United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
1. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, has the governing body of your organization taken (or will it take) any decisions or new strategies to guide the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? If any, please provide a brief summary below, including the overarching vision of your organization.
Over 86 SDG targets are related to environmental sustainability; including at least one in each of the 17 Goals. UN Environment with its global environmental mandate takes the lead in facilitating the monitoring and reporting for 26 environment related SDG indicators for which it is the custodian and also has a key role in promoting a coherent delivery on the environmental dimension of all 17 SDGs. This is reflected in the medium term strategy for 2018-21 and in its programme of work 2018-19.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in its resolution 2/5 on "Delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" among other things requested the UN Environment to support the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including at the national level.
The UNEA resolution 3/L.13, among other aspects, encourages Member States to take measures to promote and invest in innovative environmental policy interventions and actions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
2.1 SDG-specific strategies, plans or work programmes
The Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 2018-2021 was developed as a component of a long-term 2030 vision that is aligned to the SDGs. The MTS and subsequent programmes of work (PoW) are therefore designed to support the achievement of the goals.
2.2 Aligning the structure of the organization with the transformative features of the 2030 Agenda, including any challenges and lessons learned in doing so
Main challenges are in addressing the integrated nature of the SDGs and working across the whole organisation to ensure a behavioural change in the approach to project development to include the SDGs as part of the theory of change. Environment is embedded across the goals which making coherence a challenge in developing responses to support member states. Aligning the budget and finding additional resources for a broader agenda is also challenging.
2.3 Readjusting or updating results-based budgeting and management, including performance indicators:
The expected accomplishments and performance indicators in the PoW are aligned to the targets and indicators of the SDGs. Additionally, all project documents are now required to indicate whether they support the implementation of the SDGs and if so what portion of the indicative budget goes towards this support.
2.4 Action to enhance support to the principle of "leaving no one behind" and to integrated policy approaches:
UN Environment takes a rights based approach to implementing the goals and has a position paper on this. There is also an environmental and social safeguards unit that reviews projects
3.1 Mainstreaming the SDGs in development plans and policies or through national sustainable development plans/strategies:
- The "Integrated Approach for Environmental Sustainability in Development Planning" project sought to get a commitment from 5 pilot project countries to use the integrated approach to address environmental and developmental challenges - striking the balance between social, economic and environmental objectives - in designing their national policies and plans.
- UN Environment is also engaged in United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF) and regional mechanisms. Support at different levels has been provided to all 2017 UNDAF roll-out countries.
3.2 Mainstreaming the SDGs in sectoral strategies, including specific SDG/target strategies:
- The "Partnership for Action on Green Economy" (PAGE) seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It supports countries and regions in reframing economic policies and practices around sustainability to foster economic growth, create income and jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, and strengthen the ecological foundations of their economies.
- The overall objective of SWITCH Africa Green is to support 6 countries in Africa to achieve sustainable development by engaging in transition towards an inclusive green economy, based on sustainable consumption and production patterns, while generating growth, creating decent jobs and reducing poverty.
- The "Poverty-Environment Action for Sustainable Development Goals" (PEAS) project is a delivery mechanism of capacity development support and technical assistance to help countries meet the SDGs with a focus on inclusive, equitable, pro-poor, climate-proofed sustainable development.
3.3 Data and statistical capacity building:
o "Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Informationfor Monitoring and Reporting of the Environmental Dimension of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs " focuses on building the capacity of countries to collect and access data and statistics to inform policy development as well as report and monitor progress on implementation.
3.4 Science, technology and innovation for the SDGs:
o "Coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of Sustainable Development Goals ". This project will support countries to develop national policies, plans or strategies that include multi-sectoral priorities and build technical capacity to deliver on the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda in a coordinated and integrated manner. It will also provide tools and support to national statistical offices so that they are able to collect and monitor data on relevant indicators. The project will promote South-South cooperation and facilitate sharing of experiences, best practices and opportunities for replication and scaling up.
3.5 Multi-stakeholder partnerships:
Working through UN Environment's Major Groups and Stakeholders
3.7 Leveraging interlinkages across SDG goals and targets:
Yes we work on the nexus approach and integrated approaches
o The "Belt and Road Initiative" will work in provide support to several countries and is an example of a large scale partnership that encompasses interventions across multiple SDGs.
