well as the analysis of 17 VNR-related civil society reports, show both positive and concerning trends.

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Fifth Edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation

Fifth Edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation

The Progressing National SDGs Implementation report provides an independent analysis of reporting by United Nations Member States to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Supported by a coalition of civil society organizations from around the world and prepared by Cooperation Canada, the report examines the current status of 2030 Agenda implementation, unpacks trends in reporting and identifies good practice.
The fifth edition of the report (2020) showcases positive trends with respect to reporting on partnerships, including the role played by civil society, and policy coherence. However, it also underlines the continued silence by Member States in Voluntary National Review reports on closing of the civic space, as well as the lack of reference to national accountability mechanisms. Moreover, this year’s report discusses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on overall implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

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Multi-stakeholder engagement in 2030 agenda implementation

Multi-stakeholder engagement in 2030 agenda implementation

CCIC partnered with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to research how governments engage with diverse stakeholders to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda calls on governments to apply a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals. Based on a review of country reporting to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development over 2016-2019, the study identified trends and country experiences with respect to multi-stakeholder engagement. The report showcases 10 lessons to inform inclusive and participatory approaches to 2030 Agenda implementation.  

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Fourth Edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation

Fourth Edition of Progressing National SDGs Implementation

“Progressing National SDGs Implementation” is the fourth in a regular series of reports commissioned by civil society. The report provides an independent analysis of the 47 English, French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic Voluntary National Review (VNR) reports submitted in 2019 to the UN’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).

Prepared by the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, the report identifies ten key pillars that we believe are essential to the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also recognizes emerging good practice and sets out a range of conclusions and recommendations with respect to how countries can both improve their implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and use the HLPF as an opportunity for mutual peer learning, knowledge exchange and support.

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