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During the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many promoted policy coherence as a key tool to ensure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that “leaves no one behind.” Their argument assumed that coherent policymaking contributes to more effective policies and supports over-arching efforts to reduce inequality. As the 2030 Agenda reaches the halfway point, however, countries are falling short on many SDGs, particularly SDG 10 (reduce inequality). This study revisits the basic assumptions about policy coherence underpinning the SDGs. We systematically screened the peer-reviewed literature to identify 40 studies that provide evidence about whether coherent policymaking contributes to more effective outcomes and helps to reduce inequality. We find that coherent policymaking did not help reduce inequality in a majority of cases and made it worse in several. Our findings challenge the narrative that coherence is a necessary pre-condition for progress on the SDGs for all people., Funding: Svenska Forskningsradet Formas [2018-01706, 2020-00396]

During the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many promoted policy coherence as a key tool to ensure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that “leaves no one behind.” Their argument assumed that coherent policymaking contributes to more effective policies and supports over-arching efforts to reduce inequality. As the 2030 Agenda reaches the halfway point, however, countries are falling short on many SDGs, particularly SDG 10 (reduce inequality). This study revisits the basic assumptions about policy coherence underpinning the SDGs. We systematically screened the peer-reviewed literature to identify 40 studies that provide evidence about whether coherent policymaking contributes to more effective outcomes and helps to reduce inequality. We find that coherent policymaking did not help reduce inequality in a majority of cases and made it worse in several. Our findings challenge the narrative that coherence is a necessary pre-condition for progress on the SDGs for all people., Funding: Svenska Forskningsradet Formas [2018-01706, 2020-00396]

During the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many promoted policy coherence as a key tool to ensure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that “leaves no one behind.” Their argument assumed that coherent policymaking contributes to more effective policies and supports over-arching efforts to reduce inequality. As the 2030 Agenda reaches the halfway point, however, countries are falling short on many SDGs, particularly SDG 10 (reduce inequality). This study revisits the basic assumptions about policy coherence underpinning the SDGs. We systematically screened the peer-reviewed literature to identify 40 studies that provide evidence about whether coherent policymaking contributes to more effective outcomes and helps to reduce inequality. We find that coherent policymaking did not help reduce inequality in a majority of cases and made it worse in several. Our findings challenge the narrative that coherence is a necessary pre-condition for progress on the SDGs for all people., Funding: Svenska Forskningsradet Formas [2018-01706, 2020-00396]

During the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many promoted policy coherence as a key tool to ensure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that “leaves no one behind.” Their argument assumed that coherent policymaking contributes to more effective policies and supports over-arching efforts to reduce inequality. As the 2030 Agenda reaches the halfway point, however, countries are falling short on many SDGs, particularly SDG 10 (reduce inequality). This study revisits the basic assumptions about policy coherence underpinning the SDGs. We systematically screened the peer-reviewed literature to identify 40 studies that provide evidence about whether coherent policymaking contributes to more effective outcomes and helps to reduce inequality. We find that coherent policymaking did not help reduce inequality in a majority of cases and made it worse in several. Our findings challenge the narrative that coherence is a necessary pre-condition for progress on the SDGs for all people., Funding: Svenska Forskningsradet Formas [2018-01706, 2020-00396]

During the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many promoted policy coherence as a key tool to ensure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that “leaves no one behind.” Their argument assumed that coherent policymaking contributes to more effective policies and supports over-arching efforts to reduce inequality. As the 2030 Agenda reaches the halfway point, however, countries are falling short on many SDGs, particularly SDG 10 (reduce inequality). This study revisits the basic assumptions about policy coherence underpinning the SDGs. We systematically screened the peer-reviewed literature to identify 40 studies that provide evidence about whether coherent policymaking contributes to more effective outcomes and helps to reduce inequality. We find that coherent policymaking did not help reduce inequality in a majority of cases and made it worse in several. Our findings challenge the narrative that coherence is a necessary pre-condition for progress on the SDGs for all people., Funding: Svenska Forskningsradet Formas [2018-01706, 2020-00396]

