MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) have announced plans to examine the UK’s audit of its progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They will look into the domestic aspects of the Voluntary National Review (VNR), part of the 2030 agenda, with all 193 countries expected to review their national progress, at least once, against the SDGs and present the report to the UN High Level Political Forum.

They are intended to be participatory and inclusive, however, the EAC’s 2017 report raised concerns the government had not provided sufficient time and resources to ensure effective management could be undertaken with stakeholders and that there were sufficient opportunities for Parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s submission.

It also highlighted the “tight timescale” for the review to be conducted, with the UK’s submission of its of its “main messages” to the UN Forum – which will take place in July – due to be submitted on 17th May.

With two months remaining for the review to be conducted, the Committee said it is keen to explore how successful the process has been so far and is inviting written evidence from stakeholders until 15th April 2019.

EAC Chair Mary Creagh MP said: “VNRs are an important opportunity for a country to take stock of its progress against the UN’s SDGs. However, as we warned in our previous report, despite them supposedly being inclusive in nature, key stakeholders have not had enough opportunity to have their say.

“It is important that we hear from these groups as we conduct our short inquiry into the domestic aspects of the review.”