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, 27 July 2017 GUEST ARTICLES SDG Thematic Reviews for Integrated Implementation: What We Learned from a Review Pilot 'Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world' was the theme of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in 2017, where 44 countries presented their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). FEATURED HLPF VNR Presentations Highlight Efforts on Policy Coherence, Priority Areas 24 July 2017: Multiple sessions on Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) took place during the Ministerial Segment of the 2017 session of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). During VNR presentations, 43 countries highlighted areas of progress and described challenges in implementation. TERI's 'NDC Footprints' Maps Synergies Between SDGs and NDCs 24 July 2017: Climate change and development are unavoidably intertwined, yet there is a need for greater engagement among the different ministries working on these two issues. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has released an online tool to help bridge this gap through mapping the complementarities between countries' national climate plans and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Integrating Climate Considerations into National Development Planning in the Spotlight 12 July 2017: Recent initiatives have explored ways to integrate climate change considerations into national development planning. A publication by the Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) developed a set of proposals for integrating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) into national development plans. A recently-concluded project on co-investment in mitigation and adaptation in Southeast Asia helped integrate climate change into national development efforts in Indonesia and Viet Nam. NEWS Stakeholders Discuss Migration Compact During First Hearing 26 July 2017: The President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) convened the first of a series of multi-stakeholder hearings, as part of the preparatory process for the intergovernmental conference on international migration to adopt the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in 2018. Several participants outlined the need to have a robust follow up and review process to ensure accountability, with Finland noting that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development follow up and review mechanism should be clearly linked to the one of the global compact. Climate Mitigation Finance Update: Initiatives in Africa, South America and Europe Signal Transition Towards a Low-Carbon Future 26 July 2017: Multilateral development banks (MDBs) operating in Africa, South America and Europe have funded several new projects that contribute to the transition to a low-carbon future. These initiatives include the first fleet of electric buses in the Caucasus, renewable energy projects in Cameroon, Greece, Tanzania and Uruguay, and a £246 million initiative in battery technology in the UK. UK Government to Ban Gasoline Vehicle, Supports Off-shore Wind Power 23 July 2017: Recent developments in the UK illustrate the country's planning to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and increase the share of renewables in its energy mix. WBCSD Resources Assist with Circular Economy and Natural Capital Assessments 20 July 2017: The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has developed tools to help companies and businesses transition towards a circular economy and undertake natural capital measurements and valuation, thereby contributing to a number of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure). Member States Propose Doubling Finance for Water-Related DRR 20 July 2017: UN Member States proposed doubling current levels of financing for water-related disaster risk reduction in the next five years during discussions at a Special Thematic Session. Other policy proposals discussed would give greater attention to the role of science as a guide for action and a way to connect diverse actors, and take an integrated approach to freshwater, oceans and disaster management. SE4ALL Launches ‘Cooling for All’ Initiative 19 July 2017: Cooling needs are projected to increase with rising temperatures and a growing and more affluent global population. This will lead to higher energy demand for cooling and increased risk of emitting cooling agents such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that are potent greenhouse gases (GHGs). To reduce these emissions, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) has launched the ‘Cooling for All’ initiative. Stakeholders Share Views for Advancing SDGs 19 July 2016: Representative of UN agencies, UN Regional Commissions, academia, civil society, and the private sector share multifaceted perspectives and recommendations for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a blog series managed by the UN Division for Sustainable Development (DSD). SDG Report 2017 Provides Overview of Efforts to Achieve SDGs 17 July 2017: Greater efforts are needed to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a report prepared by the UN Statistics Division that reviews progress made towards the SDGs during the first two years of their implementation. The report provides an overview of implementation efforts to date, highlighting areas of progress and areas where more action is required, and provided the basis for introductions to the SDGs that the High-level Political Forum focused on during its July 2017 session. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » CITES Animals and Plants Committees 18-27 July 2017 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Seventh Meeting of Negotiating Committee on Principle 10 31 July - 4 August 2017 | Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation on Migration Global Compact 3 August 2017 | Bangkok (Krung Thep), Thailand 23rd Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority 7-18 August 2017 | Kingston, Jamaica UNLEASH Innovation Lab 13-21 August 2017 | Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark Renewable Energy and Quality of Life 14-15 August 2017 | Astana, Kazakhstan Resilience 2017 20-23 August 2017 | Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden TICAD 2017 Ministerial Meeting 24-25 August 2017 | Maputo, Mozambique 27th UN-Water Meeting 25-26 August 2017 | Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden 2017 World Water Week 27 August - 1 September 2017 | Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden International Day Against Nuclear Tests 29 August 2017 | worldwide ECLAC Regional Consultation for Global Compact on Migration 30-31 August 2017 | Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile Ninth BRICS Summit 3-5 September 2017 | Xiamen, Fujian, China Fifth Informal Thematic Session for Global Compact on Migration 4-5 September 2017 | Vienna, Wien, Austria 2017 Asian Evaluation Week 4-7 September 2017 | Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 48th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting 4-8 September 2017 | Apia, Tuamasaga, Samoa 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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