David Horan

“It was really exciting to move between academic, NGO and policy worlds and ultimately contribute through research to high-level discussions on how to implement the SDGs.”

Professor David Horan

Project Name: Collaborating for the SDGs

Problem addressed by the research

How can partnerships involving multiple stakeholders from the public, private and community sectors successfully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? How can they overcome different priorities and capabilities, to work together effectively?

Project description

To address the practical challenges of implementing SDGs faced by multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral collaboration, the research involved considerable engagement in the follow-up and review processes for the SDGs, including the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development, its preparatory process, and Ireland’s Voluntary National Review process (VNR). The research was funded by the European Commission (EC) and the IRC under the Marie Curie Fellowship programme. Professor David Horan was the Marie-Curie Fellow for the research project. Policy engagements at the UN were facilitated by UCD and through secondment at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network in New York.

Project outcomes so far

Professor Horan has presented research findings at various UN fora to inform discussions on strategies to accelerate collaborative SDG implementation. The research has also informed policymakers and NGOs in Ireland, including Ireland’s National SDG Implementation Plan 2022–24. Post-project impacts have been supported through affiliation with Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future (SF), an international NGO in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. Drawing on his publications, IntegrateSDGs - a research-related collaboration with SF funded by UNEP/EC - was launched at HLPF 2024. IntegrateSDGs brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners concerned with advancing integrated and collaborative SDG implementation leading up to 2030 and beyond.

For more information

• Horan, D. (2022) Towards a portfolio approach: Partnerships for sustainable transformations. Global Policy, Vol. 13(1), pp. 160-170.
• Horan D. (2019) A new approach to partnerships for SDG transformations. Sustainability, Vol. 11, no. 18: 4947, pp. 1-23.