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FEDERAL COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BELGIUM

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Issues | SDGs

Background

In September 2015 the UN approved the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A significant part of this 2030 Agenda consists of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. These establish an agenda for sustainable development for the period to 2030 in every country worldwide.

The SDGs are the successors to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which expired in 2015. They are broader in intent and are also universal. Hence they apply to every country, including Belgium.

The intention is that the SDGs should now be addressed at all policy levels (federal, regional, European and even local).

There are 17 SDGs. Each of them is represented by a series of targets (169 in total), and by a number of indicators. In our country it is now up to the different policy-making levels, acting within their remit, to devise a plan for their implementation. The Interministerial Conference on Sustainable Development will coordinate the execution of these plans at the varying levels. Meanwhile, a start has been made with a National Strategy for Sustainable Development which brings together some common initiatives. A number of initiatives have also been agreed at the federal level. The most recent plans can be found in the 2018 policy documents released by Ministers Marghem and De Croo.

The 2030 Agenda includes provision for all countries to submit voluntary interim reports to the United Nations on the progress they have made towards the SDGs. Belgium did so in 2017, presenting a Voluntary National Review to the High-Level Political Forum, the UN body responsible for monitoring national implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The intention is that the SDGs will play a significant role across a wide range of policy areas. This means that development cooperation policy will take extensive account of the SDGs.

 

The response of the Federal Council for Sustainable Development (FDRO)

 

Background information