At a GlanceReport 1—Implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
Why we did this audit
- The 2030 Agenda is a global commitment to a better future for all. Canada, along with other countries, agreed to implement the 2030 Agenda by adopting policies and implementing actions domestically in the pursuit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which commit to leaving no one behind.
- Implementing the 2030 Agenda and achieving the goals require participation from all parts of Canadian society. Consultations and public awareness activities are important for engaging people to work toward a sustainable future.
- It is essential for federal departments and agencies to work together with external advisors, other jurisdictions, and stakeholders in order to achieve the goals and reach Canada’s most vulnerable populations first.
Our findings
- Since our 2018 report, departments and agencies had taken some steps toward a national approach for implementing the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The government had not established an implementation plan that would clearly define how all federal departments and agencies would support the national implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
- Federal departments and agencies did not have the tools they needed to coordinate their work on the Sustainable Development Goals.
- There were gaps in assessing and reporting on national progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
Key facts and figures
- The 2030 Agenda established 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets, along with over 230 indicators to measure global progress.
- All federal departments and agencies are accountable for implementing the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals that relate to their individual mandates.
- Of the 17 global goals, 11 had targets in the Canadian Indicator Framework, whereas 6 had only broad ambitions that were not specific, measurable, or time-bound.
Highlights of our recommendations
- Employment and Social Development Canada, in collaboration with other responsible federal departments and agencies, should establish and communicate an implementation plan that would:
- Clearly articulate measurable targets as part of the Canadian Indicator Framework,
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities of federal departments and agencies to support coordinated implementation across the federal government,
- Support effective cooperation with other levels of government and other stakeholders, and
- Clearly define the reporting process for Canada’s progress on the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals to ensure transparency to Canadians.
- Statistics Canada should coordinate with responsible federal departments and agencies and other stakeholders to determine priorities for additional disaggregation of data about vulnerable groups and should make that disaggregated data publicly available while meeting data quality and confidentiality requirements.
In this audit, we included an examination of the actions in support of the goals of no poverty (Goal 1), gender equality (Goal 5), and decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), and selected associated targets.
Goal 1—No Poverty aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. Goal 5—Gender Equality aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Goal 8—Decent work and economic growth aims to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Visit our Sustainable Development page to learn more about sustainable development and the Office of the Auditor General of CanadaOAG.
Related information
| Entities | |
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| Completion date | 5 February 2021 |
| Tabling date | 22 April 2021 |
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