Voluntary National Reviews: The Environmental Dimension - Policy Brief

This policy brief examines how the environmental dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals has been incorporated into voluntary national reviews submitted to the High-level Political Forum in 2016 and 2017, using a defined methodology to analyse 64 country reports. It outlines the context of the goals, principles and preparation of reviews, and evaluates trends in integrating environmental considerations into national implementation. The analysis identifies varying levels of recognition and action, noting increasing attention to environmental issues despite early-stage reporting. It further assesses limitations of the review mechanism, including lack of evaluation and consistency, and presents recommendations to strengthen environmental reporting, integration, and stakeholder inclusion in future review processes.