In January 2016 the Council of Ministers adopted a Decision entrusting all federal ministries with the national implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Therefore, each ministry has to integrate the SDGs into its relevant strategies and programmes and, if necessary, has to work out suitable action plans and measures.

As a result, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda follows a whole-of-government as well as a mainstreaming approach. Mainstreaming in this regard means that the principles of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs are implemented in a goal-oriented and strategically coordinated manner within a ministry’s own area of responsibility. The mainstreaming approach is therefore taken into account at all levels of the administration with different governance approaches involving stakeholders.

Moreover, in Austria, the SDGs are already integrated into impact orientation and impact-oriented assessment at federal level. The early integration of SDG-related measures into the system of impact-oriented administrative management is planned. On a voluntary basis, the SDGs are taken up in the target formulation of the federal ministries, which makes the pursuit of the goals transparent and comprehensible. The reference to the SDGs anchored in this way can thus be systematically incorporated into the annual planning of the federal ministries. In addition, a transparent monitoring system is also made available, which observes and compares the key SDG activities of the federal ministries and documents them in measurable indicators.

Federal Chancellery of Austria and the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs

Federal Chancellery of Austria

Directorate General IV – EU, International Affairs and National Coordination: Department IV/4 – Environment, Climate Change, Transport, Sustainability and 2030 Agenda

Contact: sdg@bka.gv.at

Ministry for European and International Affairs

Directorate General VII, International Partnership and Humanitarian Aid: Department VII/1 – Development policy in the context of the United Nations and the European Union

Contact: abtvii1@bmeia.gv.at

Coordination across ministries

As the sustainable transformation to achieve the 17 SDGs is a task for the entirety of government, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is assigned to all ministries, not just one. Mainstreaming underpins the implementation of the SDGs as a task for the entire state.

The “Interministerial Working Group on the 2030 Agenda” (IMAG) was set up under the joint leadership of the Federal Chancellery of Austria (BKA) and the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) to ensure the continuous exchange of information and a participatory and interministerial coordination processes. The members of the working group are “SDG Focal Points” nominated by the respective federal ministries, who coordinate the implementation priorities as contact persons in the ministries.

In preparation for the IMAG, a steering group was also set up to coordinate activities at working level. Since 2021, this group has drawn up an annual programme of work that lays the foundation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The group consists of representatives at the administrative level of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate- and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management and the Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism co-chaired by BKA and BMEIA.

The Austrian Parliament founded an informal, non-partisan “SDG Working Group” in 2021 on the initiative of individual members of parliament. The group aimed to emphasize that national parliaments actively participate in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in their democratic function as a representative, supervisory and legislative body and has held workshops and exchanges with various scientists and NGOs to this end. This initiative might undergo further changes in light of the new composition of the Austrian National Council.

Coordination with subnational level

The path to a sustainable future can only be successfully pursued if all levels – federal, provincial, city and municipal – work together. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda at provincial level is characterized by great diversity and high quality in terms of vertical and horizontal anchoring.

The “Sustainability Coordinators’ Conference of the Federal Provinces and the Federal Government” is the central body for coordinating the sustainability activities of the federal government and the federal provinces, which also enables structured, mutual learning from one another. The federal provinces are to be given an even more important role in the IMAG through permanent involvement and the cities and municipalities through event-related involvement.

The localisation of the SDGs is an objective of cities and municipalities, and these efforts are already showing concrete results. For example, a survey of the Association of Cities from 2021 showed that awareness of the SDGs has increased noticeably and that the SDGs are gradually finding their way into municipal administrative practice. The focus of municipal action on the long-term effects of measures and the strengthening of ecological aspects in municipal policy decisions is a great added value of the 2030 Agenda.

Stakeholder involvement

A transparent and participatory multi-stakeholder process is of central importance. Dialogue and exchange between governmental and non-governmental actors involved in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda will continue to be promoted.

A central cooperation format are the “SDG Dialogue Forums”, which serve to exchange information, network and cooperate with the ministries, relevant stakeholders and the interested public on current topics relating to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Austria. From 2021 to 2023 already three forums took place on federal level, and a fourth forum took place in October 2025. In 2024 a first regional dialogue forum was organized by a federal province.

Other cooperation formats include the “SDG Business Forum”, “SDG Breakfast Dialogues” and the “Agenda 2030 Conference” at local level. In the preparation process of Austria’s second VNR, the “VNR Stakeholder Forum” was set up as a central and broad-based coordination body in which state and non-state actors were involved.

Spillover effects

More efforts are needed to prevent negative spillovers to avoid making it more difficult for other countries to implement the SDGs. Both the OECD and the European Commission, especially through Eurostat, are looking at the issue of spillovers in detail and are working on a methodological approach to assessing these effects.

Austria will address the global spillover effects, taking its lead from the relevant work within the EU and the OECD. The findings from the “SDG Dialogue Forums” will continue to be addressed within the IMAG and integrated into its work programme. Austria will also assess the recommendations of the OECD Technical Support Instrument for Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development.

