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Rethinking the Governance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the COVID-19 Era

Author

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  • Francisco Santos-Carrillo

    (Department of International Studies, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Cordoba, Spain)

  • Luis A. Fernández-Portillo

    (ETEA Foundation-Development Institute, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Cordoba, Spain)

  • Antonio Sianes

    (Research Institute on Policies for Social Transformation, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Cordoba, Spain)

Abstract

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has been criticized for its institutional weakness. It assumed that governance commitments and the multilateral order would remain unchanged until 2030. The COVID-19 has challenged both assumptions. The response deployed by the countries has made international cooperation dependent on the solution of internal problems. What will be the impact of the pandemic on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals? What changes can be expected in the institutional design of the Agenda to face this challenge? To address these questions we have gathered and systematized 152 documents issued by the top think tanks on International Development since the outbreak of COVID-19, to identify the main design features of the Agenda that should be modified according to the functional-rationalist approach to institutional design. Our study shows that a higher level of centralization of authority and a redefinition of control and flexibility mechanisms are needed in order to improve the governance of the Agenda. Despite the temptation of focusing on a narrow set of goals, a broad scope is recommended, necessary to safeguard its holistic approach. These findings can provide insights for addressing the governance and institutional design of other international arrangements of similar nature.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco Santos-Carrillo & Luis A. Fernández-Portillo & Antonio Sianes, 2020. "Rethinking the Governance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the COVID-19 Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7680-:d:414867
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Mariana Cernicova-Buca & Adina Palea, 2021. "An Appraisal of Communication Practices Demonstrated by Romanian District Public Health Authorities at the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Castelló-Sirvent, Fernando & García-García, Juan Manuel, 2022. "Exploring the language heterogeneity strategies of European think tanks," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).

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