9 Conclusions
Photo: Michael Ray Vera Cruz Angeles / Norad
Norway’s work and progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda in the last five years has been detailed in this Voluntary National Review (VNR) report. The VNR process has been an essential component in putting the spotlight on SDGs and bringing together government and non-government actors to facilitate a holistic approach moving forward. The non-government actors have provided valuable input and recommendations. The government is already working on several of the issues raised and will take the recommendations into consideration going forward.
Norway is committed to achieving the SDGs by 2030, and as this report shows, effort by society as a whole has had a positive impact. The progress report on the SDGs and targets illustrates that Norway has achieved many of the goals and has made good progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda since 2016. The main challenges are linked to our high consumption of resources and energy, and our high level of greenhouse gas emissions. However, Norway has a statutory commitment of becoming a low-emission society by 2050.
The Government will work on all SDGs, with a special focus on national challenges. The Government provides policies on all sectors included in the 2030 Agenda, with goals, strategies and means of implementation. Implementation is, however, dependent on efforts in all parts of society and from all stakeholders.
The 2030 Agenda and the SDGs have gradually become more integrated into Norwegian policy and society in all areas since 2016. Knowledge about the 2030 Agenda and the goals is increasing in the public and private sector. The number of networks that have been established in recent years to work with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, illustrates the increasing interest and engagement in implementing the goals.
The 2030 Agenda, including the SDGs, is the framework for Norwegian foreign policy and for Norwegian development policy. International cooperation through the multilateral system is indeed a prerequisite for success. It is through multilateral cooperation that Norway can best contribute to addressing both our own and global interests. The continued engagement by the Norwegian Prime Minister as co-chair, together with the President of Ghana in the Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group, underlines Norway’s commitment to the joint work ahead. COVID-19 measures have led to severe social and economic setbacks that cannot be ignored. Norwegian development policy will contribute to getting the world back on track in achieving the SDGs, in a greener, fairer and more resilient manner. The Government’s long-term commitment to allocate 1 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to development will continue.
The White Paper and National Action Plan with national targets, possible indicators and identification of challenges, will provide a common platform for further action, and pave the way for a more holistic approach, coherence and progress. Better national coordination and cooperation between different stakeholders is a priority in the next period. The Government will also continue the work on developing a more comprehensive set of national indicators and develop statistics. This will improve the reporting to parliament and the next VNR, which Norway will present at the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) in 2025.
Norway’s next VNR will build on the experience from the process of this VNR and the new National Action Plan. The process of producing these reports has been comprehensive, and has involved many actors. The Government will continue the dialogue and develop arenas for further cooperation. This will provide a solid foundation for further work towards the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.