Click here to visit the SDG Knowledge Hub knowledgebase.  SDG UPDATE A compilation of items recently posted to the SDG Knowledge Hub Friday, 23 June 2017 GUEST ARTICLES To #SaveOurOcean, We Have to Work Together C. Davis Parchment, Manager of Knowledge Services at Foundation Center The UN Ocean Conference and World Ocean Festival was a historic convening of thinkers and doers from all over the world. But the momentum we felt when we were together can only lead to lasting impact if we make a commitment (and a plan) to collaborate more effectively into the future. France, Australia and the EU Can Lead in Protecting Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Claire Christian, Acting Executive Director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition In 2009, 24 countries and the European Union (EU) agreed to a bold plan to create a circumpolar network of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica by 2012. As Members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), they took the first step towards fulfilling that commitment by designating the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area (MPA) in 2016, which will come into force in December 2017. Forest and Farm Producers: First Responders to Climate Change Jeffrey Y. Campbell, Manager of the Forest and Farm Facility What comes to mind when you think about climate change? The impact of fumes from all the traffic on your commute to work? Maybe erratic weather, with flooding in some places, severe drought in others? Energy Efficiency at the G20: Collaborating Internationally for a Sustainable Future Benoît Lebot, Executive Director, International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) The world needs energy efficiency, now more than ever. It is cost-effective, cross-cutting, and can benefit all individuals and communities around the world. Energy efficiency is also a key to climate action. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Official Statistics Benjamin Rothen, Deputy Head of the Unit, International Affairs, Swiss Federal Statistical Office After the Rio+20 conference in Brazil, the statistical community on the global and regional levels began undertaking a number of activities to accompany and support the political process involved in developing the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To understand those activities, it is useful to have a deeper look at some recent developments. FEATURED EU Council Adopts Conclusions on SDG Implementation 20 June 2017: The EU Council has adopted conclusions on the EU’s response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its implementation at the EU level, calling on the European Commission (EC) to set an implementation strategy with timelines, objectives and concrete measures for implementing the 2030 Agenda in all EU internal and external policies by 2018. Co-Facilitators Revise Draft Declaration for HLPF 19 June 2017: The co-facilitators of consultations on the 2017 Ministerial Declaration of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) High-Level Segment and the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) released a revised draft, ahead of a reading by UN Member States on 20-21 June 2017. The joint declaration is expected to be adopted by the HLPF on 19 July 2017, and by the ECOSOC High-level Segment on 20 July 2017. GFRID 2017 Links Remittances to SDG Achievement 16 June 2017: Representatives of governments, the private sector and civil society discussed efforts to significantly decrease transfer costs of remittances, maximize their impact for development, and ultimately contribute to achieving the SDGs, during the 2017 Global Forum on Remittances, Investment and Development (GFRID). GFRID’s conclusions will feed into the tenth Global Forum on Migration and Development, as well as preparations for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Africa Case Studies Show Five Pathways to Speed Up, Scale Up SDGs 16 June 2017: The Poverty-Environment Initiative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP or UN Environment) launched a report on African countries’ progress in fostering coordinated and integrated approaches to development. The highlighted approaches connect and address poverty reduction, inequality, employment generation, climate change, environmental stress, and water, energy and food security. The report proposes five "pathways" to speed up and scale up integrated and participatory approaches to sustainable development and support achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2063. AIIB to Step up Support for Renewable Energy, Sustainable Infrastructure Development 18 June 2017: The second meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) addressed several issues relevant to SDG implementation. Launched in 2016, AIIB is a multilateral development bank (MDB) with a focus on financing infrastructure needs across Asia. UN Human Rights Council Discusses Child Rights-based Approach to Climate Action 12 June 2017: During its 35th session, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held a day-long debate on climate change and the rights of the child. The discussions were informed by two reports submitted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). SDG Lab Launched in Geneva June 2017: The SDG Lab