UN India

The Union for the Mediterranean – An Action-driven Organization for Regional Cooperation and Development (2017)

This edition of “South-South in Action” focuses on the Union for the Mediterranean, an intergovernmental Euro-Mediterranean organisation that provides a unique forum to enhance regional cooperation and dialogue among its 43 member countries. The report explores the extent to which the UfM’s institutional framework, specific methodology and concrete actions for stability, development and regional integration in the Mediterranean provide key tools to promote South-South and triangular cooperation in the region.

Report of the UNEP Executive Director: Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

Towards a Pollution-Free Planet is the theme of the 2017 UN Environment Assembly. In line with this theme, UN Environment's Executive Director is preparing an official report on pollution, which outlines global pollution challenges; describes how acting on pollution helps achieve the sustainable development goals; and discusses a framework for a global agenda to address pollution. UN Environment has also prepared a background report that provides detailed evidence of a polluted planet, while also describing potential actions to address the problem. The background report was launched on 28 September and can be downloaded here. Many Member States and civil society organizations contributed to the development of both reports by submitting their comments on an advance version. Their submissions can be viewed here.

We Dream of a Better World

The 65 case studies from the report capture the various initiatives of the Tata group companies, across geographies, and of the Tata Trusts’ philanthropy efforts in India. These are aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), identified in September 2015, and subsequently agreed on and committed to by 193 countries. The SDGs are the world’s most ambitious vision for sustainable development yet and will reshape the practice of development globally, including the role of the private sector. The Tata group believes that the role of business is not just about giving back to society from its profits but also about ensuring that the processes it employs to earn these profits are ethical, socially responsible and environmentally sound.

2017 – State of Youth Volunteering in India

The first State of Youth Volunteering in India report seeks to understand the many manifestations of youth volunteerism in India and provide information on the depth and breadth of volunteer action, taking into account on-ground realities and good practices. It aims to establish a preliminary evidence base of the contribution of youth volunteers towards India‟s developmental goals and provide recommendations for future volunteer engagement. It is meant to be the beginning of a larger discourse on volunteerism to ensure that this information can translate into tangible and far-reaching change, which will enable the post2030 development agenda.

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2017

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2017 is the annual assessment of global and regional progress towards the Goals. The report is based on latest available data on selected indicators of the global SDG indicator framework, prepared by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs with inputs from a large number of international and regional organisations.

Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and SDG Baselines

Some 3 in 10 people worldwide, or 2.1 billion, lack access to safe, readily available water at home, and 6 in 10, or 4.5 billion, lack safely managed sanitation, according to a new report by WHO and UNICEF. The Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report, Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and Sustainable Development Goal baselines, presents the first global assessment of “safely managed” drinking water and sanitation services. The overriding conclusion is that too many people still lack access, particularly in rural areas.

Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals | 2016 Year in Review

In 2014, UNDP, with the generous support of the Government of Denmark, established an Innovation Facility to improve service delivery and support national governments and citizens to tackle complex challenges. The report ‘Spark, Scale, Sustain’ shares UNDP’s approach to innovation, over 40 case studies of innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals in practice and Features on Alternative Finance, Behavioural Insights, Data Innovation and Public Policy Labs.

Textbooks for Sustainable Development: A Guide to Embedding

The Embedding Guide offers concrete guidance for authors of mathematics, science, language and geography textbooks on how to ‘embed’ peace, sustainable development and global citizenship in textbook content. There is a chapter dedicated to each subject. The guide has been written collaboratively by about 25 experts from all parts of the world.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in South Asia: Key Policy Priorities and Implementation Challenges

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in South Asia: Key Policy Priorities and Implementation Challenges seeks to unpack the 2030 Agenda at the subregional level and offer tangible means to mainstream the SDGs into national development plans and programmes. The Report outlines seven key policy priorities to fast-track achievement of the Goals and creates the conditions for sustainable prosperity for all in South Asia, including through harnessing regional cooperation, among the Agenda’s means of implementation.

Unlocking the Potential of Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in South Asia: Potential, Challenges and the Way Forward

The publication examines the state of economic integration in South Asia and identifies potential areas for further strengthening subregional linkages. Focusing on the four pillars of ESCAP strategy to deepen regional cooperation and integration, the publication provides recommendations on policy actions urgently needed to increase market integration, improve connectivity, boost investment in infrastructure development and tackle shared vulnerabilities and risks. It calls for the consolidation and upgrading of existing trade and investment cooperation initiatives into a South Asia Comprehensive Economic Partnership (SACEP).