The implementation of the common and universally applicable United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires differentiated governance
frameworks at all levels, as it falls short to use one governance style
only—hierarchical, network or market governance—or any one style combination
that is believed to be fit-for-all-purposes. The article introduces the
guiding principle of “Common But Differentiated Governance” (CBDG) and
illustrates how this principle can make the SDGs work. It will be shown that,
after more than 15 years’ experience with the concept of “metagovernance” (how
to combine different governance styles into successful governance frameworks),
there seems to be some convergence towards using this as comprehensive
approach to achieve situationally appropriate governance frameworks. In this
article, we have elaborated how policy makers could use metagovernance,
combined with key governance principles, as mechanism to support analysis,
design and management of SDG governance frameworks, to make failures noticed,
and to suggest mitigation measures. Metagovernance respects common principles
like rule of law, but takes as starting point that there may be different
pathways to achieve them. A possible step-by-step approach for SDG
implementation with metagovernance is proposed, as well as establishing
governance support arrangements to assist process design, review, monitoring
and evaluation, at least at the national level
