The purpose of this policy note is to brief policymakers and policy shapers, particularly those who are new to the portfolio of sustainable development, in using this overarching concept to promote, through national development strategies, equitable growth and development at the country level of a kind that does not impinge on the livelihoods and well-being of future generations.
The note synthesizes the concepts and analytical tools of sustainable development, suggests how to build national consensus to ensure that sustainable development serves as the overarching framework for national development strategies, and suggests how such national development strategies can be actively pursued and how sustainable development goals can be promoted in international negotiations.
In short, it is a guide to action at the country level and action by national actors at the regional and international levels. In this era of planetary interconnectedness and accelerating climate change, ensuring national interests in sustainable development requires action at all levels, not only at country level.