4.1 Supporting the intergovernmental body of your organization in contributing to the thematic review of the HLPF:
UN Environment contributed to the preparation of high-level political forum (HLPF) in 2016 and 2017, through the various reporting and institutional channels of inter-agency coordination These include the report of the respective reports of the Secretary-General and the process related to the Global Sustainable Development Report.
- Likewise, UN Environment supported the President and Bureau of the UN Environment Assembly, as well as the Committee of Permanent Representatives, in the preparation and consideration of the annual inputs of the intergovernmental body to the HLPF, which were sent in virtue of the invitation by the President of ECOSOC.
4.2 Contributing to policy/background briefs for the HLPF:
- Both the second (2016) and third (2017) sessions of the universal UN Environment Assembly undertook, at the ministerial level, the review and follow up of the environmental dimension of sustainable development under an integrated approach. For instance, the most recent session of the Environment Assembly was structure under the theme "Towards a Pollution-Free Planet" in a manner that its main outcomes, including the ministerial declaration and eleven resolutions adopted by consensus by all UN Member States, take into account the integrated nature of the 2010 Agenda and support the interlinkages with its 17 SDGs.
United nations Environment Assembly resolution 3/L.7 titled "Contributions of the United Nations Environment Assembly to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development" suggests measures to promote collaboration between UNEA and the HLPF. It also requests the Executive Director and recommends the President of the United Nations Environment Assembly to work closely with the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Economic and Social Council to enhance consideration of the annual contributions of the United Nations Environment Assembly in the work of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
4.4 Organizing side evens or speaking at the HLPF:
UN Environment has held side events and participated in them
4.5 Supporting VNR process:
An initiative that will provide support to countries developing Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) has bee developed.
5. How has your organization cooperated with other UN system organizations to achieve coherence and synergies in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? In this regard, has your organization launched or intend to launch any joint programmes or projects in collaboration with other UN entities? Are there any results or lessons you would like to highlight that might help improve the design and impact of such efforts? Has your organization participated in any of the following coordination systemwide mechanisms or any other relevant platform - CEB, UNDG, EC-ESA Plus, RCMs, UN-Energy, UN-Water, UN-Ocean, IAEG, IATT? Please specify which and indicate any suggestions you may have about improving collaborations within and across these mechanisms/platforms:
UN Environment participates in the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), regional United Nations Development Group (UNDG) processes, Regional Coordination Mechanisms (RCM), Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), UN- Ocean, UN-Water, and UN-Energy.
7. Has your organization organized any conferences, forums or events designed to facilitate exchange of experience, peer and mutual learning? If yes, please provide a brief summary below and include lessons learned and gaps identified based on the outcomes of these events. Please also include any events you plan to organize in the coming years.
Several workshops have been held. They include:
- The Integrated Approach: Strengthening Sustainability and Resilience in UN Country programming processes in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This was a pilot workshop to 'road test' updated presentations and learning materials for the integrated approach to strengthen sustainability and resilience in UN country programming processes, inclusive of: the UNDAF, One Programme, or other Delivering-as-One programmes at country level. The audience was UN Environment staff from different regional offices that service country-level initiatives.
- UNEP retreat on integrated approaches for the implementation at country and regional levels of the environmental dimension of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The retreat brought together some member states, members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to UNEP, non-state actors, and UNEP staff who use the integrated approach in different initiatives, with the aim to share experiences and inform the development of tools and methodologies. They explored characteristics of effective integrated approaches and how, through adaptation and innovation, the integrated approach can contribute to the transformation of our world through the 2030 Agenda.
8. Is there any other information you would like to share, including annual reports of your organization and any impact assessment or evaluation reports? If yes, please use the space below and attach the document(s). Please also use this space to provide any other information, comments or remarks you deem necessary:
UN Environment 2016 Annual Report
http://web.unep.org/annualreport/2016/index.php
9. In your view, what should a strategic plan for the UN system in support of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs look like? What key elements should it include and major challenges address in such a road map?
An effective coordination mechanism Transparency of agency/organization interventions to avoid duplication and identify possible synergies. Predictable sources of funding that avoids competition among agencies
10. Please indicate one or two endeavor or initiatives you suggest that the UN system organizations could undertake together to support the implementation of the SDGs between now and 2030:
Real time knowledge for effective decision making is a constant challenge. A knowledge management initiative that harnesses the best information from the system in a user friendly, externally facing platform.