The Czech Republic presented in New York its National voluntary review on Sustainable Development, Czech Permanent Mission to the UN reports.

The Czech Republic’s Voluntary National Review provides information on the process of implementing the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the national level. It focuses mainly on outlining the national objectives and vision to be achieved by the year 2030. In addition, it also analyses the starting points for implementation in six key areas.

The structure of the review builds on the strategic framework Czech Republic 2030, which was adopted by the Government in April 2017 and will serve as the main implementation platform for the SDGs in the Czech Republic.

Analysis of the relevance of the SDGs in the national context shows that all the SDGs and most of the targets of the 2030 Agenda are applicable at the national level. While none of the SDGs have been fully accomplished, each goal contains areas where the Czech Republic scores well and which can be considered as strengths. 

The selection of strengths and weaknesses outlined in the report is based on the above- or below-OECD-average score in the respective SDG analysed in the OECD Pilot Study Measuring Distance to SDGs Targets (2017). Due to a lack of available data for all the SDG targets, these examples must be considered as merely indicative.

...In particular, reducing poverty and the unemployment rate and combating communicable diseases are already close to the 2030 target levels. However, gender equality, non-medical determinants of health (emissions of hazardous substances, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco) as well as quality of earnings and lifelong learning opportunities are still far from the 2030 aspirations...

...The Czech economy has performed well in recent years, with GDP surpassing the pre-2008 crisis level and growth rising again. However, the energy management results are mixed: on the one hand, all households have access to modern energy facilities and the use of renewable energy is on the increase; on the other hand, there is significant room for improving energy efficiency in consumption and production...

...As for resilient sco systems, with the exception of climate action, the Czech Republic is ahead of or in line with the OECD average results for every underlying SDG goal. The results as regards protecting biodiversity and the creation of favourable conditions for terrestrial ecosystems are particularly close to the target levels.... 

....The Czech Republic scores above the OECD average particularly in water, sanitation and equality related targets; however, the country also faces challenges arising from regional disparities in income and the quality of the environment....

...Increased efforts will be needed in order to meet the targets set for the international commitments of Official Development Assistance....

Read executive summary of the report here.