Architecture for review and follow-up of the SDGs: Options for the High-Level Political Forum

The briefing outlines a proposed three-tier review system for the SDGs consisting of inclusive national conversations, regional peer reviews, and global assessments. It emphasizes a 'bottom-up' paradigm where national reviews serve as the foundation for regional aggregation and global thematic discussions within the HLPF. The authors argue that the HLPF should orchestrate the efforts of states and UN entities, focusing on learning and policy adaptation rather than sanctions, to ensure the universal mandate of the SDGs is met.

• The proposed review architecture consists of three integrated components: national-level inclusive conversations every five years, regional-level aggregation and peer review, and a global assessment of progress conducted by the HLPF.
• National reviews should be state-led but participatory, potentially utilizing four distinct reports: one compiling data from UN agencies and IFIs, a government report, a stakeholder report, and a final government report on review results and follow-up.
• Regional peer reviews are intended to facilitate learning among countries in similar circumstances and can utilize existing platforms such as the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), ECLAC, and the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD).
• The HLPF global review is proposed to operate on two tracks: a national review track (with options for regional report discussions, working-level reviews, or selected ministerial presentations) and a thematic review track focusing on clusters of goals.
• The review mechanism should prioritize 'effort' and 'learning' over 'impact' or 'evaluation' due to the difficulty of establishing causal connections between specific government actions and sustainable development outcomes.
• The HLPF's organizational structure involves an annual eight-day session with a ministerial segment under ECOSOC and a session every four years involving Heads of State and Government under the General Assembly.

APA

Halle, M., & Wolfe, R. (2015). Architecture for review and follow-up of the SDGs: Options for the High-Level Political Forum. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/architecture-review-follow-up-sdg-options-hlpf.pdf

Chicago

Halle, Mark, and Robert Wolfe. Architecture for review and follow-up of the SDGs: Options for the High-Level Political Forum. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2015. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/architecture-review-follow-up-sdg-options-hlpf.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Halle |first1=Mark |last2=Wolfe |first2=Robert |title=Architecture for review and follow-up of the SDGs: Options for the High-Level Political Forum |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2015 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/architecture-review-follow-up-sdg-options-hlpf.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{halle2015architecture, author = {Halle, Mark and Wolfe, Robert}, title = {{Architecture for review and follow-up of the SDGs: Options for the High-Level Political Forum}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2015}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/architecture-review-follow-up-sdg-options-hlpf.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }