Lessons from Latin America on implementing the 2030 Agenda

The document outlines the challenges and best practices for implementing the 2030 Agenda in Latin America, emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral institutional structures, subnational engagement, and improved data disaggregation. It highlights the vulnerability of SDG implementation to political cycles and the difficulty of aligning the 2030 Agenda with the Paris Agreement. Key recommendations include incorporating medium-term goals to bridge government cycles and mobilizing private sector resources to fill funding gaps caused by regional recessions.

• Mainstreaming the SDGs is often hindered by a 'culture of siloed governmental processes' and a lack of high-level political commitment, making implementation vulnerable to political changes and staff turnover during government transitions.
• Countries in Latin America find it particularly difficult to simultaneously mainstream the 2030 Agenda and their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, partly due to a lack of indicators and a limited understanding of climate issues outside environmental ministries.
• SDG awareness is heavily concentrated in central government tiers, leading to a lack of ownership and implementation at subnational levels, which is critical for addressing regional inequalities and 'leaving no-one behind'.
• Monitoring progress is hampered by a lack of standardized data collection methodologies between national and subnational levels, a deficiency in disaggregated data, and specific difficulties in measuring environmental indicators and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• Financing is a major obstacle due to protracted recessions and the middle-income status of most regional countries, which limits access to bilateral development cooperation. Some countries are tracking 'SDG spending' within existing budgets, but this may not represent new funding.
• Effective implementation requires moving beyond political agreement to action, utilizing permanent institutional structures (such as those involving legislative and judicial branches) and repurposing existing frameworks like those from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

APA

Barquet, K., Leyton, C., Cortínez, V., & Penagos, Á. (2017). Lessons from Latin America on implementing the 2030 Agenda. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-pb-2017-la-sdg-retreat.pdf

Chicago

Barquet, Karina, Cristian Leyton, Valentina Cortínez, and Ángela Penagos. Lessons from Latin America on implementing the 2030 Agenda. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2017. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-pb-2017-la-sdg-retreat.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Barquet |first1=Karina |last2=Leyton |first2=Cristian |last3=Cortínez |first3=Valentina |last4=Penagos |first4=Ángela |title=Lessons from Latin America on implementing the 2030 Agenda |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2017 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-pb-2017-la-sdg-retreat.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{barquet2017lessons, author = {Barquet, Karina and Leyton, Cristian and Cortínez, Valentina and Penagos, Ángela}, title = {{Lessons from Latin America on implementing the 2030 Agenda}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-pb-2017-la-sdg-retreat.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }