BOND (the UK membership body for NGOs working in international development) and Beyond2015 UK published ‘Bringing the Goals Home: Implementing the SDGs in the UK‘ in September 2015. The report urges the Westminster Government to clearly outline its strategy for the SDGs “based on a detailed review of what is required of the UK to achieve each goal and target”, link up departments to ensure policy coherence and more effective delivery, as well as develop clear processes for accountability and scrutiny.
Its recommendations include a Cabinet-level Minister responsible for SDG implementation support by a junior Minister for Sustainable Development, a Cross-Cabinet Committee and cross-party Sustainable Development select committee to oversee the SDGs, an external stakeholder scrutiny body along the lines of the German Sustainable Development Council as well as a focus on ensuring wider participation and accountability. For example, they suggest that the strategy for implementation includes participatory processes similar to the ‘national conversations’ that have taken place in for example Wales (WalesWeWant) and Scotland.