On the Interministerial Working Group on the 2030 Agenda and its steering group (available in german only): https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/themen/nachhaltige-entwicklung-agenda-2030/implementierung.html

On the Sustainability Coordinators’ Conference of the Federal Provinces and the Federal Government (available in German only): https://www.bmluk.gv.at/themen/klima-und-umwelt/nachhaltigkeit/agenda2030/kooperationen/expertenkonferenz.html  

As the national statistical office, Statistics Austria assumes responsibility for creating and coordinating the national sets of SDG indicators in accordance with international requirements. Statistics Austria conducts indicator-based analyses on the progress being made in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Their purpose is two-fold: to examine the efficacy of the measures taken, especially in areas that are critical for Austria, and to assess transparency and the possibilities being offered for public participation.

The indicators are presented in accordance with UN indicator proposals to the greatest extent possible, with account taken of data requirements set down by the European Statistical System. In addition, the key indicators from the Statistics Austria project ‘How’s Austria?’ are also included in the set of indicators. The national tables of indicators are updated regularly. This work is coordinated with all ministries as well as the Environment Agency Austria, the Austrian National Public Health Institute, the Austrian Development Agency and other data owners. Moreover, advances at UN and EU level are also taken into account in the further development of the sets of national indicators. Statistics Austria bears the ultimate responsibility for the selection of the indicators. In the selection process, objective statistical criteria are applied, such as relevance (national and international), content quality as well as the degree to which the indicators can be understood and interpreted. Currently, about 260 indicators (with multiple entries) are available and based on this assessment, regular indicator reports are prepared. These reports have been an important basis for the development of the first and second Voluntary National Reviews.

Current data on the SDGs in Austria and indicator reports: https://www.statistik.at/en/services/tools/services/indicator-systems/sdgs-sustainable-development-goals-and-indicators

Austria’s first Voluntary National Review in 2020

On 15 July 2020, Austria presented its first Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in virtual form at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. It provides an overview of the activities and measures adopted by Federal Ministries, Federal States, the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns, the Austrian Association of Municipalities, social partners, and stakeholders from business, the scientific community and civil society.

The Voluntary National Review is the result of a broad, transparent and participatory stakeholder process. In addition to giving an overview of the current situation, it also sets forth the Federal Government’s approaches to the future implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The Voluntary National Review presents many success stories and flagship initiatives to illustrate SDG implementation in Austria and provide possible solutions to existing challenges. These success stories and flagship initiatives have been included in order to recognise the commitment of the stakeholders and, at the same time, to motivate all those involved to take further action. They clearly illustrate how broad the approaches are to implementing the social, environmental and economic dimensions of the 2030 Agenda and the interlinkages between the SDGs.

National Progress Report in 2023

In 2023, the federal government presented a “Report on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in and by Austria 2020 to 2022”, that took stock of the progress Austria has made since the presentation of its first VNR in 2020. The focus of the report was on the exemplary presentation of new implementation examples and flagship initiatives of the federal ministries, whereby measures from all federal provinces and from cities and municipalities were also included. The report also included a data chapter based on an accompanying updated indicator report from Statistics Austria.

Austria’s second Voluntary National Review

On 5 June 2024, the Federal Government adopted the second Voluntary National Review on the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals in and by Austria by resolution of the Council of Ministers. In light of multiple global geopolitical crises, such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the report focuses on the theme: ‘What transformations towards sustainability are needed to achieve the goals of Agenda 2030?’.

As with the preparation of the first VNR in 2020, the second Review as compiled in a transparent and participatory multi-stakeholder process. Over 60 organisations and stakeholders were involved in all phases of the review’s preparation. The content of the review was coordinated in three rounds of consultations, with over 250 responses and success stories received. Austria’s progress in achieving the 17 goals is illustrated on the basis of data in Statistics Austria’s updated SDG Indicators Report 2024. The process of the second VNR also offered the opportunity to discuss strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in a broad process as part of thematic coordination and thus incorporate them into the review.

Given the diversity of topics covered by Agenda 2030, the report focuses in more detail on three key areas that underline the three pillars of sustainable development (the economic, social and environmental dimensions):

Leaving no one behind – social cohesion and solidarity in times of multiple crises

Skills for 2030 – competencies for sustainable development

Protecting the biosphere – sustainable development within planetary boundaries

In addition, intersectional issues such as gender equality, the perspective of young people and the international dimension were specifically addressed in all three priority chapters. ‘Success stories’ and concrete initiatives for implementing Agenda 2030 show specifically how Austria is implementing Agenda 2030 and demonstrate what the broad commitment of people and actors from business, science, social partnership and civil society, as well as administration at all levels, has achieved.

Overview of Austria’s activities regarding Voluntary National Reviews:

https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/themen/nachhaltige-entwicklung-agenda-2030/berichterstattung-agenda-2030.html

Austria | High-Level Political Forum

Austria’s way of implementing the 2030 Agenda – Austria’s 2^nd Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a glance

National Progress Report (available in German only): https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/themen/nachhaltige-entwicklung-agenda-2030/implementierung.html