Member of the Committee for the Future, Sinuhe Wallinheimo (Parliamentary Group of the National Coalition Party), will represent the committee at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), held in New York from 14 to 24 July. This year's forum focuses on promoting sustainable, inclusive, science-based and evidence-driven solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that no one is left behind.
HLPF reviews progress on the Sustainable Development Goals
The forum annually assesses global and national progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition to states, the forum brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including international organisations, businesses and civil society representatives.
The programme consists of thematic discussions and a high-level segment. Thematic sessions examine specific SDGs, while the high-level segment includes a general debate and presentations of voluntary national reviews by member states. The HLPF has been held annually since 2013.
This year, Finland will present its Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of sustainable development, alongside 36 other countries. Finland previously submitted reports in 2016 and 2020. The forum is an important opportunity for Finland to demonstrate its commitment to advancing the globally agreed SDGs and to showcase Finnish solutions for sustainable development.
Committee for the Future highlights a new vision of happiness within planetary boundaries
For the first time, the Committee for the Future contributed to Finland's national report. In its statement included in the report, the Committee notes that Finland has made determined progress on the 2030 Agenda and has repeatedly been ranked the happiest country in the world.
However, growing well-being has also increased material wealth, contributing to global overconsumption of natural resources. The ecological cost of happiness is too high. Therefore, a new vision is needed: happiness within planetary boundaries and with a smaller ecological footprint. Happiness should be pursued by focusing on everyday functionality, managing externalities and ensuring fairness.
Since 2022, parliamentary Committees for the Future from different countries have convened annually at a global meeting initiated by the Finnish Parliament's Committee for the Future. “At the HLPF, the Committee proposes that the UN invite parliamentary Committees for the Future to explore how happiness can fit within planetary boundaries and be distributed more sustainably and equitably," Wallinheimo says.
Read Finland's Voluntary National Review 2025 (Section of the Committee for the Future starts on page 162)
Learn more about the HLPF on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs website
Learn more about the HLPF on the event website