Why world mistrust must not threaten the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The author contends that the 'year of hope' in 2015, which produced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Change accord, has been replaced by a 'year of mistrust' in 2016. This atmosphere of mistrust, characterized by resistance to international cohesion and the exclusion of civil society from national planning, risks derailing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A key point of failure is the lack of universality; an analysis of the 2016 UN General Assembly revealed that of 40 states mentioning national SDG implementation plans, only six were developed countries: Bulgaria, Finland, Netherlands, Estonia, Switzerland, and Japan. The document advocates for a shift away from distant UN-led scorecards toward 'supportive and appreciative mechanisms' of accountability, where civil society acts as a vital link to ensure the SDGs are implemented at the national level and marginalized groups are included.

• The author asserts that a pervasive atmosphere of mistrust between citizens and political systems is jeopardizing the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as the partnerships required for their success cannot be established without trust.
• Evidence suggests that developed nations are failing to adhere to the principle of universality in the 2030 Agenda. An analysis of statements from the 2016 UN General Assembly found that only six developed countries—Bulgaria, Finland, Netherlands, Estonia, Switzerland, and Japan—referred to national SDG implementation plans, out of a total of 40 states that did so.
• Civil society is frequently excluded from national-level discussions regarding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the mechanisms for holding governments accountable.
• The document argues that effective accountability for the 2030 Agenda cannot be achieved through high-profile international platforms or the distant UN-led results scorecards used for the Millennium Development Goals; instead, it requires 'supportive and appreciative mechanisms' driven by civil society.

APA

Costa, A. G. N. (2017). Why world mistrust must not threaten the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-world-mistrust-must-not-threaten-the-2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development/

Chicago

Costa, Andrew Griffiths, Naiara. Why world mistrust must not threaten the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. World Economic Forum, 2017. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-world-mistrust-must-not-threaten-the-2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Costa |first1=Andrew Griffiths, Naiara |title=Why world mistrust must not threaten the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=12 January 2017 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-world-mistrust-must-not-threaten-the-2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{costa2017why, author = {Costa, Andrew Griffiths, Naiara}, title = {{Why world mistrust must not threaten the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2017}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-world-mistrust-must-not-threaten-the-2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }