Click here to visit the IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub knowledgebase.  SDG UPDATE A compilation of items recently posted to the SDG Knowledge Hub Thursday, 13 December 2018 GUEST ARTICLES Why Sustainable Infrastructure Should Be at the Heart of Discussions at the COP 24 in Katowice Vanessa Bauer, Intern, Resources and Markets Branch, UN Environment The 24th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC opened on 2 December in Katowice, Poland. The two week-long meeting takes place at a crossroads for global action against climate change. Agreeing on the rules and guidelines for the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change will be a crucial step towards global climate action. In his opening remarks on 3 December, Michal Kurtyka, President of COP 24, stressed that “without success in Katowice there is no success of Paris.” At the same ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that “climate change is the single most important issue we face,” noting that it “affects all our plans for sustainable development and a safe, secure and prosperous world.” Indigenous Knowledge and Epistemic Injustice in National Climate Planning Morten Fibieger Byskov, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, UK; and Keith Hyams, Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, UK This week, global leaders assemble for the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC in the light of a groundbreaking report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In this report titled, ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C’ (SR15), the IPCC identifies several synergies between addressing global climate change and limiting global warming, on the one hand, and the realization of sustainable development in general and the SDGs in particular, on the other hand. By pursuing sustainable development it will be possible, in other words, to address global climate change, itself one of the SGDs (Goal 13). GENERATION 2030 Think Global, Act Local, and Start Where You Are: My View on the SDGs from Seton Hall University Kendra Brock, Seton Hall University Before I began studying diplomacy as a graduate student at Seton Hall University, I was not very familiar with the Sustainable Development Goals. This is not unusual: surveys in the United States, the European Union, and Japan suggest that only one in ten people are familiar with the Global Goals. FEATURED Talanoa Dialogue Concludes with Call to Action 12 December 2018: The Presidency of the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC and COP 23 Presidency have issued the Talanoa Call to Action, which calls for the urgent and rapid mobilization of all stakeholders to step up their efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and a guide explaining how to join the initiative. Adaptation Fund Receives Nearly US$129 Million in New Pledges 12 December 2018: A record number of new pledges to the Adaptation Fund were announced during an event held on the sidelines of the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC. A single-year record of approximately US$129 million was committed by nine contributor Governments, including two first-time contributors, exceeding the Fund’s previous record of US$95.9 million set in 2017. Partners for Review Holds Fifth Meeting on Ensuring Robust HLPF 7 November 2018: A multi-stakeholder network on national review processes for the SDGs discussed solutions for a more robust UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), as well as preparations for the HLPF's two sessions in 2019. The Partners for Review (P4R) network is implemented by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit - GIZ). NEWS AEWA Adopts Strategic Plan and Species Action Plans 8 December 2018: The seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP 7) to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) adopted the Strategic Plan and the Plan of Action for Africa for 2019-2027. The MOP also agreed on key species action plans on African-Eurasian waterbirds, and adopted a resolution on AEWA’s contribution to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Agreement’s relevance to the SDGs. UNFCCC, Sports Organizations Launch Framework to Reduce Emissions in Sports 11 December 2018: The UNFCCC and the sports sector have launched the Sports for Climate Action Framework that brings together sports organizations, teams, athletes and fans to raise awareness and action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. 2019 Climate Index Finds No Country Performed Well Enough to Receive Top Ranking 10 December 2018: NewClimate Institute, Germanwatch and the Climate Action Network (CAN) released the 2019 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which tracks the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 56 countries and the EU. The CCPI aims to enhance transparency in international climate politics by highlighting countries with best practice climate policies and noting those countries that have failed to take ambitious climate action. Report Finds Regional Governments Implementing Over 260 Adaptation Actions 8 December 2018: The Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (nrg4SD) launched a report on the role of multi-level governance and integration of agendas in achieving effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change at the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC. The report advocates for vertical integration and multi-level governance in the climate change agenda, underscoring the critical role of regional governments in climate policy. COP 24 Side Event Discusses Ocean-NDC Linkages 7 December 2018: A side event at the Katowice