Sri Lanka Voluntary National Review on the Status of Implementing Sustainable Development Goals
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Date
2018-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ministry of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development
Abstract
Sri Lanka has achieved a high-level of human development and many successes under the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms of health, education, and poverty. The conclusion of the three decades long conflict in 2009 has led the country to a period of peace and prosperity. Sri Lanka has demonstrated its commitment to global efforts on sustainable development by being a signatory to several environment-related international treaties and conventions including the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Management.
Since the endorsement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Government of Sri Lanka has undertaken several initiatives to facilitate its implementation in the country. These include: the establishment of a dedicated ministry for sustainable development as the focal point for coordinating, facilitating and reporting on the implementation of the SDGs; the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee for Sustainable Development to provide political leadership for the implementation of the SDGs; and the enactment of the Sustainable Development Act No. 19 of 2017 to provide the legal framework for implementing the SDGs.
In compliance with the provisions of the 2030 Agenda declaration, Sri Lanka expressed interest in presenting its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the July 2018 High-level Political Forum (HLPF). Sri Lanka’s VNR process was a collaborative and inclusive process that involved multi-stakeholder engagement. The Sri Lanka VNR examines the policy and enabling environment of the country vis-à-vis implementation of the SDGs and provides an analysis of the current status and trends, gaps and challenges, and the way forward for all the 17 SDGs.
The current policy framework of the country further reflects the country’s commitment to sustainable development. Sri Lanka’s strategic development framework, reflected through its long-term development plan, Vision 2025, its medium-term plan, the Public Investment Programme 2017-2020, and the ‘Blue Green’ Budget of 2018 align significantly with the SDGs.
Given the rising environmental challenges faced by the country, especially due to climate induced disasters in recent years, the focal SDGs of HLPF 2018, the SDGs 6, 7, 11, 12, and 15 bear a special significance to Sri Lanka. As such, the VNR reviews these SDGs in detail.
Sri Lanka has made notable achievements in its path towards becoming a resilient society, including the high coverage of water supply from safe sources and sanitation facilities, near universal electrification, and increasing the share of population living in permanent houses. There is growing national interest in sustainable consumption and production patterns. Sri Lanka is also endowed with a rich profile of biodiversity that has led the country to being identified among the 35 global biodiversity hotspots. However, the growing dependence on fossil fuel imports for transportation and energy supply, increasing vulnerability of urban centres and communities to disaster risks and the degradation forest and land resources pose challenges on the path to resilience.
Sri Lanka is taking several measures to accelerate the implementation of SDGs. In terms of financing the SDGs, the country has recognized the need to improve domestic revenue collection capacity and is in fact taking action to simplify the tax structure while broadening the tax base. Recognising the need for transformation into a more innovative, knowledge-based economy, Sri Lanka is currently aiming at improving the technology and digitalization sectors. In addition, Sri Lanka has undertaken initiatives with regard to awareness raising and capacity building, in order to ensure that the implementation of the SDGs is an inclusive endeavour.
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Keywords
SDGs