UN Secretary-General Reports on Rio+20 Follow-up, Post-2015 Preparations
An advance, unedited version of a UN Secretary-General report to the 69th UN General Assembly provides an update on the follow-up to Rio+20 and preparation for the intergovernmental negotiations for the post-2015 development agenda. Titled ‘Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20)' the report conveys the status of these processes as of August 2014.
On processes set up by Rio+20, the report focuses on: the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Financing for Sustainable Development (ICESDF); the UNGA process to identify options for a technology facilitation mechanism; and the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The report also affirms that the Secretary-General's synthesis report on the post-2015 agenda, which will "provide a consolidated analysis of the inputs," will serve as a base for intergovernmental negotiations on the new agenda. The report states that the UNGA will “give further guidance on the roadmap and modalities for elaborating the agenda.”
“The period until the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda in September 2015 represents a transition time,” states the report, and Member States should use this period to “fine tune” the design and function of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). It examines how the HLPF could contribute to supporting the post-2015 development agenda, and discusses its functions, including: agenda setting; follow up and review of progress in the implementation of the outcomes of major UN conferences and summits; national voluntary reviews; transparency and civil society participation; the science-policy interface; coordination of sustainable development policies; and coordination within the UN system on sustainable development programmes and policies.
The report concludes by recognizing the HLPF's ability to fulfill its mandate, including reviewing and monitoring the SDGs and achieving poverty eradication and sustainable development. It recommends that the UNGA, inter alia: call on relevant actors to engage in and support the HLPF in reviewing SDG implementation; ensure the HLPF maintains a focused, relevant and flexible agenda; initiate discussions on the possible scope and methodology of the HLPF reviews of implementation; and propose themes and areas for discussion at the HLPF.
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