The Lancet comments on the Quito Declaration

The Lancet has published an editorial in which it considers the Quito Declaration (see below) as a “missed opportunity for urban health”. While the new urban agenda outlines an agreed framework and is “inclusive, green, and clean”, according to the Editor, “it fails badly on one main aspect at the heart of cities: health.”

The WHO released a report Health as the Pulse of the New Urban Agenda in advance of Habitat III “to influence the proceedings and argue the case for health being central”...

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Quito Declaration on Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for All

Heads of State, Government Ministers and High Representatives adopted a New Urban Agenda -- the Quito Declaration on Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for All (Quito Declaration) -- at the end of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) held in Quito, Ecuador from 17 to 20 October 2016. Sub-national and local governments, parliamentarians, civil society, indigenous peoples and local communities, the private sector, professionals and practitioners, the scientific and academic community, and other relevant stakeholders also participated in the meeting, which was held against the backdrop that by 2050 “the world urban population is expected to nearly double, making urbanization one of the 21st century’s most transformative trends.” (paras 1-2)...

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Support needed for Resolution on Child, Early and Forced Marriage in General Assembly 3rd Committee

Member States of the UN are negotiating a resolution on child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) in the 3rd Committee. This resolution will establish a renewed, critical global precedent for all countries to end CEFM. Governments should remain accountable to their previous commitments to end CEFM and to move the global conversation forward in line with SDG target 5.3. See:...

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Two more countries will present their national voluntary reviews at 2017 HLPF

The list of those countries that have indicated that they will present their national voluntary reviews grows longer with the recent additions of Portugal and Qatar.

For easy reference this is the full list of countries with links for specific country information:

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Results of the IAEG-SDG online consultation on refining selected indicators in proposed global indicator framework for SDGs

The Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) has compiled the results of the online consultation aiming at the refinement of ten selected indicators in the proposed global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (See: Open Consultation on Possible Refinements to the Global Indicator Framework for the SDGs). It included possible refinements to indicators under SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 16.

Target 3.8 -- Indicator 3.8.2 Possible refinement: “Proportion of the population with large household expenditures (e.g. greater than 25%)...

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SDG Indicators – the official list of SDG indicators

The global indicator framework, developed by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goals (IAEG-SDGs) and agreed by the 47th session of the UN Statistical Commission in March 2016,  as a “practical starting point” is contained in the Report of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (E/CN.3/2016/2/Rev 1), Annex IV. They are also available to download either as a .pdf document or in Excel on the IAEG-SDGs website.

There are 230 indicators, but the total number listed is 241 indicators, as nine indicators are repeated under two or three targets.

Latest information on countries presenting national voluntary reviews to 2017 HLPF

As stated on the Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform 28 countries have now requested to present their initial national voluntary reviews (NVRs) at the high-level political forum (HLPF) in 2017: Argentina; Belarus; Belgium; Chile; Costa Rica; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Ethiopia; Guatemala; Honduras; Iran (Islamic Republic of); Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kenya; Luxembourg; Malaysia; Maldives; Monaco; Netherlands; Panama; Peru; Slovenia; Sweden; Thailand; Togo; and Uruguay.

By clicking on each country it is possible to see the identified national focal point for each country.

Global Indicator Framework – path to its adoption

According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1), para 75, “The global indicator framework, to be developed by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators, will be agreed by the Statistical Commission by March 2016 and adopted thereafter by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, in line with existing mandates.”...

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GA Second and Third Committees consider issues related to 2030 Agenda

On 12 October the UN DESA Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) updated Major Groups and other Stakeholders via web-x on the work of the General Assembly Second and Third Committees as it relates to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda)

Second Committee...

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ECOSOC role in 2030 Agenda discussed by UN General Assembly

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) report for 2016, with particular reference to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, has been discussed by the UN General Assembly. Its president for 2016, Oh Joon of the Republic of Korea, introduced the report, highlighting the Council's relevance to global threats, challenges and humanitarian emergencies.

The Assembly took note of the report, entitled Report of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on its 2016 session (A/71/3)...

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