A new UNOPS-supported report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit concludes that less wasteful, more efficient government spending practices can free up resources to address a critical funding gap in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The research essay — The future of public spending: Why the way we spend is critical to the Sustainable Development Goals — argues that the sheer size of public spending, typically between 15-30 percent of gross domestic product, makes it a powerful force for change. Efficient public procurement allows governments to make substantial progress towards achieving their social, environmental and economic sustainability objectives.
“How and what governments spend their money on can have a huge impact. It can drive innovation, help build jobs and local economic growth. It can drive behaviour and help contain levels of carbon emissions,” said UNOPS Executive Director Grete Faremo.
While governments are starting to recognize the importance of procurement as a powerful policy tool, problems remain such as the perception that sustainable development is too expensive or that short-term thinking that prioritizes the cheapest price today over the financial, social and environmental cost of a product over its lifetime. Other identified blockages include fragmented organizational structures, corruption and a basic lack of knowledge in the procurement market.
The report also explores how governments can use digital technologies to advance sustainable purchasing – for example, to analyze contracts, monitor supply chains or identify corruption.
Produced by The EIU and supported by UNOPS, the independent research essay includes contributions from leading experts in related sectors, including from the government of Ghana, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Inter-American Development Bank, Transparency International, Oslo Municipality and the Basel Institute on Governance.
Read and download the report: The future of public spending: Why the way we spend is critical to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Original source: UNOPS
Published on 22 January 2019
