Turning Reviews into Action: Scaling Impact through VNRs and VLRs
Voluntary National Review (VNR) Lab
Hosted by the United Nations Regional Economic Commissions
at the 2026 High Level Political Forum
13 July 2026 | 1:15 鈥� 2:45 PM
Room L-133 (Library), United Nations Headquarters, Secretariat Building New York
As the 2030 Agenda enters its final stretch, with less than five years remaining, the urgency of accelerating implementation has never been more pronounced. Over the past decade, Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) and Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) have become important instruments for reflection, peer learning, and policy dialogue. Increasingly, countries and cities are leveraging these processes not only to assess progress, but also to inform policy reforms, align institutional frameworks, and design targeted programmes to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While VNRs and VLRs have played a critical role in tracking progress, promoting accountability, and fostering inclusive stakeholder engagement, there is a growing need to shift from review and reporting toward tangible action and impact. At the same time, the integration of review findings into financing strategies鈥攂oth public and private鈥攔emains an area of significant opportunity.
Lab Objective
To enable countries and local governments to transform VNRs and VLRs into actionable, forward-looking instruments that inform policy and planning processes, SDG implementation strategies, financing and investment frameworks. The VNR Lab will focus on advancing the transition from review to action, emphasizing how VNRs and VLRs can serve as catalysts for implementation, policy coherence, and SDG financing. Specific objectives include:
- Reposition VNRs/VLRs as implementation tools: Showcasing concrete examples of how countries and cities are using VNRs and VLRs to inform policy reforms, institutional alignment, and programme design;
- Enhance national鈥搇ocal alignment and multi-level governance: Highlighting good practices where VNR and VLR review findings have influenced national and subnational budgets, development plans, and policy frameworks;