By DESA/OISC
Held on an annual basis, the High-level Segment of ECOSOC represents the culmination of ECOSOC’s annual cycle of work and convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from Government, the private sector, civil society and academia for policy dialogue, review, and recommendations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other internationally agreed development goals. In particular, the HLS of ECOSOC is mandated to focus on future trends and scenarios and the long-term impacts of current trends on the realisation of the SDGs. It also aims at enhancing knowledge-sharing and regional and international cooperation.
The 2019 High-level Segment of ECOSOC will be held 16-19 July 2019 at UN Headquarters in New York and will be informed in part by the ECOSOC Thematic Focus Report “Long-term impact of current trends in the economic, social and environmental areas on the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Major Groups and other Stakeholders are invited to submit inputs to this ECOSOC Thematic Report. If you would like to contribute, we ask that you kindly submit an executive summary of your inputs (500 words max.) in order to facilitate integration into the final report.
Please send all contributions to Anastasia Kefalidou at kefalidoua@un.org
The deadline to receive submissions is 15 March 2019.
2019 ECOSOC Thematic Focus Report
“Long-term impact of current trends in the economic, social and environmental areas on the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals: Report of the Secretary-General”
DRAFT OUTLINE
- Introduction (1.5 pages)
It will briefly mention the theme of the 2019 High-level Segment, explain the new focus of the high-level segment of ECOSOC and the need to discuss future oriented trends and scenarios, and present the focus and content of the report.
- Future global trends and scenarios (5 pages)
This section will elaborate on a few prominent future scenarios and trends with the highest probability to have a significant impact on the global efforts to realise the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. It will bring out the fact that it is often difficult for long term scenarios, projections and analysis to look at the multiple and integrated dimensions of sustainable development and such works often pertain to a particular sector or discipline. The section will highlight any holistic projections and scenarios but also projections and scenarios related to specific aspects such as economic growth, climate change, food security, population, water etc.
Sources for this chapter: work conducted within the UN system on future trends, scenarios and foresight (including work conducted by DESA for the first GSDR, EAPD, DSDG, Population Division etc.); future trends and scenarios developed by specialised agencies such as FAO, WB, IMF etc.; IPCC; work of OECD, IIASA, SDSN, and various think tanks and researchers. UN system organisations and DESA divisions are invited to help identify such major scenarios and projections and their key findings, as well as to provide short analytical inputs.
III. Key implications for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda (5 pages)
This section will discuss the negative and positive implications of the previously identified trends
and scenarios, and how it is anticipated that they could shape policies and actions geared towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The section will also discuss the potential effects of inaction. It will
highlight the fact that many countries focus on short term planning rather than develop a long-term
vision, but also give examples of countries having developed a long-term vision.
Sources for this chapter: analysis associated with the above projections and scenarios, research of the
literature, related reports of international organisations and think tanks. A search of the VNR reports and
literature such as OECD publication on this topic could be used to analyse the extent to which countries
use long term planning. DESA Divisions and UN system organizations are invited to provide analytical
inputs or references to important analysis.
- Recommendations for the way forward (2 pages)
This section will present broad directions for policies and strategies to tackle, halt or harness the effect
of the main trends and scenarios and highlight the potential role of ECOSOC.
Sources for this chapter: This chapter will build on the above analysis. UN system organizations and
DESA divisions are invited to provide bullet point recommendations and ideas.
- Conclusion (1.5 pages)
It will summarise the main messages of the report.