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Common But Differentiated Governance: A Metagovernance Approach to Make the SDGs Work

Author

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  • Louis Meuleman

    (Department of Governance Studies, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    Center for Governance and Sustainability of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Ingeborg Niestroy

    (International Institute for Sustainable Development, Ottawa, ON K1P 5Z9, Canada
    Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU), Free University of Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

The implementation of the common and universally applicable United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires differentiated governance frameworks at all levels, as it falls short to use one governance style only—hierarchical, network or market governance—or any one style combination that is believed to be fit-for-all-purposes. The article introduces the guiding principle of “Common But Differentiated Governance” (CBDG) and illustrates how this principle can make the SDGs work. It will be shown that, after more than 15 years’ experience with the concept of “metagovernance” (how to combine different governance styles into successful governance frameworks), there seems to be some convergence towards using this as comprehensive approach to achieve situationally appropriate governance frameworks. In this article, we have elaborated how policy makers could use metagovernance, combined with key governance principles, as mechanism to support analysis, design and management of SDG governance frameworks, to make failures noticed, and to suggest mitigation measures. Metagovernance respects common principles like rule of law, but takes as starting point that there may be different pathways to achieve them. A possible step-by-step approach for SDG implementation with metagovernance is proposed, as well as establishing governance support arrangements to assist process design, review, monitoring and evaluation, at least at the national level.

Suggested Citation

  • Louis Meuleman & Ingeborg Niestroy, 2015. "Common But Differentiated Governance: A Metagovernance Approach to Make the SDGs Work," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-27, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:9:p:12295-12321:d:55498
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    2. Heidingsfelder, Jens, 2019. "Private sustainability governance in the making – A case study analysis of the fragmentation of sustainability governance for the gold sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
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    7. Louis Meuleman, 2021. "Public Administration and Governance for the SDGs: Navigating between Change and Stability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, May.
    8. Niestroy, Ingeborg, 2016. "How are we getting ready? The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the EU and its Member States: analysis and action so far," IDOS Discussion Papers 9/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    9. Maria Popescu & Lidia Mandru, 2023. "The Application of a Process Approach to the National Governance System for Sustainable Development: A Case Study in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-23, October.
    10. David Horan, 2019. "Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 43(4), pages 375-400.
    11. Maria Popescu & Lidia Mandru, 2022. "A Model for a Process Approach in the Governance System for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-15, June.
    12. 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.
    13. Battaglia Massimo & Gragnani Patrizia & Annesi Nora, 2020. "Moving Businesses toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Evidence from an Italian “Benefit-For-Nature” Corporation," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 10(4), pages 1-36, October.
    14. Santiago Mejía-Dugand & Marcela Pizano-Castillo, 2020. "Touching Down in Cities: Territorial Planning Instruments as Vehicles for the Implementation of SDG Strategies in Cities of the Global South," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-22, August.
    15. Efraim Hernández-Orozco & Ivonne Lobos-Alva & Mario Cardenas-Vélez & David Purkey & Måns Nilsson & Piedad Martin, 2022. "The application of soft systems thinking in SDG interaction studies: a comparison between SDG interactions at national and subnational levels in Colombia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 8930-8964, June.
    16. Andreas Endl, 2017. "Addressing “Wicked Problems” through Governance for Sustainable Development—A Comparative Analysis of National Mineral Policy Approaches in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-22, October.
    17. Elena Sondermann & Cornelia Ulbert, 2021. "Transformation through ‘Meaningful’ Partnership? SDG 17 as Metagovernance Norm and Its Global Health Implementation," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 152-163.
    18. Cameron Allen & Shirin Malekpour & Michael Mintrom, 2023. "Cross‐scale, cross‐level and multi‐actor governance of transformations toward the Sustainable Development Goals: A review of common challenges and solutions," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(3), pages 1250-1267, June.
    19. Beirne, John & Morgan, Peter & Sonobe, Tetsushi (ed.), 2021. "COVID-19 Impacts and Policy Options: An Asian Perspective," ADBI Books, Asian Development Bank Institute, number 21, Décembre.
    20. Jens Heidingsfelder & Markus Beckmann, 2020. "A governance puzzle to be solved? A systematic literature review of fragmented sustainability governance," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 70(3), pages 355-390, August.
    21. Khadija Zulfiqar & M Jahanzeb Butt, 2021. "Preserving Community’s Environmental Interests in a Meta-Ocean Governance Framework towards Sustainable Development Goal 14: A Mechanism of Promoting Coordination between Institutions Responsible for ," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-25, September.
    22. David Tremblay & Sabine Gowsy & Olivier Riffon & Jean-François Boucher & Samuel Dubé & Claude Villeneuve, 2021. "A Systemic Approach for Sustainability Implementation Planning at the Local Level by SDG Target Prioritization: The Case of Quebec City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-20, February.
    23. Graham Long & Jecel Censoro & Katharina Rietig, 2023. "The sustainable development goals: governing by goals, targets and indicators," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 149-156, June.
    24. Madisen Fuller & Puneet Dwivedi, 2019. "Assessing Changes in Inequality for Millennium Development Goals among Countries: Lessons for the Sustainable Development Goals," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-13, July.

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