IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i13p7002-d579527.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Horizontal Accountability for SDG Implementation: A Comparative Cross-National Analysis of Emerging National Accountability Regimes

Author

Listed:
  • Anita Breuer

    (German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut füer Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), 53113 Bonn, Germany)

  • Julia Leininger

    (German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut füer Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), 53113 Bonn, Germany)

Abstract

Achieving the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda requires strong and accountable institutions. However, the focus on sustainability outcomes set forth in the Agenda’s 17 SDGs has side-lined the debate on accountability mechanisms to ensure effective policy implementation. Six years into the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, it is time to assess progress made in this regard. Drawing on theories of public interest and rational choice, this paper argues that horizontal accountability between different state organs will be key to the emergence of national SDG accountability regimes. We provide evidence on monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for SDG progress based on an original database (AccountSDG) built through a document analysis of 136 Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) submitted between 2016 and 2019. Our analysis provides the first systematic cross-national empirical analysis of the role assigned to parliaments, Supreme Auditing Agencies (SAI), and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) in national processes of SDG implementation. We conclude that horizontal accountability, especially the role of SAI and NHRI, remains under-institutionalized in most countries. We conclude by discussing best practices and addressing the most important lacunae, as well as by pointing out limitations of our study and avenues for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Anita Breuer & Julia Leininger, 2021. "Horizontal Accountability for SDG Implementation: A Comparative Cross-National Analysis of Emerging National Accountability Regimes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-23, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7002-:d:579527
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/13/7002/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/13/7002/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elisabeth Hege & Laura Brimont & Felicien Pagnon, 2019. "Sustainable development goals and indicators: can they be tools to make national budgets more sustainable?," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 43(4), pages 423-444.
    2. Breuer, Anita & Leininger, Julia & Tosun, Jale, 2019. "Integrated policymaking: Choosing an institutional design for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," IDOS Discussion Papers 14/2019, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    3. José Antonio Ocampo & Natalie Gómez-Arteaga, 2016. "Accountability in International Governance and the 2030 Development Agenda," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 7(3), pages 305-314, September.
    4. Nagy, Sandor & Gal, Jozsef & Veha, Antal, 2012. "Improving Audit Functions Of Supreme Audit Institutions To Promote Sustainable Development," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 6(3-4), pages 1-8, November.
    5. Thomas Schillemans, 2008. "Accountability in the Shadow of Hierarchy: The Horizontal Accountability of Agencies," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 175-194, June.
    6. Mueller,Dennis C. (ed.), 1997. "Perspectives on Public Choice," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521553773.
    7. John Ferejohn, 1986. "Incumbent performance and electoral control," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 5-25, January.
    8. Marie Laberge & Nadia Touihri, 2019. "Can SDG 16 Data Drive National Accountability? A Cautiously Optimistic View," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 10(S1), pages 153-156, January.
    9. Sylvia van Leeuwen, 2004. "Auditing International Environmental Agreements: The Role of Supreme Audit Institutions," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 93-99, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Breuer, Anita, 2024. "Information integrity and information pollution: Vulnerabilities and impact on social cohesion and democracy in Mexico," IDOS Discussion Papers 2/2024, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    2. Matteo Trane & Luisa Marelli & Alice Siragusa & Riccardo Pollo & Patrizia Lombardi, 2023. "Progress by Research to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the EU: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-37, April.
    3. Breuer, Anita & Leininger, Julia & Malerba, Daniele & Tosun, Jale, 2023. "Integrated policymaking: Institutional designs for implementing the sustainable development goals (SDGs)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    4. Breuer, Anita & Leininger, Julia & Brosbøl, Kirsten & Belly-Le Guilloux, Léna & König-Reis, Saionara & Sefa, Bora, 2021. "Key players in national SDG accountability: The role of parliaments," Briefing Papers 15/2021, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 2002. "Political economics and public finance," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 24, pages 1549-1659, Elsevier.
    2. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 1999. "The size and scope of government:: Comparative politics with rational politicians," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4-6), pages 699-735, April.
    3. Timothy Besley & Anne Case, 2003. "Political Institutions and Policy Choices: Evidence from the United States," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 41(1), pages 7-73, March.
    4. Torsten Persson & Gerard Roland & Guido Tabellini, 2000. "Comparative Politics and Public Finance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 108(6), pages 1121-1161, December.
    5. Leif Helland & Lars Monkerud, 2013. "Electoral agency in the lab: Learning to throw out the rascals," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 25(2), pages 214-233, April.
    6. Henrik Jordahl, 2006. "An economic analysis of voting in Sweden," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 251-265, June.
    7. Toke S. Aidt & Jayasri Dutta, 2017. "Fiscal Federalism and Electoral Accountability," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 19(1), pages 38-58, February.
    8. Toke S. Aidt & Jayasri Dutta, 2017. "Fiscal Federalism and Electoral Accountability," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 19(1), pages 38-58, February.
    9. Núria Bosch & Albert Solé-Ollé, 2007. "Yardstick competition and the political costs of raising taxes: An empirical analysis of Spanish municipalities," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 14(1), pages 71-92, February.
    10. Castanheira, Micael & Carrillo, Juan, 2002. "Platform Divergence, Political Efficiency and the Median Voter Theorem," CEPR Discussion Papers 3180, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Wihlborg, Clas, 2005. "Solving the bargaining democracy problem using a constitutional hierarchy for law," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 56(4), pages 655-673, April.
    12. Aidt, Toke S. & Dutta, Jayasri, 2007. "Policy myopia and economic growth," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 734-753, September.
    13. David Horan, 2020. "Enabling Integrated Policymaking with the Sustainable Development Goals: An Application to Ireland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-18, September.
    14. Núria Bosch & Albert Solé-Ollé, 2007. "Yardstick competition and the political costs of raising taxes: An empirical analysis of Spanish municipalities," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 14(1), pages 71-92, February.
    15. Thomas A. Garrett & Russell S. Sobel, 2004. "State Lottery Revenue: The Importance of Game Characteristics," Public Finance Review, , vol. 32(3), pages 313-330, May.
    16. Scott Gehlbach & Konstantin Sonin & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2010. "Businessman Candidates," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(3), pages 718-736, July.
    17. Silvia Dominguez-Martinez & Otto Swank, 2006. "Polarization, Information Collection and Electoral Control," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 26(3), pages 527-545, June.
    18. Giovanni Trovato & Marco Alfó, 2006. "Credit rationing and the financial structure of Italian small and medium enterprises," Journal of Applied Economics, Universidad del CEMA, vol. 9, pages 167-184, May.
    19. Antonio Bubbico, 2013. "Administrative Continuity: Enhancer or Constraint for Regional Governments' Efficiency?," ERSA conference papers ersa13p493, European Regional Science Association.
    20. Gabriella Montinola & Ramon Moreno, 2001. "The political economy of foreign bank entry and its impact: theory and a case study," Pacific Basin Working Paper Series 2001-11, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7002-:d:579527. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.