International Institute for Sustainable Development

As the 2030 deadline for achieving the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) draws near, the lack of measurable progress is cause for concern. However, qualitative advancements at the local level provide a hopeful perspective for continued development beyond 2030. Cities, in particular, are pivotal in driving the global...

The sustainability transition requires transformative systemic change, shifting away from mass production and consumption towards the dematerialization of production processes and maximizing the value and longevity of materials and products. Bold leadership is needed to move towards a new economic and social system that decouples economic...

The importance of young people’s involvement in SDG processes is gaining recognition at the highest levels. This commentary highlights progress on youth engagement and points to three pillars of meaningful engagement that merit added attention: 1) representation; 2) inclusivity; and 3) empowerment. As we look forward to the upcoming SDG Summit and...

Amidst ongoing conversations surrounding the attainment of net-zero emissions, it is crucial to underscore the importance of aligning substantive climate action with overarching sustainability objectives. The Voluntary Local Reviews (VLR) movement is gaining momentum, presenting an opportunity to extend its influence in fostering sustainable...

The 2021 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) consolidated the prime role of VLRs (Voluntary Local Reviews) in localizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A record number of local governments – 17 cites –presented a 2021 VLR by July 2021 according to UN-Habitat. By comparison, 26 VLRs were published in 2020. VLRs have also gained broader...

Story highlights: The Voluntary Local Review (VLR) process is providing a useful tool for subnational levels of government to take on the SDGs. The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies has published two reports to support the growing number of local and regional governments conducting VLRs.

Story Highlights; The HLPF has struggled to encourage countries to “integrate the three dimensions” of sustainable development, even though interlinkages among the 17 SDGs and their targets have been identified. A clear illustration of different tools, approaches, and conceptual frameworks for better understanding interlinkages between the SDGs...

- The APFSD has grown into a useful multi-stakeholder platform for sharing experiences and networking around sustainable development. - It is important to examine whether stakeholder engagement provides meaningful space for the stakeholders and whether it is built on the “minimum requirement” of protecting and respecting human rights. - Subregional...

- The deliberations of the Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific provide a guide for what to look for from the Asia Pacific delegates during UNEA4. - During the Forum: Asia Pacific showed a strong interest in waste management and resource efficiency; the Forum’s discussions on innovation touched on technical, policy, and...

This article proposes a conceptual framework that identified five types of Goals, and explains the complex relationships among them. Means-type goals can be classified into five categories, by function: resources, environment, education, economy, and governance. Approaching the SDGs as a system where different goals play different roles can help to...