UN Global report_2019

Executive summary
Introduction
The present Global Sustainable Development Report was prepared following the decision
of the United Nations Member States at the 2016 high-level political forum for sustainable
development (HLPF) (see E/HLS/2016/1, annex IV, para. 7). The Report reflects the universal,
indivisible and integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It
also seeks to strengthen the science-policy interface as an evidence-based instrument to
support policymakers and other stakeholders in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda
across the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
The Global Sustainable Development Report is distinct from, and complementary to, the
annual Sustainable Development Goals progress report prepared by the Secretary-General,
which tracks progress across goals and targets using indicators from the global indicator
framework. It does not produce new evidence; rather it capitalizes on existing knowledge
across disciplines, through an “assessment of assessments”. It highlights state-of-the-art
knowledge for transformations towards sustainable development and identifies concrete
areas where rapid, transformational change is possible. The Report is not only a product
but also a process for advancing collaboration among actors in science, Government, the
private sector and civil society in all regions of the world towards identifying and realizing
concrete pathways for transformation driven by evidence.
The Report draws upon an extensive and diverse knowledge base, including numerous
published articles in scholarly literature; and international assessments, like the Secretary-
General’s Sustainable Development Goals progress report (2019), the Global Environment
Outlook 6 (GEO-6) regional assessments (2019), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) special report (2018), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) global assessment (2019), the International
Labour Organization (ILO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) reports on the future of work (2019) and others. It benefitted from five regional
consultations with academic, policy, business and civil society communities; an extensive
series of inputs received following an online call; a review by approximately one hundred
experts coordinated by the International Science Council (ISC), the InterAcademy Partnership
(IAP) and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO); and comments on an
earlier draft from United Nations Member States and accredited stakeholders.
The Global Sustainable Development Report was prepared by an independent group of
scientists appointed by the Secretary-General, comprising 15 experts from various regions
and representing a variety of scientific disciplines and institutions. The Group was supported
by a task team comprising representatives from the United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
xix