Click here to visit the IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub knowledgebase.  SDG UPDATE A compilation of items recently posted to the SDG Knowledge Hub Tuesday, 10 October 2017 FEATURED Fourth Our Ocean Conference Generates Over €7 Billion in Pledges 6 October 2017: The 2017 Our Ocean Conference closed with participants announcing over €7 billion in commitments related to an array of ocean issues such as marine protected areas (MPAs), sustainable fisheries, climate change, pollution, maritime security, and sustainable blue growth. The conference generated 437 commitments, including 36 commitments from the EU and more than 200 from other governments, and 100 from businesses, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change. UN Deputy Secretary-General Briefs Member States on UN Development System Reform 6 October 2017: UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed briefed Member States on the latest developments in the reform of the UN development system and received feedback from governments. The discussion focused on the Secretary-General’s reform proposals related to: the Resident Coordinator (RC) system and UN country presence; a review of the UN development system regional functions and capacities; the delineation of a Funding Compact; and strengthening system-wide accountability, transparency and oversight. GSDR Invites Inputs on Four Areas of SDG Research October 2017: The international sustainable development community has been invited to provide input to the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR). The GSDR is a quadrennial publication that aims to provide an evidence-based instrument to support policymakers in promoting poverty eradication and sustainable development. PARIS21, SDSN and UN Agencies Urge Building National Statistical Capacity October 2017: UN and other international agencies are highlighting the need for increased support to national statistical systems to improve monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and evidence-based policy making for sustainable development. While some donors are helping to build capacity in national statistical systems, research shows that more support - such as for producing disaggregated and geo-referenced data, and enabling interoperability so that data can be better shared and utilized for policy purposes - is needed. NEWS LDCs Call for Higher Climate Ambition by All Countries 6 October 2017: The Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group issued the ‘Addis Ababa LDC Ministerial Communiqué on Climate Change,’ outlining the Group’s priorities for the UN Climate Change Conference, scheduled to take place in Bonn, Germany, from 6-17 November 2017. UNGA President Presents Priorities, Vision to Civil Society 6 October 2017: The President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Miroslav Lajčák, held his first dialogue with civil society on 6 October, during which he presented his priorities and vision for the 72nd session of the UNGA. The UNGA President also shared observations from the UNGA General Debate. Third Committee Debates Women’s Advancement, SDG 5 6 October 2017: The UN General Assembly's (UNGA) Third Committee heard Member States views on achieving the advancement of women, including ways to eliminate discrimination, end violence and improve the situation of women migrant workers. Prior to the debate, UN Women and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) organized a ‘Space for Women’ expert meeting, which considered how to increase the involvement of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and the aerospace sector. WMO Warns of Weak La Niña, Initiative Crowd-sources Data to Improve Resilience 5 October 2017: In the wake of the recent hurricanes that devastated the Caribbean, disaster risk management (DRM), disaster risk reduction (DRR) and resilience-building efforts have gained prominence. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and European partners are working on a system to use social media, smartphones and wearables to improve emergency data management. Joint Platform Advances DRM in the Pacific, Preparations for COP 23 Underway 5 October 2017: Meetings on climate change and disaster risk management (DRM) in the Pacific discussed reducing the number of people directly affected by disasters under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), with a particular focus on housing and livelihoods. The UNFCCC Secretariat issued a number of documents in preparation for the UN Climate Change Conference in November. London Commits to Take Action on Air Pollution 4 October 2017: A research report has shown that the level of air pollution in London exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for PM2.5 particles, which are among the most toxic to human health and are closely linked to increased likelihood of cardiovascular and respiratory illness. Adaptation Efforts Focus on Small-scale Farmers, African Forests, Biodiversity Conservation 4 October 2017: Recent initiatives promoting climate change adaptation have featured small-scale farmers’ efforts in Colombia’s agriculture sector, forest experts’ call for climate finance and reduction of legal barriers to commercial tree growing in Africa, and a series of publications on integrating biodiversity conservation and adaptation. Expert Group Explores Role of Value Chains in Response Measures-Trade Nexus 3 October 2017: In preparation for the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UNFCCC, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) convened an Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting on Implementing the Paris Agreement, which sought to provide input to the UNFCCC forum on the impact of the implementation of response measures by addressing the role of value chains in the interface between response measures and trade. UNCTAD Report Looks at Digitalization Challenges, Opportunities 2 October 2017: The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released a report that cautions that, while digitalization and information and communications technologies (ICTs) are helping a growing number of small businesses and entrepreneurs in developing countries to connect with global markets and create new income streams, they also bring the risk of widening income inequalities. CITES Announces WWD Big Cats Theme Amid Flurry of Snow Leopard Conservation Commitments October 2017: The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) has elected to use big cats – broadly defined to include tigers, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs and lions - as the theme for World Wildlife Day (WWD) 2018. WWD, held annually on 3 March, the day CITES was adopted, raises awareness and generates action on wildlife conservation. The announcement of the WWD theme came shortly after the conclusion of a ‘Snow Leopard Summit' hosted by the Government of Kyrgyzstan and in concert with several other announcements of new snow leopard and wildlife conservation projects and initiatives. Africa NDC Dialogue Highlights the Need for Capacity Building, Finance 28 September 2017: A Regional Dialogue on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for Africa aiming to support countries as they move towards the implementation stage of their NDCs explored topics related to NDC implementation. These included: experiences, best practices, opportunities and challenges in the region; capacity building gaps and needs; climate finance needs and strengthening the role of the private sector; local authority-level policies, actions and initiatives; and entry points to integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into NDC implementation and planning. Financial Centers, Social Enterprise World Forum Launch New Initiatives on Sustainable Finance 28 September 2017: Fifteen of the world’s leading financial centers decided to promote strategic action on green and sustainable finance, during the first-ever international meeting of financial centers. The same day, participants in the Social Enterprise World Forum expressed their support for a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to promote the growth of social enterprise and impact investment across the Asia-Pacific region as a means of accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN Agencies Warned of Dangers, Need to Foster AI for Global Good 26 September 2017: Artificial intelligence (AI) can enable the achievement of global development goals. However, computer-based technologies, which simulate human intelligence, also present challenges that may work against human well-being, safety and security. The UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) highlighted this duality with the establishment of its Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Four months prior, over 20 UN agencies and partners met to discuss how AI could be used to support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » Climate Engineering Conference 2017 (CEC17) 9-12 October 2017 | Berlin, Germany ESCAP Disaster Resilience Week 9-12 October 2017 | Bangkok (Krung Thep), Thailand Forty-fourth Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS 44) 9-13 October 2017 | Rome, Lazio, Italy Fourth European Forest Week and Las2017 - Joint Session of EFC and COFFI 9-13 October 2017 | Warsaw, Poland Leading in Sustainable Development 9-13 October 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany 2017 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund 9-15 October 2017 | Washington D.C., US North-East Asian Forum on Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals 10-11 October 2017 | Beijing, China 30th Meeting of the Adaptation Fund Board 10-13 October 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany 2017 Joint Meeting of the Second Committee and ECOSOC 11 October 2017 | New York City, US Global Meeting on Regional Consultative Processes on Migration Compact 11 October 2017 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Second Multi-stakeholder Hearing on Migration Global Compact 11 October 2017 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland World Obesity Day 2017 11 October 2017 | virtual 15th Conference of Ministers and Heads of Planning of Latin America and the Caribbean AND 16th Meeti... 11-13 October 2017 | Lima, Peru Second ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF2) 11-13 October 2017 | Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico Sixth Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage a... 11-13 October 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals: Harnessing Inclusive Inno... 12 October 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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