Climate Change Conference focused on incorporating issues related to the ocean into nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which parties to the Paris Agreement on climate change prepare to identify the mitigation and adaptation measures their country will take in response to climate change. DESA, Partners Launch Water and Energy Solutions Network for SDGs, Climate 7 December 2018: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the public-private hydropower plant Itaipu Binacional have launched the Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network, which aims to advance multi-stakeholder efforts towards the sustainable use and management of water and energy resources so that more people have access to safe drinking water and clean energy. UNEP Brief Highlights REDD+ Benefits for SDGs, Aichi Targets December 2018: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP, or UN Environment) has released a brief on ‘Planning for REDD+ Benefits Beyond Carbon,’ which shares results from the UN-REDD Programme. The brief underscores the potential contributions of UN-REDD Programme projects on planning for REDD+ to the SDGs and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. UNOSSC Publication Explores South-South Cooperation for SDGs 28 November 2018: A report by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) explores how South-South and triangular cooperation can accelerate progress towards the SDGs. The publication is the second in a series that features more than 100 good practices presented by Member States, UN agencies, and other development partners. Czech Republic, Timor-Leste to Lead Process on UN Organs' Alignment with 2030 Agenda 20 November 2018: UN General Assembly (UNGA) President María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés announced that the permanent representatives of Timor-Leste and Czech Republic will facilitate intergovernmental consultations on the alignment of the agendas of the UNGA, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and their subdidiary bodies, the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and other related fora "in light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." Global Workshop Launches Preparations for 51 VNRs in 2019 13 November 2018: The UN organized a global preparatory workshop for countries that will present their voluntary national reviews (VNRs) at the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July 2019. The summary of the workshop notes that VNRs are “an accelerator for national implementation” of the SDGs, notes that the VNR is a learning process, and argues that it should be directly linked to SDG implementation, rather than being a “side-line project.” Lancet Countdown Offers “Cautious Optimism” on the Health Impacts of Climate Change November 2018: The medical journal The Lancet published its annual report on the health dimensions of climate change, offering grounds for “cautious optimism” about the level of current action. The report titled, ‘Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change,’ warns that, despite some promising trends, more rapid progress will be needed over the next five years. Sustainable Development Transition Forum Encourages HLPF to Provide Strong Policy Guidance 31 October 2018: The Sustainable Development Transition Forum (SDTF) recommended measures to promote SDG implementation, including to establish an "early achievers'" alliance, to continue to organize “VNR Labs” as platforms for informal exchanges among countries, and for governments to not only report actions but also offer analysis of policy impacts when presenting their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » Katowice Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 24) 2-14 December 2018 | Katowice, Slaskie, Poland International Symposium on Understanding the Double Burden of Malnutrition for Effective Interventio... 10-13 December 2018 | Vienna, Wien, Austria 3rd Meeting of the Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory S... 10-14 December 2018 | Principality of Monaco, Monaco Mountains 2018 11-15 December 2018 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Agriculture and Aid for Trade: Opportunities for Aligning Policies and Programmes 13 December 2018 | virtual 55th Meeting of the GEF Council 17-20 December 2018 | Washington D.C., US Third Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Ministerial Conference 10-11 January 2019 | Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa International Water Summit 2019 14-17 January 2019 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Towards a Global Pact for the Environment: First Substantive Session 14-18 January 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya Negotiation of the Summary for Policy Makers of the Sixth Global Environment Outlook 21-24 January 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019 22-25 January 2019 | Switzerland Third Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific 23-25 January 2019 | Singapore, Singapore UNCCD CRIC 17 28-30 January 2019 | Georgetown, Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana 1st World Summit on Leaving No One Behind 7-8 February 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland 57th Session of the Commission for Social Development 11-21 February 2019 | New York City, US World Symposium on Climate Change and Tourism 13-15 February 2019 | Bariloche, Rio Negro, Patagonia, Argentina Funding for the IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub has been provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) The IISD's 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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