Evaluating the Impact of National Policy Integration on the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries
Keywords:
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), policy integration, governance, developing countries, institutional coherence, cross-sectoral policy, development planningAbstract
The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has required a paradigm shift in governance structures, policy formulation, and national planning, particularly in developing countries. This paper investigates how integrated national policies contribute to the advancement of SDGs across key sectors such as health, education, environment, and poverty alleviation. Drawing from a combination of policy analysis, development indicators, and case studies, the study identifies correlations between policy integration and SDG performance. It argues that cross-sectoral policy coherence significantly enhances goal attainment, though challenges persist in institutional capacity, governance fragmentation, and resource limitations. The paper further suggests actionable frameworks for policy coherence and alignment to accelerate SDG progress in developing nations.
References
Nilsson, Måns, Dave Griggs, and Martin Visbeck. “Policy: Map the Interactions between Sustainable Development Goals.” Nature, vol. 534, no. 7607, 2016, pp. 320–322.
Le Blanc, David. “Towards Integration at Last? The Sustainable Development Goals as a Network of Targets.” Sustainable Development, vol. 23, no. 3, 2015, pp. 176–187.
OECD. Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development 2019: Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality. OECD Publishing, 2019.
Meuleman, Louis. Metagovernance for Sustainability: A Framework for Implementing the SDGs. Routledge, 2019.
Chancel, Lucas, Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez, and Gabriel Zucman. World Inequality Report 2020. World Inequality Lab, 2020.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Institutional and Coordination Mechanisms: Guidance Note on Facilitating Integration and Coherence for SDG Implementation. United Nations Development Programme, 2021.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). Voluntary National Reviews Synthesis Report. United Nations, 2022.
World Bank. World Development Indicators 2023. World Bank Group, 2023.
SDSN (Sustainable Development Solutions Network). SDG Index and Dashboards Report 2023. Bertelsmann Stiftung and SDSN, 2023.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). Asia-Pacific SDG Progress Report. United Nations, 2023.