NEW YORK – Warning that “the clock is ticking” on the state of the Earth’s environmental well-being, Malaysia has committed to accomplish nearly a third of its local review for the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs) under the United Nations (UN).
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir said the regression in SDGs among member nations has been amplified by political and socioeconomic disparities between the Global South and the North.
Speaking at the SDG Summit held here yesterday in conjunction with the UN general assembly this week, he stressed that there is a need for collective responsibility to bridge the gap.
“Our priorities for SDG must align so that we leave no one behind. The solution lies in sound policies to accelerate robust actions.
“Our immediate-term target is to achieve 30% of Voluntary Local Review by 2025,” he declared as Malaysia’s commitment during the leaders’ dialogue on “scaling up actions on key transitions to accelerate SDG progress” at the UN headquarters here yesterday.
The review is provided for in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encourages member states to “conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven.”
According to the UN, governments are increasingly engaging in sub-national reviews of SDG implementation, also called Voluntary Local Reviews.
The SDG Summit held yesterday and today is important as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN member states in 2015, is at a mid-point.
The countries’ leaders are thus expected to carry out a comprehensive review of the state of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are part of the 2030 Agenda.
On September 16, UN secretary-general António Guterres had lamented that the goals and member countries’ promise when they adopted the agenda to “leave no one behind” are “in serious trouble”.
Guterres said that despite some progress, widespread implementation gaps have emerged across all seventeen goals which aim to tackle issues ranging from poverty, hunger and gender equality, to access to education and clean energy.
“Lagging public interest in achieving the goals, geopolitical friction and perhaps most critically, the global coronavirus pandemic, have left the SDGs in need of a global rescue plan.
“Today, only 15% of the targets are on track, with many going into reverse,” said Guterres.
Of particular concern are the impacts of climate disasters, conflict, economic downturn and lingering Covid-19 effects.
Madani policy
Zambry also stressed that Malaysia’s initiatives to scale up its actions include its new Madani economy framework to revive the economy through a social protection network, employment with meaningful wages, and wealth-sharing.
He said these are intended to build a more equitable and prosperous society.
“Eradication of hardcore poverty by this year is our highest priority,” he told the summit.
“We aspire to achieve this through the People’s Income Initiative that will increase the income of the B40 community through agriculture, food and services entrepreneurship.
“We aim to reduce dependence of poor households on direct cash assistance; and increase food security through sustainable agriculture practices,” he said.
Another key action is to enable cross-border trade of renewable energy, he added.
“We (the Malaysian government) launched the National Energy Transition Roadmap which revises the capacity mix target for renewables from 40% in 2035 to 70% by 2050.
“It will boost transition in manifolds; spur the green economy sector; and combat climate change.”
Challenges in funding, resources
Zambry also stressed that SDG actions need to permeate the grassroots to help respond to the impact of “multiple and interlocking crises” facing the world, while providing high-level political guidance on transformative and accelerated actions towards the target year of 2030.
“Malaysia adopts a whole-of-nation approach to localise SDGs with active participation from all actors, notably, a non-partisan parliamentary group,” he said.
He, however, stressed that there are still challenges, especially in funding and resource mobilisation.
“Hence, we partnered with the United Nations to establish the MySDG Trust Fund to support our strategic and high-impact projects for SDGs,” he said.
“The clock is ticking – we have seven years to act. We have to do things differently to succeed,” he said. – The Vibes, September 19, 2023
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