Context: Recently, NITI Aayog has represented the second voluntary national review of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) report titled as ‘Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local’ to the United Nations High-level Political Forum.
Background

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in September 2015 as a part of the resolution, ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. 
• India is committed to achieve the 17 SDGs and the 169 associated targets, which comprehensively cover social, economic and environmental dimensions of development and focus on ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions. 
• At the Central Government level, NITI Aayog has been assigned the role of overseeing the implementation of SDGs in the country.
• NITI Aayog prepared and presented India’s first VNR in 2017.

About the India VNR 2020 Report

• The report is titled “Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local”.
• The report is a comprehensive account of the adoption and implementation of the 2030 Agenda in India.
• Apart from presenting a review of progress on the 17 SDGs, the report discusses at length the policy and enabling environment, India’s approach to localising SDGs, and strengthening means of implementation.
• India’s VNR this year has undertaken a paradigm shift in terms of embodying a whole-of-society approach in letter and spirit. 
• NITI Aayog engaged with sub-national and local governments, civil society organizations, local communities, people in vulnerable situations and the private sector. 
• Goal-wise account with best practices: In line with the theme of “Taking SDGs from Global to Local”, the goal-wise account of progress on the SDGs along with a range of diverse good practices and success stories of interventions from the States, especially Aspirational Districts.
• Enabling environment: The report discusses at length the policy and enabling environment, India’s approach to localising SDGs, and strengthening means of implementation.
• Two levers of strengthening means of implementation: Leveraging science, technology and innovation for SDGs, and costing and financing of SDGs.

About United Nations High-level Political Forum

• The establishment of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was mandated in 2012 by the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), “The Future We Want”.
• HLPF, comprising the political representatives (heads of states or ministers) of the members, meets every July at the UN in New York to review progress on Agenda 2030.
• The Forum meets annually under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for eight days and every four years at the level of Heads of State and Government under the auspices of the General Assembly for two days.
• Voluntary National Reviews, which are voluntary and country driven, form the basis of this review.
• The Forum adopts inter-governmentally negotiated political declarations.

What is Voluntary National Review (VNR)?

• VNR is a process through which countries assess and present progress made in achieving the global goals and the pledge to leave no one behind.
• The purpose is to present a snapshot of where the country stands in SDG implementation, with a view to help accelerate progress through experience sharing, peer-learning, identifying gaps and good practices, and mobilizing partnerships.
• The reviews are voluntary and state-led and are aimed at facilitating the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned.
• The process of preparation of a country’s VNR provides a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of various relevant stakeholders.