Within the framework of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) held between July 6 and 15, 2021, the official event ‘Looking at the 2020 targets‘ discussed the goals of the 2030 Agenda that were to be met in 2020, to which UN Member States committed six years ago.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Context and Objective

“There were 21 goals of the 2030 Agenda that were left unfulfilled in 2020 and the greatest impact is on the goals with strong environmental content,” said Javier Surasky, Cepei‘s Governance and Financing for Sustainable Development Program Officer, who participated as a speaker at the event. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14: Life Below Water, and 15: Life on Land, have been the most affected. According to Surasky, “the consequence, if we do not act, will be a greater imbalance between the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development”.
CEPEI’S CONTRIBITION
Although none of the targets to be met by 2020 have been achieved, some show progress, such as the increase in flows of official development assistance (which grants scholarships) or the implementation of regulations to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. However, some targets such as 17.18, on increasing the availability of timely, reliable and high quality data in States, continue to be insufficient. This means that progress on the 2030 Agenda targets are measured with limited decision-making capabilities, which is ineffective.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INTERVENTION
In order to prevent that in 2030 the situation of not complying with the 2020 targets is repeated, Surasky highlights the urgency of having quality data for decision making. To this end, it is necessary to:
Listen better to the voices of multiple stakeholders, including them in the national structures in charge of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Further promote multilateralism
An increasingly efficient and better financed UN, coordinating common efforts.

The situation experienced with the 2020 targets cannot be a foretaste of what we will be discussing in 2031. We urgently need to strengthen evidence-based decision making, based on quality data.