What Role Can National Sustainable Development Councils and Similar Bodies Play in the Design and Delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals?

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the potential role of National Sustainable Development Councils (NCSDs) in designing and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on a survey of 12 countries, it examines existing national strategies, the challenges of monitoring progress, and the varying responsibilities of NCSDs in advising and implementing sustainable development policies.

• Most surveyed countries have a national sustainable development strategy (NSDS), with the exception of Chile, which instead works towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These strategies are established either by legislative bodies or through executive government decisions.
• Financial constraints and structural institutional barriers are primary obstacles to realizing sustainable development strategies. Challenges include a lack of financial resources for annual work plans, inflexible institutions, and resistance from government departments to integrate sustainable development approaches.
• Monitoring progress is hindered by poor data quality and the absence of permanent measurement mechanisms. While monitoring generally informs policy in most respondent countries, some cases show that a lack of political will prevents monitoring results from being translated into effective policies.
• The responsibilities of NCSDs vary by country, ranging from purely advisory roles to direct responsibility for the design and implementation of national objectives. For example, the Mauritian NCSD is tasked with coordinating the "Maurice Il Durable" (MID) plan, enforcing compliance, and managing the MID fund.
• Stakeholder engagement typically occurs during the strategy development phase rather than during implementation or review. Methods of engagement vary from formal advisory positions within the council to participation in workshops and the drafting of policy papers.
• NCSDs recommend that the new global SDGs be integrated into national targets that are realistic, financially viable, and measurable. They emphasize a participatory approach, the need for vertical alignment between national and subnational governance, and the strengthening of existing bodies over the creation of new structures.

APA

Cornforth, J., & Becuwe, J. (2014). What Role Can National Sustainable Development Councils and Similar Bodies Play in the Design and Delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sdplannet_ncds.pdf

Chicago

Cornforth, Jack, and Juliette Becuwe. What Role Can National Sustainable Development Councils and Similar Bodies Play in the Design and Delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals? International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2014. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sdplannet_ncds.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cornforth |first1=Jack |last2=Becuwe |first2=Juliette |title=What Role Can National Sustainable Development Councils and Similar Bodies Play in the Design and Delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals? |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2014 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sdplannet_ncds.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cornforth2014what, author = {Cornforth, Jack and Becuwe, Juliette}, title = {{What Role Can National Sustainable Development Councils and Similar Bodies Play in the Design and Delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2014}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sdplannet_ncds.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }