IISD analysis of 13th session of the UN General Assembly’s Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals

The IISD has posted its analysis of the 13th session of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The OWG completed its mandate following three complete readings of drafts of the proposed SDGs and associated targets during the  “informal-informal” consultations three days prior to OWG-13, from 9-11 July, and the informal sessions of OWG-13 over the course of the five-day meeting. On Saturday, 19 July 2014, following an all-night session, the final formal session of OWG-13 convened at 10:30am to adopt the “Proposal of the Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals.” At 1:20 pm, after nearly three hours of statements—both in support of and opposed to the final document—the OWG adopted the document by acclamation, with a standing ovation for the Co-Chairs.

Although most delegations and observers were not completely satisfied with the final proposal containing 17 goals and 169 targets (including 62 targets on means of implementation), it was generally acknowledged that the proposal represented the best outcome that could be hoped for, based on the Group’s 16 months of work. But even as exhausted delegates and stakeholders left UN Headquarters on Saturday afternoon, many were already looking ahead to the next steps in the process. The OWG’s proposal on SDGs will now be submitted to the UNGA for consideration as part of the broader post-2015 development agenda that is to be adopted in late 2015. Many delegates and the Co-Chairs clearly indicated that there was still another year’s worth of negotiations before the proposed SDGs are adopted by the UNGA along with the rest of the development agenda that will supplant the Millennium Development Goals.

A summary of the meeting is available in PDF and HTML formats.