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UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development:'No time for political luxury!'
The 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), organised by the United Nations in New York, carried strong messages on the urgent need to accelerate the practical implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially amid mounting global challenges.
Quoting the Forum's central message, Ambassador Dr Mostafa El-Sherbiny, international expert in climate and sustainability, said at the opening session:
'The world can no longer afford excuses. We are halfway through to 2030. Now is the time to take concrete actions that make a real impact on people's lives and save the planet,'
Dr Sherbiny participated with four official initiatives that have been listed on the UN website in partnership with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). He described this recognition as historic, the first time the UN publishes four initiatives led by an Egyptian, Arab, and international expert. These initiatives have shaped sustainable development efforts in the first half of the 2030 Agenda timeline:
• Climate Ambassadors Initiative: A youth and women-driven movement for climate awareness.
• Carbon Neutrality Pioneers Initiative: Introducing carbon footprint culture across Egypt and the Arab world.
• Sustainability and Carbon Auditors Initiative: The first to establish the profession of carbon footprint auditing in Egypt and the region.
• Water Ambassadors Initiative: Launched with the UN during the 2023 Water Conference.
Dr Sherbiny noted that the opening day of HLPF 2025 was packed with global concerns over declining progress in SDGs, especially in health, gender equality, economic growth, marine life, and global partnerships.
'The forum's opening was not just ceremonial, it was a humanitarian call to action. The world needs science-based decisions and resources directed to those furthest behind, not more political speeches,' he stressed.
The launch of the 2025 SDG Progress Report revealed a wide gap between commitments and outcomes, he said, pointing to regressions caused by overlapping crises: from climate change and political conflict to the pandemic and debt turmoil.
The presence and contribution of civil society organisations was evident from day one, with powerful interventions such as the Women's Group statement: 'Rather than accelerating progress, we are witnessing alarming setbacks.'
Dr Sherbiny stressed the importance of civil pressure to push governments toward equitable, just policies.
'Unless plans translate into real financing, built on accurate data, and provide genuine roles for civil society, we are merely reproducing the same old promises, while losing direction in the second half of the 2030 journey,' Dr Sherbiny warned.
He highlighted a key session by the World Health Organisation, addressing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), especially amid rising health threats in fragile regions. He called for integrating mental health into all national strategies due to its profound impact on productivity and social well-being.
The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) is the UN's central platform to review global SDG progress under the umbrella of ECOSOC. Held annually at the UN Headquarters in New York, it gathers heads of State, ministers, development experts, civil society, and the private sector in a global dialogue to evaluate where the world stands on these goals, and where it is heading.
The HLPF is the key venue to assess progress on all 17 SDGs and identify challenges and achievements. It is an international accountability mechanism, with countries submitting Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to transparently share performance. It also encourages collaboration among governments, UN agencies, donors, and civil society; and is an equity tracker that monitors disparities and reinforces the 2030 Agenda's core principle of 'Leave No One Behind.'
HLPF 2025: A Critical Moment on the Road to 2030, held from 14 July 14 to 23 July 2025, comes at the defining midpoint of the half way to 2030. Yet many goals—notably on climate, health, and gender equality—are lagging. This amid complex global crises of war, inflation, debt, and climate change that threaten development gains; also a trillion-dollar development financing gap that calls for innovative and fair funding mechanisms.
HLPF 2025 Focus Areas include in-depth reviews of:
o SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
o SDG 5: Gender Equality
o SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
o SDG 14: Life Below Water
o SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
It also features 37 Voluntary National Reviews and side events from WHO, UNDP, UNEP addressing mental health, climate finance, tech innovation, and women's empowerment.
Watani International
21 July 2025
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