High Level Political Forum 2017
10 – 19 July 2017, New York
The High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development is the United Nations central platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda. The HLPF 2017 was convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and it was held from 10 to 19 July 2017. The forum also included a three-day ministerial meeting from 17 to 19 July 2017.
Under the theme, “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world,” the HLPF 2017 reviewed the progress and implementation made towards SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 9 (Innovation, Industry and Infrastructure), and SDG 14 (Life below Water). For more information on the contribution of sustainable transport to achieve the SDGs, click here.
Transport in the HLPF 2017 Process
To better understand how transport is reflected in the HLPF 2017 process, SLoCaT has released the report, “2017 High Level Political Forum: Limited Focus on the Contribution of Transport toward Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals”, to review the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) submitted by countries, the 2017 SDG Progress Report, the thematic papers submitted by the Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS), and the 2017 HLPF Ministerial Declaration. The report finds that while there is progress on transport’s inclusion in the VNRs and other input to HLPF compared to 2016, there is still much work to be done to establish a structured framework that effectively measures the progress made in the transport sector towards achieving the SDGs.
- Transport references in VNRs 2017: While only 64% of the 22 VNRs submitted in 2016 contained references to transport (with not all references sustainability-specific), in 2017, 98% of the 43 submitted VNRs have some degree of reference to the transport sector, with 35% of submission giving specific examples to link transport with sustainable development impacts.
- 2017 SDG Progress Report: The report has expanded its references to transport and established linkages between transport and several SDG targets compared to 2016. However, it has not included any information on several key transport-related SDG indicators.
- Thematic papers by Major Groups and other Stakeholders: Although transport is mentioned in 43% of the thematic papers, it is clear that these references are to a large extent incidental and have not been able to build a structured, consistent linkage between transport and SDGs. The references focus on indicating the importance of transport but fail to provide concrete, sectoral policy recommendations for implementation in the transport sector.
- HLPF 2017 Ministerial Declaration: The declaration gives very brief references to transport’s role in providing access and the importance of maritime transport and trade, which do not effectively outline the critical role of transport in addressing the overarching themes of the 2030 Agenda.
Transport Events at HLPF 2017
- 10 July, 6:15 PM – 7:30 PM , Conference Room 6, UNHQ
“How mobility can contribute to eradication of poverty & promotion of prosperity”
by the World Bank under the Sustainable Mobility for All initiative and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
- 14 July, 1:15 PM – 2:30 PM, UN Delegates Dining Room
“The Role of Safe and Sustainable Mobility in Eradicating Poverty and Improving Health”
by the FIA Foundation, The Global Initiative for Child Health & Mobility and The G4 Alliance
- 14 July, 6:15 PM – 7:30 PM, Conference Room B, UNHQ
by United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) – Division for Sustsinable Development (DSD)/UN DESA, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) andThe Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development(BMZ)
- 18 July, 6:15 PM – 6:30 PM, Conference Room B, UNHQ
“The Global Climate Action Agenda, a Solution Provider to Implement the SDGs”
by France, Italy and Luxembourg
- 19 July 8:15 AM – 9:30 AM, Conference Room 7, UNHQ
by International Civil Aviation Organization co-organized with Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), World Bank Group and Air Transport Action Group (ATAG)
Other SLoCaT’s Input to the HLPF 2017
- Advocacy Letters to VNR Coordinators: Advocacy letters were sent to 21 country coordinators who are responsible for the VNR submissions in 2017. The letter presents the critical role of sustainable transport in achieving the SDGs and give specific recommendations on how to further emphasize the critical role of sustainable transport in SDG implementation through the VNR process during the HLPF in 2017.
- Input to Expert Group Meeting of Major Groups and other Stakeholders (25 to 26 March 2017, Bogota, Colombia)
- Voluntary National Reviews 2017: Limited Attention to Actions on Sustainable Transport
- Transport related country reporting to global processes on sustainable development: A case study on countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region
- Factsheet on the Key Messages on Rural Transport and SDGs (July 2017)
- HLPF Can Do More to Highlight Transport’s Contribution towards SDG Achievement (The SDG Knowledge Hub)