the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) was publicly launched on 1 June 2017, at an event that highlighted what the “indivisibility” of the SDGs means in practice, with discussions assessing the linkages between two SDGs – gender (SDG 5) and industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9). The SDG Lab, which began operations at UNOG in January 2017, serves a multi-stakeholder community of actors in and outside Geneva. BRICS Countries Cooperate on Energy Efficiency 9 June 2017: Energy efficiency has been high on the agenda of the BRICS group of countries, comprised of Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa. In related news, two reports have highlighted the potential for increasing energy efficiency in two BRICS members, India and China. NEWS Sustainable Energy Finance Update: Investments in Solar Power Surge as Global Coal Production Plummets 21 June 2017: The falling cost of solar power has made this form of renewable energy an increasingly attractive option to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase access to affordable, clean energy in developing countries through energy finance. This update covers recent investments in solar power generation and other renewables against the background of an accelerating decline in global coal production and consumption. Adaptation and Loss and Damage Update: DRR Efforts Increased Amid Record High Temperatures 21 June 2017: Summer arrived early in the Northern hemisphere, with heat waves engulfing parts of Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the US since May. This theme and recent developments in disaster risk reduction (DRR), disaster risk management (DRM) and early warning systems are reviewed in this update. Capacity Building and Technology Update: CTCN Welcomes 300th Member, Dual Water Treatment Brings Multiple Benefits 20 June 2017: Recent weeks have brought news regarding activities of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), which welcomed its 300th Network member and published updates on its ongoing technical assistance. Another CTCN member developed a dual water treatment and solar heating system that could save millions of lives. CRPD10 Calls for Disaggregated Data to Monitor Action on Disabilities 20 June 2017: The tenth session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP10) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) concluded with a call for data to be disaggregated by disability, in order to ensure the fulfillment of commitments made in the CRPD and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The following week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of a Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility. UN Youth Envoy Appointed, Preparations Underway for SDG 4 Action Event 20 June 2017: Announcing the appointment of 26-year-old Jayathma Wickramanayake of Sri Lanka as his Envoy on Youth, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development depends on “empowering young people as rights-holders, agents of change and torch-bearers.” On 28 June, UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Peter Thomson will host a High-Level SDG Action Event on Education to emphasize the importance of teaching about the SDGs, including for the 126 million children who will be eighteen years old in 2030. Toll of Pollution on Human Well-being Addressed in Canada, China and Europe 16 June 2017: A report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the billions of dollars that pollution costs Canada, while in Europe and Asia, initiatives also drew attention to pollution and its effects on human health. In Europe, the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health called for the region to reduce the number of deaths from environmental pollution, while in China, a Green Financing Platform (GFP) will promote air pollution-reduction investments in the greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. ILO Report Calls for Reducing Gender Disparities in Work 15 June 2017: A report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) finds that a 25% reduction in gender disparities at workplaces could add US$5.8 trillion to the world economy and boost tax revenue, particularly for countries in North Africa, Southern Asia and the Arab region. In Austria, 52 UN leaders and senior diplomats made pledges on gender equality at the launch of the International Gender Champions-Vienna Initiative, and a forum in Bangkok proposed actions to address contraints facing women entrepreneurs. UNITAR Partners on Earth Observations, Stakeholder Engagement to Support SDG Implementation 14 June 2017: To help realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has partnered with Radiant.Earth to undertake efforts to build capacity related to Earth observations data. UNITAR has also partnered with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) to strengthen stakeholder engagement in implementing the 2030 Agenda. UNEP-DTU Finds Opportunity to Raise Energy Efficiency Ambition in Tbilisi, Georgia 14 June 2017: The partnership between UN Environment (UNEP) and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has released the Energy Efficiency Brief for the city of Tbilisi, Georgia. The Brief summarizes opportunities and issues uncovered during a dialogue between UNEP-DTU and the city administration aiming to explore