Click here to visit the IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub knowledgebase.  SDG UPDATE A compilation of items recently posted to the SDG Knowledge Hub Wednesday, 15 November 2017 NEWS SBSTA, SBI Closing Plenaries Convene, APA Considers Draft Conclusions: 14 November Highlights 14 November 2017: The UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, continued on Tuesday, 14 November 2017. Informal consultations and contact groups convened under the Conference of the Parties (COP), the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI). The APA contact group met to consider all its substantive agenda items, and the closing plenaries of the SBI and SBSTA met, adopting several conclusions and decisions. COP 23 Side Events Spotlight Climate Action Champions, Link NDCs and SDGs: 14 November Highlights 14 November 2017: The many side events convening at the UN Climate Change Conference on Tuesday, 14 November, included: the opening of the WWF Panda Hub, with an event on fostering strategic dialogues around the future global environment and development frameworks; ministers and organization heads of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Partnership member countries and institutions coming together to promote climate action champions; and the launching of the Global Centre of Excellence on Climate Adaptation (GCECA) in order to accelerate climate adaptation by recognizing, building and promoting excellence in all relevant stakeholder groups globally. UN, Stakeholders Launch Initiatives to Promote Risk Management and Transfer, Climate Insurance 14 November 2017: Over the course of the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UNFCCC, UN agencies, international organizations and stakeholders launched numerous initiatives, projects and partnerships seeking to enhance climate action across various sectors and industries. Risk management and transfer-related initiatives announced at the UN Climate Change Conference include a risk transfer information hub, a climate insurance initiative and a programme to help investors better manage climate risks. UN Environment Calls for “Zero-Failure” Approach to Mine Waste Storage 12 November 2017: The UN Environment Rapid Response Assessment report titled, ‘Mining Tailings Storage: Safety is no accident,’ addresses rising global concerns about the safety, management and impacts of storing and managing large volumes of mining waste. Ahead of the Third Meeting of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 3), which will focus on pollution, the report calls for the establishment of a UN Environment stakeholder forum to facilitate international strengthening of tailings dam regulation. Preparations Begin for ECOSOC Review Negotiations 9 November 2017: The UN is taking steps to prepare for the upcoming discussions on the reform of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Following the adoption of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution in 2013, ECOSOC underwent a series of reforms to strengthen the Council. By that resolution, UN Member States must review the arrangements during the 72nd UNGA session. Third Committee Debates Inclusivity, Migrant Rights, Business Accountability October 2017: In an annual debate on human rights, experts stressed the need for preventive measures and accessible remedies to mitigate wide‑ranging challenges to human rights, the SDGs and global stability. They also called on governments and international organizations to take simple, practical measures to ensure inclusivity. Delegates also interacted with Special Rapporteurs regarding, inter alia: accountability of international financial institutions; the human rights of persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and migrants; and freedoms of expression, belief and religion. Regional Commissions Reflect on AAAA Implementation October 2017: UN Member States and representatives of the UN Regional Commissions have discussed priorities for implementing the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA). Participants highlighted: improving domestic revenue mobilization (DRM); strengthening public expenditure management; private sector engagement; public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure; enhancing financial inclusion; and promoting regional financial integration. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » UNFCCC COP 23 6-17 November 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany GCA Thematic and High-level Days 10-15 November 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Public Good App House Festival 13-15 November 2017 | Washington D.C., US Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA-2017) 14-17 November 2017 | Addis Ababa, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia Public Policies and Innovation in Public Service Delivery for SDGs in Latin America 14-17 November 2017 | Madrid, Spain Energy-Efficient Lighting, Appliances and Equipment: Opportunities for Developing and Emerging Econo... 15 November 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany World Smart City Forum 2017 15 November 2017 | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain G7 Ministerial Meeting on Gender Equality 15-16 November 2017 | Italy International Conference on Quantitative Methods for Integrated Food and Nutrition Security Measurem... 15-17 November 2017 | Brussels, Belgium SSE Green Finance Dialogue 16 November 2017 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany High-level Conference on Financing for Development and the Means of Implementation of the 2030 Agend... 18-19 November 2017 | Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar World Toilet Day 2017 19 November 2017 | worldwide Joint 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the 29th Meeting of... 20-24 November 2017 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada 4th Busan Global Partnership Forum 21-22 November 2017 | Busan, Pusan-Jikhalsi, Republic of Korea Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum: Greening the Ocean Economy 21-22 November 2017 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France Global Workshop on SDG 6 Integrated Monitoring 21-23 November 2017 | The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands 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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