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 July 2017 POLICY BRIEFS Health and Well-Being Issues Under Consideration at HLPF UN agencies emphasized the importance of improving countries’ health systems, with a view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on good health and well-being (SDG 3), in the lead up to the consideration of implementation of SDG 3 by the 2017 session of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). FEATURED ICSU Presents Research on SDG Interactions 12 July 2017: The International Council for Science (ICSU) organized a side event at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) to present its recently launched publication, titled 'A Guide to SDG Interactions: From Science to Implementation.' HLPF Side Event Explores Policy Coherence and Food Security 12 July 2017: An HLPF side event on 'Food Security and the 2030 Agenda: The Role of Policy Coherence,' which was organized by the Governments of Finland, the Netherlands and Switzerland, with the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), considered how the concept of policy coherence has evolved and how the food security issue provides an example of how that evolution has played out for a key dimension of sustainable development. Publications Offer Recommendations for Policy Coherence July 2017: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Centre for Development Policy Management (EDCPM) have recently published reports on policy coherence for sustainable development, with discussions about the publications taking place during side events for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). NEWS HLPF Reviews Implementation of SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 5 12 July 2017: During the second and third days of the 2017 meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), delegates reviewed the implementation of SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 5 (gender equality). ICT Report Showcases Role of ICTs in Accelerating SDG Achievement 13 July 2017: The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is launching a publication that shares perspectives from 20 UN heads on how and why information and communication technologies (ICT) for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is critical. The launch is taking place on the sidelines of the 2017 session of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). UN Reports that Billions Lack Safe Water and Proper Sanitation 12 July 2017: Approximately 2.1 billion people lack access to safe and readily available water at home, and 4.5 billion do not have safely managed sanitation, according to the report, title 'Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and Sustainable Development Goal Baselines.' The report, an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), is the first global assessment of “safely managed” drinking water and sanitation services. International, US Non-state Actors Advance Climate Action 12 July 2017: Over the past few days, US federal states and other US and international non-state actors announced a number of climate initiatives that aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change, and for an accelerated transition to 100% renewables. Financial Sector Advances Climate Risks Disclosure, EEA Assesses Climate Finance Data 11 July 2017: Several recent initiatives aim to enable climate risks to be integrated into decision making within the financial sector. Eleven global banks are collaborating with the UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) to bolster the assessment and disclosure of climate-related risks and opportunities. At the EU level, a study from the European Environment Agency (EEA) assesses the availability of data to track climate finance. IPEEC Outlines Benefits and Challenges of Energy Efficiency Networks 11 July 2017: The International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) has released a report, titled ‘Energy Efficiency Networks: Towards good practices and guidelines for effective policies to stimulate energy efficiency,’ which provides a practical toolkit for policy makers to develop policy and regulatory frameworks that support Energy Efficiency Networks (EENs). IMO Environment Committee Advances Work on Shipping Emissions 7 July 2017: The 71st session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MPEC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on a draft outline for a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, and adopted guidelines to implement operational energy efficiency measures for ships. Governments React to Secretary-General’s Proposals for Reform 5 July 2017: In a briefing to Member States, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented his first proposals on the reform of the UN development system. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) mandated the report in a Resolution on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR). EEA Investigates Water Pricing Approaches 4 July 2017: The European Environment Agency (EEA) investigated approaches to water pricing in eight countries to find out the impacts of pricing policies on water-use efficiency. The study finds that water pricing works best when combined with other measures, such as raising awareness on the need to save water, and promoting devices such as water-saving taps and showerheads. The study focused on Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and Sweden. Workshop Supports Women Entrepreneurs in Sustainable Energy 3 July 2017: A workshop organized under the auspices 16th African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN 16) sought to develop a framework outlining approaches to support women entrepreneurs in sustainable energy. The event was held under the theme, ‘Unlocking Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in Sustainable Energy: Towards Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and AU Agenda 2063.’ FAO, WWC Promote Water Accounting July 2017: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and partners are conducting online consultations on how "water accounting" can be used to address water scarcity. The agency is promoting the initiative among World Water Council (WWC) members, and it will result in the publication of a 'White Paper on Water Accounting,' to be launched at the 8th World Water Forum in Brazil in March 2018. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » International WCRP/IOC Conference on Regional Sea Level Changes and Coastal Impacts 10-14 July 2017 | New York City, US High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2017 10-19 July 2017 | New York City, US Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee on BBNJ 10-21 July 2017 | New York City, US Montreal Protocol OEWG 39 11-14 July 2017 | Bangkok (Krung Thep), Thailand Agriculture and Food Day to Implement the Sustainable Development Goals 13 July 2017 | New York City, US EMG Nexus Dialogue Series: Dialogue 2 13-14 July 2017 | New York City, US Partnership Exchange 2017 17 July 2017 | New York City, US African Land Commissions Workshop on Securing Community Land Rights 17-19 July 2017 | Addis Ababa, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia ECOSOC High-level Segment 2017 17-20 July 2017 | New York City, US Africa Open Data Conference 2017 17-21 July 2017 | Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana SDG Business Forum 2017 18 July 2017 | New York City, US 2017 Global Forum for Responsible Management Education - 7th PRME Assembly 18-19 July 2017 | New York City, US IOM International Dialogue on Migration - 2017 Workshop 2 18-19 July 2017 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland CITES Animals and Plants Committees 18-27 July 2017 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Business and the SDGs - Moving From Aspiration to Action 19 July 2017 | New York City, US Third UN Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters 20 July 2017 | New York City, US 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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