Pursuing Sustainable and Equitable Development at the United Nations

Pursuing Sustainable and Equitable Development at the United Nations

By Cindy Campbell, Director of PD&R's International and Philanthropic Affairs Division

The United Nations hosted the annual High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York in July 2024. Nearly every agency of the federal government, including HUD, sent representatives to participate in this year's convening.

Every year, the United Nations (UN) hosts the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development at its New York City headquarters. In 2024, the forum was held from July 8 to 17, 2024. The U.S. Department of State organizes all interagency participation in these annual forums, and this year, a large contingent of officials representing nearly every agency in the federal government attended the HLPF. HUD sent two representatives, one for each week of the HLPF: Katherine Marinari, program analyst in the International and Philanthropic Affairs Division, attended the first week of the forum, and I covered the second.

The theme of this year's HLPF was "Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions." The 2024 forum focused on 5 of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): end poverty in all its forms everywhere (Goal 1); end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture (Goal 2); take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (Goal 13); promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels (Goal 16); and strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development (Goal 17).

The forum also included a 3-day ministerial segment, during which representatives from member nations reported their progress toward achieving the SDGs and presented their Voluntary National Reviews.

Jonathan Shrier, U.S. deputy representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the United States. Shrier emphasized, “The United States remains committed to a vision of a future in which people do not go hungry, everyone has access to quality and affordable healthcare and education, workers are empowered, the environment is protected, entrepreneurs and innovators everywhere can leverage opportunity, digital and emerging technologies catalyze progress, conflicts are prevented or resolved peacefully, and democracies deliver a stronger, fairer society for all.” The United States reinforced its commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development throughout the 2 weeks of the HLPF, pointing out that the United States has invested more than $150 billion globally and mobilized billions of dollars more in private-sector investment to speed progress toward meeting the SDGs.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the UN, delivered the United States’ national statement, noting:

Over the past few days, we have heard from those partners, offered our own perspective to this vital work. Sharing our efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth: growth that improves the lives of all members of society, especially women and girls, who are key to unlocking true economic equality.

To build more sustainable and resilient food systems, and mitigate against food security shocks around the world. To take urgent actions to combat climate change and its impacts. And to renew democracy, promote respect for human rights, and counter corruption amidst a resurgence of authoritarianism and democratic backsliding.

In all of these efforts, we have put our money where our mouths are — committing tens of billions of dollars to the fight for food security and climate justice, democratic governance, and economic resilience.

And we have, and will continue, to think about how best to achieve progress — including by evolving the vision, approach, and financial capacity of the MDBs [multilateral development banks] to better address global challenges.

This year's meeting focused on the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions to development and poverty eradication in line with 17 Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda.

Her remarks highlighted the United States' continued commitment to fulfilling the SDGs. Each country in attendance had the opportunity to deliver a national statement. I attended several of these national statements from member countries, and I was heartened to learn about the worldwide commitment and progress toward meeting the SDGs.

I also attended a high-level workshop organized by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of Italy and the UN Human Settlements Programme that focused on advancing SDG localization, multilevel governance, and policy coherence for sustainable development. The workshop, "Walking the Path for the Building of a Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs," explored how to move forward with the potential platform that had been discussed during the April 2024 G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers' meeting and was part of the final communiqué outcome document. Workshop participants recognized the relevance of SDG localization, including the launch of a Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs in the second half of 2024. This topic will also be part of the upcoming G7 Sustainable Urban Development Ministers Meeting, which will take place in Rome later this year. HUD will have senior representation at this meeting.

One benefit of these forums is the opportunity to meet representatives from other UN member nations. The gathering is a great opportunity to meet and have side conversations concerning issues that affect participating nations. As an old friend of mine always said, "The meeting is never in the meeting; it's before and after" — the side conversations outside of meetings often are more fruitful than the meetings themselves, and this certainly was the case at this meeting as well.