The Ambitious Modesty of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development is a unique hybrid structure of authority established at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Its design is conceived on the basis of the experience with, and shortcomings of, its predecessor, the Commission on Sustainable Development. The underlying premise is a grand policy ambition of implementation of sustainable development through follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 sustainable development goals. Approaching its first decade of existence, the HLPF should be a valid subject of evaluation. This article presents a review and appraisal of its work with a predominant focus on its voluntary national reviews (VNRs) process, revealing some of its fundamental deficiencies and need for rather radical improvement. Given the magnitude of persisting global challenges, institutional limitations and weaknesses surrounding the HLPF and ensuing risks associated with the implementation of sustainable development agenda, this article proposes alternatives to the existing modalities of status and operation