Local communities and Indigenous Peoples are crucial to conserving and managing forest resources, as their traditional knowledge and long-standing experience with forest ecosystems are invaluable for effective forest conservation and sustainable management. However, reports indicate that their knowledge is frequently excluded from national forest monitoring systems, weakening these efforts. This project aims to strengthen the capacities of Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana and Peru to integrate both scientific and traditional knowledge in the implementation of the United Nations strategic plan for forests UNSPF (2015-2030) by engaging Indigenous Peoples and local communities user-friendly monitoring and assessment activities, identifying existing data gaps and challenges from their perspectives; and facilitating the provision of data on best practices especially the application of user friendly digital technology, experiences, and information for monitoring, assessment, and reporting on the implementation of sustainable forest management and the UNSPF.  The project will be implemented in collaboration with FAO, UNFF Major groups, IUFRO and ECLAC. The project will produce guidelines for integrating community-based monitoring with national forest monitoring system and will build the capacity of the key stakeholders. Crucially, the project will pilot these tools in selected communities to generate new integrated datasets related to forest monitoring in those four countries. The project will explore to adopt digital technology, such as mobile app system for ecosystem monitoring by the Indigenous People and communities. The project will target free, active and meaningful participation of all stakeholders, particularly Indigenous People (IPs), women, persons with disabilities, local communities (LCs) and the youth to ensure that no one is left behind. 

The proposed project will boost SDG localization by empowering local governments (cities, states, regions) to ensure the resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability of their infrastructure assets and planned large scale infrastructure investments in 6 countries. The main challenge it addresses is the lack of capacity of participating local and national governments to effectively manage existing infrastructure assets and planned infrastructure investments over their entire lifespans, and plan for and mitigate risks affecting these investments. With 92% of SDGs and its targets linked to resilient infrastructure, building public sector capacity on infrastructure asset management is a powerful tool to turbocharge the SDGs. Drawing from the UN DESA Handbook on Infrastructure Asset Management,  and associated toolkit (including the EnABLE IAM assessment tool),  the project will train local and central government officials in six countries (name them)  in designing and implementing local and resilient infrastructure asset management practices and corresponding community-driven, multi-year infrastructure asset management action plans that ensure continuity of public services and leave no one behind. Utilizing guidance tools on resilient Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) from the UN Handbook on IAM, the project entails increasing the capacity of central and local government training institutions and universities to introduce new curricula on resilient infrastructure asset management for current and future generations of public sector officials. Good practices and lessons learned at the end of the project cycle will also be captured in an extended, second version of the UN IAM handbook with new concrete tools to support resilient public asset management. Other key stakeholders include central government ministries, regional, national and sub-national development banks, local government officials (elected and administrative) as well as civil society, youth / students, and the private sector. UN DESA is the main implementing entity with UNOPS as co-implementing partner. UN DESA will also consult and engage with relevant UNCTs, UNDP, UN Habitat, and UN regional economic and social commissions in the implementation of the project activities.

The project aims to develop and advance a set of metrics that complement and go beyond GDP and to strengthen national capacities to design, implement, and integrate beyond-GDP metrics into evidence-based decision-making processes to foster inclusive and sustainable development.The project will be implemented in two sequential and complementary phases: Phase1: Convening of a High-Level Expert Group (HLEG), as requested in the Pact for the Future, and support to its work. Specifically, Phase1 will provide substantive and analytical support to the High-Level Expert Group and its operational functioning. It will help collate available data sources and needs for new measures, as a basis for identifying a limited number of country-owned and universally applicable indicators of sustainable development that complement and go beyond GDP. Phase2: will follow phase1 and build on its outcomes by supporting pilot testing at country level of recommended beyond-GDP metrics. By leveraging innovative methods, AI, and non-traditional data sources, the project will also test their use at the country level. Phase2 will equip governments with tools and guidance to address key gaps in measuring progress. Stakeholder engagement, case studies, and global dissemination of results will further ensure the scalability and sustainability of these new approaches, as well as alignment with the 2030 Agenda.

With 65 per cent of SDG targets estimated to be linked to the work of local and regional governments, effective localization is a pre-condition for achieving SDGs. In recent years, the role of local governments has gained prominence and visibility at the international level, recognized by Member States in General Assembly resolutions and HLPF Political Declarations, and by the Secretary-General in his reports “Our Common Agenda” and “Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Towards a Rescue Plan for People and Planet 2023”. In the face of multiple global crises that have slowed, and in some cases, reversed progress on SDG implementation, localization has become more important than ever and local governments from all regions have been “rising to the occasion,” increasingly seizing upon the 2030 Agenda and working to make it a reality in their local contexts. One of the ways that local governments have been doing this is through the process of preparing sub-national reviews of their SDG implementation (voluntary local reviews) to reinforce vertical and horizontal policy coherence and complement voluntary national reviews (VNRs). At the same time, local and regional governments particularly, as detailed below, in the Africa region, face significant challenges in delivering on the 2030 Agenda. The present project will support both national and local governments in selected African countries to accelerate inclusive implementation of the 2030 Agenda through strengthening local and national government capacities for localization of the SDGs. It will do so by building on the successful implementation of the Italian funded project on Improved local and national government capacities for localizing SDGs progress through Voluntary Local Reviews (2022-2024), providing continued support for review and reporting on SDG implementation and further supporting national and local governments to address financing challenges for SDG delivery by local governments and to strengthen planning for SDG achievement.