opportunities for energy efficiency implementation. Initiatives Enhance Climate Education in West Africa 9 June 2017: Ghana has initiated the integration of climate change into school curricula to implement Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 (climate action) target 13.3 (Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning). Two francophone Youth Climate Dialogues (YCDs) held among European and African students also contributed to the implementation of that target. Stakeholders and Officials Highlight Priorities for HLPF 20 June 2017: The UN Secretariat issued a compilation of the executive summaries of the position papers submitted by Major Groups and Other Stakeholders (MGOS) on the theme of the 2017 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), ‘Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world.’ Also ahead of the HLPF, representatives of MGOS, UN entities and Member States shared views on the Forum, the zero draft of its Ministerial Declaration, and the 2030 Agenda. WFUNA, Partners Discuss Global Citizenship Education for 2030 Agenda 19 June 2017: UN entities, UN Member States and other stakeholders highlighted the importance of global citizenship education for sustaining peace, preventing global extremism and achieving the SDGs, during an event on the role of global citizenship education in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and beyond. Africa Panel, Children's Conference Consider Migration Solutions 20 June 2017: The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) launched a High Level Panel on Migration in Africa, tasked with making recommendations to build and sustain political consensus on implementing the international migration development agenda. The Panel will report to the African Union Heads of State Summit in July 2018. WDCD 2017 Events Address Rural Livelihoods and Youth 17 June 2017: This year's World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD), which is celebrated globally on 17 June, highlighted opportunities to enhance the livelihoods of rural communities and especially young people, under the theme, 'Our Land. Our Home. Our Future.' Climate, Hunger, Gender and Poverty Addressed through Mountain Events 15 June 2017: While Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 on life on land includes a specific target on mountains, recent events demonstrated the links between mountain issues and other SDGs on gender, climate, hunger and poverty. The UN Secretary-General, for instance, underscored the impact of climate change on mountains during a trip to Tajikistan, while other events highlighted how sustainable mountain tourism contributes to economic and food security. UNICEF Issues 'Wake-up Call' on Children in Rich Countries 15 June 2017: A report by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) shows that in high-income countries, one in five children lives in relative income poverty, while one in eight faces food insecurity. The publication focuses on ten SDGs considered most relevant to children's well-being, and uses comparable data sources on 25 indicators selected to assess the status of children in high-income contexts. UN Meeting Highlights Rule of Law for Peace, Development 15 June 2017: The UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) Annual Meeting on Strengthening the Rule of Law for Sustaining Peace and Fostering Development addressed how to support the rule of law and human rights within the UN's ‘Sustaining Peace’ agenda. During the meeting, UNDP released a report on the first year of Phase II of UNDP’s Global Programme on Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights for Sustaining Peace and Fostering Development (2016-2020). Mitigation Update: BP Reports Decline in Global Coal Consumption, IEA Reviews Hungary's Energy Policy 15 June 2017: Two recent reports have provided evidence of the ongoing transition to a clean energy future. The ‘BP Statistical Review of World Energy: June 2017’ indicates a low growth in global primary energy consumption in 2016 and a shift in the fuel mix away from coal towards lower carbon fuels. The International Energy Agency (IEA) issued its ‘Hungary 2017 Review,’ welcoming the country’s efforts to reduce its emissions. Islamic Development Bank Group, UN Cooperating on SDG Partnership Strategies 12 June 2017: Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group President Bandar Hajjar and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed identified priority areas for strengthened cooperation between the two organizations during a meeting at IDB Group headquarters in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia, on 12 June 2017. They also explored opportunities to collaborate on global, regional and country-level priorities to achieve the SDGs. UNEA-3 Aims to Deliver Commitments to Clean Up the Planet 11 June 2017: UN Member States on retreat in Costa Rica have recommended pollution-related topics to be discussed by world leaders at the next UN Environment Assembly meeting (UNEA-3). UN Environment, meanwhile, is launching a global campaign to raise awareness of pollution issues in the lead-up to the meeting. UNEA-3 is expected to deliver a political declaration on pollution linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and voluntary commitments to stem pollution, including a Clean Planet