Background: The market of sustainable investments is immature. As a result, there are problems with standardisation and information asymmetry. The United Nations has developed 17 global goals that must be achieved before year 2030. Therefore, it is of interest to examine if the global goals are used in asset management today and whether the global goals could contribute to reduce the recently mentioned problems. Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine how the 17 global goals created by the United Nations can be integrated with sustainable asset management as well as how they are used today. The study will also explore the problematics regarding standardisation of sustainability in the Swedish financial market and the information asymmetries that appears as a result of this. Completion: To fulfil the aim of the study, a qualitative method has been used. A document study of the 17 global goals of the United Nations has been conducted to constitute the base of the interview guide that was used during the six interviews held with sustainability experts. The interviews were held with representatives from three government-owned corporations and three from privately-owned corporations to acquire a broader perspective within the subject. Conclusion: The 17 global goals of the United Nations are vaguely integrated in the financial market. To increase the integration, industry standards, industry definitions as well as awareness-raising activities based on the global goals should be developed. Furthermore, the study has identified the lack of reporting of sustainability data from companies, which constrains the integration of the global goals in the financial market. There is also a prevalent information asymmetry where the 17 global goals could contribute with knowledge to ease the problematics., Bakgrund: Marknaden för hållbara investeringar är relativt omogen. Till följd av detta finns det problematik med standardisering och informationsasymmetrier på den hållbara kapitalmarknaden. FN har tagit fram 17 globala mål som ska vara uppnådda år 2030. Därav är det av intresse att undersöka om FN:s 17 globala mål används i kapitalförvaltningen i dagsläget samt huruvida målen skulle kunna bidra till att minska den ovannämnda problematiken. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur FN:s 17 globala mål kan integreras med hållbar kapitalförvaltning samt huruvida målen används idag. Studien kommer även undersöka problematiken gällande standardisering av hållbarhet och de informationsasymmetrier som uppstår till följd av detta på den svenska hållbara kapitalmarknaden. Genomförande: För att besvara studiens syfte har en kvalitativ metod använts, där sex intervjuer med hållbarhetsexperter har genomförts. En dokumentstudie av FN:s 17 globala mål utfördes tidigt för att ligga som grund för den intervjuguide som utvecklades inför intervjuerna. Intervjuerna hölls med representanter från tre statliga bolag och tre privata bolag för att erhålla ett bredare perspektiv inom ämnet. Slutsats: Studien har kommit fram till att FN:s 17 globala mål är svagt integrerade på den hållbara finansmarknaden. För att öka integrationen bör det utvecklas branschstandarder, branschdefinitioner och kunskapshöjande aktiviteter utifrån FN:s 17 globala mål. Slutligen har studien identifierat att bristen på rapportering av hållbarhetsdata från företag begränsar denna integration samt att det råder en informationsasymmetri där FN:s 17 globala mål kan bidra med kunskap för att minska problematiken.

Background: The market of sustainable investments is immature. As a result, there are problems with standardisation and information asymmetry. The United Nations has developed 17 global goals that must be achieved before year 2030. Therefore, it is of interest to examine if the global goals are used in asset management today and whether the global goals could contribute to reduce the recently mentioned problems. Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine how the 17 global goals created by the United Nations can be integrated with sustainable asset management as well as how they are used today. The study will also explore the problematics regarding standardisation of sustainability in the Swedish financial market and the information asymmetries that appears as a result of this. Completion: To fulfil the aim of the study, a qualitative method has been used. A document study of the 17 global goals of the United Nations has been conducted to constitute the base of the interview guide that was used during the six interviews held with sustainability experts. The interviews were held with representatives from three government-owned corporations and three from privately-owned corporations to acquire a broader perspective within the subject. Conclusion: The 17 global goals of the United Nations are vaguely integrated in the financial market. To increase the integration, industry standards, industry definitions as well as awareness-raising activities based on the global goals should be developed. Furthermore, the study has identified the lack of reporting of sustainability data from companies, which constrains the integration of the global goals in the financial market. There is also a prevalent information asymmetry where the 17 global goals could contribute with knowledge to ease the problematics., Bakgrund: Marknaden för hållbara investeringar är relativt omogen. Till följd av detta finns det problematik med standardisering och informationsasymmetrier på den hållbara kapitalmarknaden. FN har tagit fram 17 globala mål som ska vara uppnådda år 2030. Därav är det av intresse att undersöka om FN:s 17 globala mål används i kapitalförvaltningen i dagsläget samt huruvida målen skulle kunna bidra till att minska den ovannämnda problematiken. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur FN:s 17 globala mål kan integreras med hållbar kapitalförvaltning samt huruvida målen används idag. Studien kommer även undersöka problematiken gällande standardisering av hållbarhet och de informationsasymmetrier som uppstår till följd av detta på den svenska hållbara kapitalmarknaden. Genomförande: För att besvara studiens syfte har en kvalitativ metod använts, där sex intervjuer med hållbarhetsexperter har genomförts. En dokumentstudie av FN:s 17 globala mål utfördes tidigt för att ligga som grund för den intervjuguide som utvecklades inför intervjuerna. Intervjuerna hölls med representanter från tre statliga bolag och tre privata bolag för att erhålla ett bredare perspektiv inom ämnet. Slutsats: Studien har kommit fram till att FN:s 17 globala mål är svagt integrerade på den hållbara finansmarknaden. För att öka integrationen bör det utvecklas branschstandarder, branschdefinitioner och kunskapshöjande aktiviteter utifrån FN:s 17 globala mål. Slutligen har studien identifierat att bristen på rapportering av hållbarhetsdata från företag begränsar denna integration samt att det råder en informationsasymmetri där FN:s 17 globala mål kan bidra med kunskap för att minska problematiken.

Improving the Sustainable Development Goals evaluates the Global Goals (Agenda 2030) by looking at their design and how they relate to theories of economic development. Adopted unanimously by the member states of the United Nations (UN) in 2015, the goals are remarkable for the global commitment on a set of targets to reach by 2030, but also for the lack of a strategy of implementation. The choice of appropriate action is handed over to individual governments, some of which are limited by their lack of resources. This book explores how implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) can be developed, especially in developing countries. The content, strengths and weaknesses of the SDGs are critically examined, alongside their relationship to ongoing academic research. The authors also investigate the actions of governments over the past three years by looking at the national strategies they have presented at annual meetings of the UN High-Level Political Forum. Improving the Sustainable Development Goals takes a critical but constructive approach, pointing out risks as well as possible remedies. The SDGs are seen as an opportunity for a global conversation on what works in solving some fundamental problems relating to poverty and environmental degradation. With the inclusion of a chapter by Tobias Ogweno, former member of the Kenya’s UN mission, this book will appeal to all those who are interested in policy analysis with a focus on development issues.