Considering the escalating climate change challenges in the Caribbean region, marked by an urgent need for robust data-driven climate policies, the project is designed to enhance capacities in SIDS by delivering training in fundamental data science skills, along with providing technical assistance in making effective use of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data (for tracking vessels) and related national data (in two beneficiary countries, namely Barbados and Belize) as well as the application of Artificial Intelligence for Environment & Sustainability (ARIES), which can be used for the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) (in two countries, namely Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago). Through integration of geospatial information and new data sources, this initiative seeks to empower four SIDS in the Caribbean with the necessary capabilities to accurately monitor maritime transport and trade, fisheries and ecosystem services (including tourism), analyze related CO2 emissions and foster the development of SEEA accounts. The project will also provide analytical diagnostic studies on sources and levels of CO2 and other GHG emissions, and feed the main findings into a cross-country roadmap listing most relevant policy options and recommendations for the decarbonisation of the maritime transport sector and fisheries value chains, and for the conservation, management, and restoring of the marine ecosystems (with support from UNEP). Throughout the project CARICOM and ECLAC will provide regional coordination and guidance on policy implementation.

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) are key drivers of economic growth and sustainable development in LDCs and SIDS. However, many of these countries face challenges in harnessing the power of STI to drive economic growth and sustainable development in part due to cost constraints, infrastructure deficiencies, geographical insularity, fragmentation and limited knowledge transfer. Addressing these gaps requires efforts at all levels to assist countries to, inter alia, i) Prioritize investments in resilience and research and development; ii) Promote regional cooperation and coordination and strengthen regional research institutions’ technical and institutional capacity through inter alia joint research initiatives, and knowledge sharing; and iii) Effectively mobilize national science and engineering capacity for mission-oriented research to solve specific national/regional problems. This project will support three Lusophone SIDS (Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe) to strengthen their capacity to develop, deploy, and expand their use of STI in the context of the SDGs and particularly for building ocean knowledge and coastal resilience. Recommendations from the project will be piloted on UNESCO designated sites and through relevant multistakeholder networks to amplify project impact at all levels. The Project’s objectives are to strengthen the capacity of government officials and other stakeholders in targeted Small Island Developing States to utilize science, technology and innovation effectively for advancing climate resilience and nature-based solutions in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. The project will be jointly implemented by UNDESA, UNECA and UNESCO.

This project aims to strengthen the capacity of Mauritius, Seychelles, Guinea-Bissau and Jamaica to formulate and implement integrated and coherent national planning and policy that promote social inclusion, macroeconomic stability, effective governance, protection of the environment and mobilizes stakeholders. Based on integrated planning methodologies and the principles of blue and green economy, the focus will be to support the development of economies that are resilient, diversified and have strengthened productive capacities. Environmental vulnerabilities and resilience building, including sustainable forest management, will receive special attention. The project will deliver a program of support that builds on DESA’s existing capacity development activities in integrated recovery planning, economic and environmental modelling, governance and institutional arrangements for policymaking, coordination and implementation, forests and climate financing and SIDS specific support. It will include analysis, training, advice, and stakeholder involvement activities to strengthen national capacities and processes for planning, including establishment of appropriate governance arrangements for formulation and implementation of integrated national development planning and responses to crises, such as those posed by the war in Ukraine and the COVID pandemic. Project impact would be evidenced by the incorporation and use of DESA tools, methods and approaches into national development plans, pandemic recovery strategies and other policies and strategies for the achievement of the SDGs.

While innovation in the public sector is often overlooked due to its gradual and understated nature, it holds immense potential as a catalyst to accelerate the implementation of SDGs. However, it is necessary to broaden our understanding of innovation beyond just technological advancements and to view it as a new approach to policymaking, business processes, partnership and service delivery for enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in public sectors. Innovation does not happen in a vacuum. It requires a cultural shift within the organization and leadership, as well as the institutional setting, including promoting an enabling environment, cultivating creative mindsets, fostering strategic partnerships, taking calculated risks, and accepting failures. The project aims to build and complement the efforts of the governments in four target countries by encouraging the prioritization of innovation practices and fostering innovation experimentation in the public sector. Countries with innovation strategies or dedicated innovation entities within the government exhibit a stronger commitment to finding creative solutions to address today’s challenges and preparing for future uncertainty. While having an innovation strategy or creating an innovation unit is not an end in itself, it can provide a clearer roadmap for achieving the SDGs and position governments at all levels to better utilize their limited resources to promote inclusive development and create a resilient society . The project intends to enhance the institutional capacities of government officials in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam to outline a vision for public sector innovation in line with their existing national development plan or SDG implementation plan. The project will be implemented by the Division of Public Institutions and Digital Government of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DPIDG/UN DESA), in close consultation with the UN Resident Coordinator System and the UN Country Teams as applicable.