The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seem to be a disjointed hodge-podge of aspirations. I suggest that a 'panel of panels' would help to guide policymakers. This would collate the flow of information from existing UN panels to highlight connections between the SDGs (see also M. Nilsson et al. Nature 534, 320–322; 2016).

This meta-panel could be modelled on international science platforms that coordinate multilateral environmental governance regimes, such as those for climate and biodiversity (see also P. M. Haas and C. Stevens in Governing the Air (eds R. Lidskog and G. Sundqvist) 125–161; MIT Press, 2011). It would similarly comprise independent experts from various countries and disciplines, drawn from academia, civil society and the private sector to capture different perspectives on sustainability.

The panel should be properly funded and not depend on a single funding source. It would meet regularly and report directly to governments through the UN High Level Political Forum. Its findings would need to be especially clear in areas of consensus and controversy.