An Optimistic Analysis of the Means of Implementation for Sustainable Development Goals: Thinking about Goals as Means

Abstract

Abstract:A key but contentious aspect of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the means of implementation (MOI). Many developing countries emphasize the importance of international assistance while developed countries focus more on domestic financing and the private sector. The text of the SDGs includes a broad range of MOI. However, a discussion has arisen about whether countries should prioritize some goals over others due partly to concerns that MOI may be insufficient. In contrast, this article argues for a more optimistic outlook concerning MOI and the feasibility of achieving the SDGs. First, most SDGs and targets are themselves means-or intermediate goals-contributing to the achievement of other goals. The structure of the SDGs blurs the fact that different goals have different functions, such as providing resources or enabling environments. Greater focus on the interlinkages and synergies among goals could enhance the effectiveness of implementation and reduce costs. Second, integrated planning and implementation, needed for leveraging synergies among goals, will require enhanced capacity, particularly for governance and coordination. We argue that the strengthening of such capacity is a central MOI that requires more attention since it is a precondition for the effective mobilization and deployment of other MOI. Third, although upfront investments may seem high in absolute terms, financial feasibility is realistic when considering existing global financial stocks and flows and the expected benefits.

Urban Food Systems Strategies: A Promising Tool for Implementing the SDGs in Practice †

“…Results of this paper also stress the importance of considering the multiple interconnections between and within the SDGs when addressing their implementation, underscored in recent SDG research [6,8,14,15,115,122]. Being inherently complex and cross-sectoral, the urban food system, and the metrics used to track its transformation, are well-suited for detecting potential positive and negative interactions in the SDG ecosystem as well as between different scales of implementation [117].…”

“…Critical observers, however, worry that, with few exceptions [14,15], the interdependency between the SDGs is still poorly operationalized and, without clear and measurable indicators, the 169 targets of the 2030 Agenda risk being too vague and inconsequential. As a whole, the successful implementation of the SDGs is deemed to be contingent upon science-based [13,[16][17][18] and time-sensitive [19] metrics and a social-ecological systems approach [20] to sustainability planning.…”

Environmental Sustainability: A Case of Policy Implementation Failure?

“…Having said all this, the past policy implementation failures detailed in the studies that have been reviewed do not indicate that achieving environmental sustainability is impossible [124].…”

The Design of Environmental Priorities in the SDGs

“…Nevertheless, it is very clear from Table that many environmental targets are in the so‐called ‘non‐environmental’ SDGs. Overall, the SDGs are a complex web of means‐ends interlinkages (Elder et al., ), and this is particularly true for the environment‐related targets. The governments intended to divide SDGs into ‘goals’ and ‘means of implementation’.…”

“…Finally, there are many implicit interlinkages among the goals which were not explicitly included in the targets (Elder et al., ; Zhou and Moinuddin, ). For example, climate change negatively affects poverty and health, which worsens gender and income inequality, so mitigating climate change will help reduce poverty and inequality and improve health, but these points are not directly addressed under their respective SDGs (1, 3, 5, 10).…”