Charter. India, UNOSSC Launch South-South Development Fund to Advance SDGs 8 June 2017: India and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) have launched the India-UN Development Partnership Fund to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by implementing country-driven projects that aim to: reduce poverty and hunger; improve health, education and equality; and increase access to clean water, energy and livelihoods. SDG Advocates Highlight Inequalities and Crisis of Ethics, Trust 7 June 2017: A special event with global champions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlighted inequalities and a lack of trust and ethics in the public sphere as barriers to SDG implementation. The SDG Advocates, a group of leaders appointed by the UN Secretary-General to promote efforts to achieve the SDGs, called for unselfishness and courageous leadership in the public sphere, as well as channeling of resources toward the most vulnerable, especially through education and healthcare. Participation in Aviation Carbon Offsetting Scheme Reaches 70 States 1 June 2017: As of 31 May 2017, 70 States, representing over 87.7% of international aviation activity, expressed their intention to voluntarily participate in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) – the global market-based measure (MBM) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). FAO, World Bank, CGIAR and UNV Announce Projects for Agricultural Development June 2017: The World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), UN Volunteers, and the CGIAR System Organization have each announced research progammes and projects to provide funding and technical support to agricultural development with a view to achieving SDG 1 (no poverty) and SDG 2 (zero hunger), as well as other Goals such as SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 5 (gender equality). IISD Investigates How Sustainability Standards, Investment Frameworks Improve Situation of Women in Agriculture May 2017: The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) released a policy brief exploring how global standards and guidelines contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment in agriculture. The brief, titled ‘How to Improve Gender Equality in Agriculture,’ explains how using voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) and responsible investment frameworks (RIFs) enable monitoring on investment projects addressing gender inequalities. It investigates if more can be done through these instruments to improve the situation of women in agriculture. Ministers Commit to Accelerate Global Transition to Sustainable Energy 14 June 2017: In an effort to explore ways to accelerate the global transition to a sustainable energy system, energy ministers from 85 countries adopted a Ministerial Statement on access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy, identifying specific actions to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Fiji Joins Under2 Coalition, Names Special Advisor for States and Regions 14 June 2017: Fiji has become the latest national government to join the Subnational Global Climate Leadership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (Under2 Coalition). Other news related to the climate action of sub-national actors has come from California and Seattle. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » IPBES 9th Bureau and MEP Meeting 19-23 June 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment 2017 21-23 June 2017 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Intergovernmental Negotiations on Indigenous Peoples' Participation in the UN 21-23 June 2017 | New York City, US UNGA Multi-Stakeholder Hearing on Review of Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons 23 June 2017 | New York City, US World Conference on Tourism and Future Energy: Unlocking Low-carbon Growth Opportunities 26-27 June 2017 | Astana, Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Negotiations on Indigenous Peoples' Participation in the UN 27-28 June 2017 | New York City, US Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change 27-29 June 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Intergovernmental Meeting for the Preparation of a Declaration of Ethical Principles in Relation to ... 27-30 June 2017 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France UNGA High-Level SDG Action Event on Education 28 June 2017 | New York City, US 10th GFMD Summit Meeting 28-30 June 2017 | Berlin, Germany 9th Africa Carbon Forum (ACF 2017) 28-30 June 2017 | Cotonou, Atlantique, Benin Antarctica Today and Tomorrow 29 June 2017 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France Annual Meeting of the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD) 4 July 2017 | Berlin, Germany World Symposium on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies to Costal Communities 5-7 July 2017 | Apia, Tuamasaga, Samoa G20 Summit 7-8 July 2017 | Hamburg, Germany International WCRP/IOC Conference on Regional Sea Level Changes and Coastal Impacts 10-14 July 2017 | New York City, US Funding for the SDG Knowledge Hub has been provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) The SDG Knowledge Hub is a knowledgebase tracking implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 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