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

The document examines how National Sustainable Development Councils (NCSDs) can support the transition from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals. Based on survey data from 12 countries, it identifies that while most nations have national sustainable development strategies, they face significant financial and structural barriers, including institutional resistance and poor data quality. The briefing highlights the advisory role of NCSDs and recommends a participatory approach, vertical alignment between government levels, and the strengthening of existing institutional frameworks to achieve national SDG targets.

• Most surveyed countries have a national sustainable development strategy (NSDS), with the exception of Chile, though these strategies vary in their focus from broad promotion to quantified targets on issues like greenhouse gas emissions.
• Financial constraints and structural barriers are primary obstacles to implementing sustainable development strategies. Specific issues include a lack of financial resources for annual work plans and institutional resistance to integrating sustainable development approaches within government departments.
• Monitoring progress is hindered by poor data quality and a lack of permanent measurement mechanisms. While monitoring generally informs policy in most respondent countries, some cases show a failure to translate data into effective policy due to a lack of political will.
• NCSDs primarily serve in advisory roles during the design and drafting stages of national strategies, but they are less frequently involved in the actual implementation and monitoring phases.
• Thematic priorities for NCSDs often reflect national geographic or economic contexts, with common interests including energy, green economy, urban planning, and natural resource management. Specific priorities include 'ocean and blue economy' in Mauritius and 'integrated coastal zone management' in Croatia.
• Stakeholder engagement typically occurs during the strategy development phase rather than during review or implementation. While participatory approaches are valued, their effectiveness is often limited by a lack of financial backing and political will.
• To successfully achieve SDGs at the national level, the document recommends revising NSDSs to be financially viable and measurable, adopting early stakeholder involvement, and ensuring 'vertical alignment' or coordination between national and subnational government levels.

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} }