France has promoted sustainable development since the adoption of its first sustainable development strategy in 2003 and the appointment of an Interministerial Delegate for Sustainable Development under the authority of the Prime Minister and located within the Ministry of Environment, which is in charge of Sustainable Development.

Since 2008, the Interministerial Delegate for Sustainable Development is also Commissioner General for Sustainable Development.

The implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals builds on and strengthens previous institutional mechanisms.

Being as well the vice-Chair of the National Council for Ecological Transition (CNTE), the Interministerial Delegate for Sustainable Development ensures that the SDGs implementation is discussed between administrations and civil society’s organisations.

In order to launch the SDGs implementation in France, in view of the “Voluntary National Review” presented at the UN High Level Political Forum in 2016,  a broad consultation workshop was organised during the European Sustainable Development Week gathering representatives from civil society’s organisations from every areas : representatives from the National Council for Ecological Transition (CNTE) involved in environmental issues, from the National Council for Development and International Solidarity (CNDSI) involved Development Aid, and representatives from the other areas of society, especially the educational and social areas.

This was the kickstart of the elaboration of new French NSDS, namely the SDGs roadmap, mandated by the Interministerial Committee on Cooperation and International Development (CICID) chaired by the Prime Minister in February 2018. More than 200 representatives of non governmental organizations, together with representatives of Ministries and local authorities, participated in the 2-year process of elaboration of the French SDG roadmap.