Switzerland is living at the world's expense

Switzerland is not on course for a sustainable world. That's the verdict from Platform Agenda 2030 in its new report, out today. It is calling upon the Federal Council to show more leadership in the transformation needed to halve poverty, protect the climate and human rights, and hold the financial sector to account.

Platform Agenda 2030 is a network of more than 50 organisations from the fields of the environment, development cooperation, human rights, sustainable business, gender, peace, housing and work. Seven years after the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in New York it has been taking stock. The verdict? Switzerland is not on course to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We are living at the world's expense. Yet to date the Federal Council has not presented any strategy for managing the vital transformation to an economy that respects planetary boundaries. In Switzerland and around the world, people are prevented from exercising their basic rights. Hunger and poverty are rising.

To achieve the 17 SDGs all policy fields must be clearly focused on the Goals and on the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda. We are calling for rapid, efficient action to tackle the deficits that have been identified. Part of this must be a strategy that maps out how poverty in Switzerland can be halved by 2030. Or an ambitious biodiversity action plan that commits enough funding to halting species loss. The financial markets also need statutory frameworks so that investment becomes a factor protecting biodiversity and human rights. And there must be greater engagement to counter militarisation and support human security around the world.

Platform Agenda 2030 is calling on the Federal Council to show more leadership for sustainable development. It must find the courage required to develop solutions that are truly transformational. Cosmetic amendments that merely throw an SDG-hued cloak over business as usual are not enough. Real transformation is needed to make the move to a sustainable society.

Platform Agenda 2030 is presenting its civil society report at the UN High Level Political Forum, that is taking place from July 5 to 15 in New York. In doing so it is offering its own analyses and recommendations for action as a counterpart to Switzerland's official Voluntary National Review, which Federal Councillor Ignatio Cassis will submit to the Forum on 12 July. We invite the Federal Council to work with us in revising the national 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy and the associated Action Plan.

Platform Agenda 2030's civil society report is available online to download