As the world moves rapidly towards 2030, governments around the world are faced with a confluence of pressing challenges that threaten to slow or even reverse their progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Climate change and biodiversity loss, wars and persistent socio-economic inequalities severely impact both people and the planet. Out of 169 SDG targets, only 17% are on track, according to The United Nations Global Sustainable Development Report 2024.
Overcoming these challenges requires immediate and integrated responses that transcend traditional policy silos and bring about transformative change. It requires urgent action at the global, national and local level. It requires policy coherence for sustainable development (PCSD).
This report presents an assessment of Portugal’s mechanisms to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with the OECD Council Recommendation on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD, hereafter “the PCSD Recommendation”). It analyses Portugal’s structures and processes according to three overarching pillars for policy coherence: political commitment and long-term vision; mechanisms to address policy interactions; and flexible tools to anticipate and address policy impacts.
Sustained political leadership and commitment to fostering an inclusive environment conducive to implementing the SDGs are critical for success. This involves crystallising priority areas, bolstering the resilience of these strategic commitments against political fluctuations, and ensuring continuity through successive governmental tenures.
In Portugal, since January 2023, the member of the Government responsible for the area of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers is competent, at the governmental level, to co-ordinating and monitoring the implementation of the SDGs domestically. This is without prejudice to the competencies of those in the government responsible for foreign affairs regarding external matters and co-operation policy, as well as of the other governmental areas within the scope of sectoral implementation.
The proposed Roadmap for Sustainable Development, currently under revision by the government, provides a clear path for collective action and accelerated progress. Yet, the effective implementation of strategic plans and programmes for sustainable development needs to be underpinned by strong institutional mechanisms for managing policy interactions. This calls for co‑ordination structures and processes to optimise synergies and avoid trade-offs, across both sectors and levels of government.
Resolution 5/2023 of the Council of Ministers identifies the Centre for Planning and Evaluation of Public Policies (PLANAPP) as the analytical backbone for advancing policy coherence throughout the public administration. In this capacity, PLANAPP seeks to enhance policy coherence through the alignment of national plans and policy instruments with the SDGs. PLANAPP also co-ordinates REPLAN, an important strategic network established to enhance policy development and strategic planning across the public administration. The Camões, I.P., under the remit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is responsible for the implementation of the international dimension of the 2030 Agenda regarding development co-operation. The National Institute of Administration (INA) plays a key role in building a more coherent and future-ready public administration by promoting the capacity-building of public sector employees and investing in innovative research with impact on public policy. Subnational engagement and vertical coherence are fostered through strategies such as regional operational programmes and local-level development strategies and by mechanisms such as the Conselho de Concertação Territorial and the Comissões de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional.
Any government wishing to implement the SDGs coherently and cost-effectively must have flexible tools and data for anticipating, addressing and monitoring the impacts of its policies and actions domestically and internationally. Statistics Portugal is central to statistically monitoring progress towards the SDGs, including on global SDG indicator 17.14.1 Number of mechanisms in place to enhance PCSD, while the High-Level Monitoring Committee oversees all government actions for SDG implementation, including monitoring and reporting activities.
The above is a testament to the Portuguese government’s concerted efforts to implement the SDGs and enhance policy coherence. However, challenges remain, and there is room for improvement.
This report aims to guide Portugal on its continued journey towards 2030 and beyond.