The 2024 UNECE Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Progress Report reveals that the UNECE region is significantly off-track in meeting the agreed upon SDG indicators. This region, which includes Europe, North America, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Turkey, and Israel, is currently projected to only achieve 20 out of 117 measurable targets (17%) by 2030. Urgent action is needed to accelerate progress on 80 targets within the next six years, while 17 targets require a complete reversal of current trends.
Two areas of high priority for UNECE member states are climate action and the transition to a circular economy. The global climate crisis is evident through the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Additionally, waste generation has risen dramatically worldwide, with circular economy rates declining. According to the most recent Circularity Gap report, global circularity rates have dropped from 9.1% in 2018 to 7.2% in 2023.
None of the indicators for SDG 12, responsible consumption and production, are on track in the UNECE region. In fact, two indicators (12.b on sustainable tourism monitoring and 12.c on fossil-fuel subsidies) are regressing. The region must accelerate progress on sustainable use of natural resources (target 12.2) and waste reduction and treatment (targets 12.4 and 12.5).
To reverse this negative trend, it is crucial to promote circularity, reduce material consumption, and shift current patterns of consumption and production. This is why UNECE member states have identified the circular economy transition and green transformation as top priorities for 2021 and 2023. UNECE is committed to finding concrete solutions to support member states in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a focus on innovation, infrastructure financing, and trade. The circular economy model offers a viable solution to revive SDG progress by emphasizing resource efficiency and the interconnectedness of waste management with other phases of a product’s life cycle, such as design, production, and consumption.
This summer, UNECE’s Economic Cooperation and Trade Week (24-28 June 2024) will bring together delegates, experts, and partners to discuss existing UNECE tools and guidelines and adopt new ones to support member states in advancing the circular economy transition and getting back on track with SDG progress. The week will begin with the 17th session of the Committee on Innovation, Competitiveness, and Public-Private Partnerships (CICPPP) and conclude with the 9th session of the Steering Committee on Trade Capacity and Standards (SCTCS). It will also feature the UNECE Regional Conference on the Circular Economy Transition.
Government representatives from 56 member states, thought leaders, and experts from the UNECE region will come together to discuss possible solutions for accelerating sustainable development and address the following questions:
What new approaches are needed in innovation policy to achieve transformative breakthroughs? How can public procurement drive innovations for circular economy transitions?
How can climate resilience be integrated into PPP and infrastructure projects to support the SDGs? How can the implementation of ECE guidelines for circular economy in PPPs be accelerated?
How can research on regulatory and procedural barriers to trade address the triple planetary crisis through a circular economy lens?
How can integrating circular economy principles into the agri-food sector scale up sustainable development?
How can traceability and transparency of value chains contribute to promoting sustainability?
These discussions will take stock of multilateral solutions for a more sustainable future and will contribute to the UN High-Level Political Forum in July and the Summit of the Future in September of this year, highlighting the region’s role as a global champion of sustainable development.
Learn more about UNECE Economic Cooperation and Trade Week:
17th session of the Committee on Innovation, Competitiveness, and Public-Private Partnerships | UNECE
UNECE Regional Conference on the Circular Economy | UNECE
Steering Committee on Trade Capacity and Standards – Ninth Session | UNECE