Germany
Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Agenda
20. - 31. July 2015, New York
German Statement on “Follow up and Review”
by
Stephan Contius
Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety
on 24 July 2015
Mr. Co-Facilitator, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues,
Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the EU and I would like to add the
following points in my national capacity.
Germany welcomes the co-chairs final draft as it lays the basis for a robust, effective,
inclusive and transparent follow-up and review framework. We welcome especially the threetiered
approach with the HLPF as the cornerstone of a global network of review processes.
Nevertheless, as mentioned already by other delegations, we are disappointed to see that
important elements were lost in this new draft and we see room for further improvements.
In this regards I would like to highlight a few key points, in the understanding that we have to
agree on the basic principles of the follow-up and review architecture while leaving enough
flexibility for states and regions to flesh out the details according to their own requirements
and preferences.
First, the goals and targets will have a positive impact on the transformation of our societies
to sustainable development provided that their implementation is an issue of mutual learning
in the HLPF as well as on the regional level. We need the proactive engagement of all of us,
governments, major groups and the entire UN system. The involvement of civil society and
eminent scientist will be crucial at all levels of the review architecture so that we get the full
picture and truly know whether the world community is on track towards the achievement of
the goals and targets. We therefore should aim for regular national reviews in all countries.
Second, the review at global level in the HLPF should also foster mutual exchange and
learning. Sharing of member states’ experiences is also valuable at global level and should be
encouraged to mirror and address pressing global challenges and respond to their solution.
Therefore we would like to see commitments that we all will engage voluntarily at least twice
till 2030 in the HLPF on global level.
Third: The annual review report will help us assess where we stand globally on all goals.
Every four years, the Global Sustainable Development Report should serve as sciencepolicy-
interface and inform the deliberations of our heads of state and government in the
HLPF under the auspices of the General Assembly and the media worldwide. It should
become a flagship report on successes and challenges in the implementation of the goals and
targets and also contain recommendations on new and emerging issues. Beside the Global
Sustainable Development Report an annual progress report should help us to assess where we
stand globally with the implementation of the goals and targets.
Forth, it is essential to clearly spell out that there should be one overarching follow-up and
review framework integrating the Addis outcome and considering implementation in its
entirety. Therefore, we should say clearly in paragraph 56 that an integrated follow-up and
review framework is "essential for the achievement of the Agenda, including the SDGs, the
implementation of the AAAA and for the effective use of all means of implementation."
May I add a last point on the ongoing work on the indicators: As the agreed set of SDGs
reflects all three dimensions of sustainable development, the future set of indicators will also
have to reflect these three dimensions. There is no way around that and we are confident that
our colleagues in the Statistical Commission will live up to this important challenge.
20. - 31. July 2015, New York
German Statement on “Follow up and Review”
by
Stephan Contius
Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety
on 24 July 2015
Mr. Co-Facilitator, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues,
Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the EU and I would like to add the
following points in my national capacity.
Germany welcomes the co-chairs final draft as it lays the basis for a robust, effective,
inclusive and transparent follow-up and review framework. We welcome especially the threetiered
approach with the HLPF as the cornerstone of a global network of review processes.
Nevertheless, as mentioned already by other delegations, we are disappointed to see that
important elements were lost in this new draft and we see room for further improvements.
In this regards I would like to highlight a few key points, in the understanding that we have to
agree on the basic principles of the follow-up and review architecture while leaving enough
flexibility for states and regions to flesh out the details according to their own requirements
and preferences.
First, the goals and targets will have a positive impact on the transformation of our societies
to sustainable development provided that their implementation is an issue of mutual learning
in the HLPF as well as on the regional level. We need the proactive engagement of all of us,
governments, major groups and the entire UN system. The involvement of civil society and
eminent scientist will be crucial at all levels of the review architecture so that we get the full
picture and truly know whether the world community is on track towards the achievement of
the goals and targets. We therefore should aim for regular national reviews in all countries.
Second, the review at global level in the HLPF should also foster mutual exchange and
learning. Sharing of member states’ experiences is also valuable at global level and should be
encouraged to mirror and address pressing global challenges and respond to their solution.
Therefore we would like to see commitments that we all will engage voluntarily at least twice
till 2030 in the HLPF on global level.
Third: The annual review report will help us assess where we stand globally on all goals.
Every four years, the Global Sustainable Development Report should serve as sciencepolicy-
interface and inform the deliberations of our heads of state and government in the
HLPF under the auspices of the General Assembly and the media worldwide. It should
become a flagship report on successes and challenges in the implementation of the goals and
targets and also contain recommendations on new and emerging issues. Beside the Global
Sustainable Development Report an annual progress report should help us to assess where we
stand globally with the implementation of the goals and targets.
Forth, it is essential to clearly spell out that there should be one overarching follow-up and
review framework integrating the Addis outcome and considering implementation in its
entirety. Therefore, we should say clearly in paragraph 56 that an integrated follow-up and
review framework is "essential for the achievement of the Agenda, including the SDGs, the
implementation of the AAAA and for the effective use of all means of implementation."
May I add a last point on the ongoing work on the indicators: As the agreed set of SDGs
reflects all three dimensions of sustainable development, the future set of indicators will also
have to reflect these three dimensions. There is no way around that and we are confident that
our colleagues in the Statistical Commission will live up to this important challenge.
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