Amsler presents at UN’s inception meeting for World Public Sector Report 2023

Lisa Amsler, a distinguished professor and the Keller-Runden Professor of Public Service at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, recently participated in and was a presenter at the inception meeting for the World Public Sector Report 2023 organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government.

The aim of the World Public Sector Report 2023 is to address progress toward meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals as agreed to by all U.N. member states in 2015 by collecting expert feedback and inputs on the key issues to address. Amsler’s presentation was part of a session that focused on determining what assets and innovations governments can mobilize to achieve sustainable development goals.

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established in 2015 and are a collection of 17 points aimed at sharing a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. Among the points are eliminating poverty and hunger, improving health and well-being, promoting quality education and gender equality, developing affordable and clean energy, creating sustainable cities and communities, and more.

Amsler suggested that progress requires a focus on engagement at the community level, providing the legal authority to regional and local officials to empower public engagement, and encouraging the public to speak out and participate in achieving the SDGs. Using deliberative public engagement processes, governments can invite citizens and residents to actively initiate, design, implement, and deliver public services.

“I shared examples of coproduction, cases where members of the public collected data or did work related to the SDGs in collaboration with government that helped produce a public good,” Amsler said. “For example, this summer, NASA used a public cell phone app to enlist the global public in collecting photos of the land surface of the planet. This data helps us address sustainability and other SDGs.”