**This article is written by Frank Vram Zerunyan, J.D. LL.D. (hc) Professor and Director, University Of Southern California USC Price **

  • The problem: The poly-crisis of climate, conflict, war, and the pandemic is severely stifling the implementation of SDGs and, in some cases, regressing nation-states.
  • Why it matters: The "blueprint to humanity's highest aspirations" may be the last hope to save humanity and our planet, a more just world for all peoples.
  • The solution: UN leaders must focus on outcomes and sometimes be bold in calling out a member state that violates the UN Charter and International Law. They must also empower cities to implement SDGs.

The most recent United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Progress Report 2023 (‘Report’) is grim. This Report is a systemic survey of UN Member States at the national level. According to the Report, halfway to the deadline of 2030, we are leaving more than half the world behind. More importantly, 30% of member states have regressed. The climate crisis, the lingering effects of COVID-19, war, and geopolitical conflicts are cited among the reasons seriously threatening the implementation of SDGs by 2030.

UN leaders must focus on outcomes and sometimes not be afraid to call out a member state that violates the UN Charter and International Law

The Report finds that global temperature is already 1.1 °C above pre-industrial levels. We continue to experience catastrophic and intensifying heat waves, droughts, flooding, and wildfires. Rising sea levels are threatening hundreds of millions of people in coastal communities. In addition, the world is facing the most significant species extinction event since the dinosaur age. Oceans were burdened with over 17 million metric tons of plastic pollution in 2021.

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SDG 16 is key

By 2023, the devastation of war, geopolitical conflicts, and coups orchestrated by unchecked authoritarians have displaced over 110 million people, of which 35 million are refugees - the highest figures ever recorded. War crimes, threats to commit genocide, military coups, and related human rights violations, even sanctioned by the International Court of Justice, threaten SDG 16, which seeks peace, justice, and strong institutions. SDG 16 is critically important for the implementation of the remaining 16 SDGs.

I am among several experts on public administration summoned to New York City UN headquarters to discuss the dire need to accelerate the implementation of SDGs before the SDG Summit takes place in September. This summit comes when heads of state and all stakeholders must seriously re-commit to SDGs to save our humanity and the planet.

However, not all SDG implementation efforts are dire. I served on the board of advisors of a worldwide survey and study conducted by ESI Thought Lab. The work was entitled ‘Smart City Solutions for a Riskier World’, which surveyed 167 cities with diverse populations and economies across the globe, including the six world regions of Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and North America. The survey analysed cities’ use of smart technologies, data analytics, investments, outcomes, and returns to categorise their progress in SDGs implementation plans. 22% of cities surveyed had already made “fast progress” on a wide range of SDGs. 58% advanced some SDGs, while 20% planned to advance SDGs.

Preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

In that research project, I am quoted to say and still believe, “The importance of cities to advance SDGs policies cannot be understated. Smarter cities will lay the groundwork for collaborative governance in dealing with the world's most wicked problems. This research goes to the heart of the resiliency of 21st-century cities, which we labelled Cities 4.0." With the expectations of citizens and businesses gearing up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the most prosperous cities will be those advanced in using innovative technology and data to drive the SDGs.

Appropriately, cities focus on their constituents, well-being, and quality of life. These characteristics align with the UN’s categorisation of SDGs into five P’s: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships. 77% of cities surveyed included these five Ps in their plans. Topping the list of SDGs in cities was ending poverty, followed by good health and well-being, quality education and jobs, clean water and energy, world peace, and partnerships to support sustainability.

Some of the key takeaways of this city survey and analysis were the validation of our University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy researched framework highlighting co-creation, partnerships, and ecosystems to achieve SDGs, governance, and leadership through values and ethics, strategic planning with data and analytics, innovation, and best practices for application. This framework will be the subject of my next book, which just completed peer review.

While cities may be the best place to implement SDGs by directly engaging citizens, civil society, and the private sector, national governments must provide the ecosystem of peace, safety, and security for them to thrive. The Secretary General of the UN, His Excellency Antonio Guterres, called this moment “truth and reckoning”. He urged all member states “to make 2023 the moment when we jump-start progress on SDGs to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for all”.

Failing commitments

In the Declaration on the Commemoration of the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of the United Nations, Heads of State announced, among others, the following commitments:

  • We will leave no one behind.
  • We will protect our planet.
  • We will promote peace and prevent conflict.
  • We will abide by international law and ensure justice.

These are fundamental principles ingrained in our humanity to make all 17 SDGs possible and attainable. Sadly, we fail in these basic principles at the national member states level. According to the report, we are leaving 50% of the world’s population behind. We are allowing more than 30% to regress. The planet is still warming. Sea level rise continues to threaten our coastal cities. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Azerbaijan’s incursion into Armenian territory violate, among other agreements, Article 2(3) of the UN Charter and Article 2(4), a central tenet of the charter, which requires UN member states to refrain from the “use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state”. 

These wars and other sub-Saharan coups organised to de-elect democratically elected leaders have caused the refugee crises, directly affecting SDG implementation efforts. No legitimate international legal scholar has justified these wars and conflicts under international law. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), in its March 2022 decision, ordered Russia to “suspend all military operations” and take no further steps or action to aggravate human suffering. In February 2023, the ICJ ordered Azerbaijan to “take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.” The ICJ has been ignored by autocrats.

UN leadership and officials with good intentions have focused on outputs by using language such as “UN remains deeply concerned”, “UN urges dialogue”, etc., referring to wars, conflicts, and sometimes not even mentioning those who violate the UN Charter, International Law, and consequently the World Order. To fulfil its commitments “to leave no one behind”, “to protect the planet”, to promote and prevent conflict”, and “to abide by international law and ensure justice”, the UN leaders must focus on outcomes and sometimes not be afraid to call out a member state that violates the UN Charter and International Law. And even punish an authoritarian regime to deter others and restore World Order.

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