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, 4 October 2018 GUEST ARTICLES Forests: A Natural Solution to Climate Change, Crucial for a Sustainable Future Throughout history, times of crisis have yielded extraordinary innovation and social cooperation. Not only has this been essential for conquering many seemingly insurmountable challenges, but it has also shown one of the greatest strengths of human nature: we can best face and overcome crises through joint, creative action. FEATURED 51 Countries Preparing to Present National SDG Reviews at HLPF 2019 4 October 2018: As of 4 October 2018, 51 countries are planning to present Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) during the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Of these, 41 will be presenting for the first time. Event Highlights Signing, Inspires Ratification of Escazú Agreement 27 September 2018: An event convened in the margins of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly celebrated the opening of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters (Escazú Agreement) for signature by 33 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. The Agreement, which was signed by 14 countries on 27 September, is the first to feature specific, binding provisions for the protection of human rights defenders in environmental matters. WHO Launches First Global Guidelines on Sanitation and Health 1 October 2018: The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a report titled, ‘Guidelines on Sanitation and Health,’ urging countries to invest in sanitation to limit the spread of disease and promote good health and economic productivity. The UN agency estimates that, based on current trends, 90 countries are unlikely to achieve SDG target 6.2 on sanitation for all by 2030. Ramsar Global Outlook: “Wetlands Under Far Greater Threat Than Forests” 1 October 2018: Wetlands, which comprise the world’s most economically valuable ecosystems and essential regulators of the global climate, are disappearing three times faster than forests. This is one of the key findings of the first-ever Global Wetland Outlook (GWO) published by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Goalkeepers Event Explores Keys to Movement Building 26 September 2018: Grassroots efforts to end child marriage, the power of young people and keys to movement building were major topics of discussion during a day-long event hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers initiative. Goalkeepers 2018 took place as part of the annual Global Goals Week on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly’s high-level debate. Governments Pledge US$15 Billion a Year for TB by 2022 26 September 2018: World leaders agreed to mobilize US$13 billion per year to finance tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment by 2022, and promised another US$2 billion per year for TB research, at the UN High-Level Meeting on TB. Speakers at the one-day meeting, convened by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), drew attention to the problem of drug-resistant TB, and called for improving access to health services and medicines. NEWS Latin America’s Southern Cone Ministers Renew Commitment to ITPGRFA 2 October 2018: The Ministers of Agriculture of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay signed a Ministerial Declaration reaffirming their commitment to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and to conserving agricultural biodiversity in the region. Symposium Urges Strengthened Legal Frameworks to Tackle Wildlife Crime 1 October 2018: The Symposium on Strengthening Legal Frameworks to Combat Wildlife Crime in Central and West Africa brought together criminal justice authorities and national wildlife management authorities to discuss ways to strengthen legal frameworks to tackle illegal trade and improve control of legal trade. Five UN entities shared their expertise on illicit trafficking in wildlife and strengthening wildlife legislation. Triennial ILC Report Finds Network “On Track” in Advancing People-centered Land Governance October 2018: The International Land Coalition (ILC) has released its first triennial report under the 2016-2021 Strategy, which concludes, in line with the findings of the Mid-Term Review of the strategy, that there is “strong evidence” that the Coalition has contributed to changes in land governance. The report also notes continuing challenges amidst the “somber” reality of rising hunger and diminishing space for civil society in more than 109 countries that saw the murders of 207 land and environmental defenders in 2017 alone, of whom 23 were ILC members. Progress Assessment of New York Declaration on Forests Shows “Record High” Deforestation Rates 28 September 2018: The international community is not on track to meet the goals of the New York Declaration on Forests, including halving natural forest loss globally by 2020. This is the conclusion of the 2018 Progress Assessment, which addresses nine out of ten goals of the Declaration, highlighting major gaps and remaining challenges in implementation. Pacific Island Leaders, UN Secretary-General Urge Increased Climate Action 28 September 2018: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Pacific island leaders that climate change is his “absolute priority” during a meeting with leaders from the Pacific Island Forum (PIF). The meeting took place during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly 73rd session (UNGA 73). Report Finds Poor Outlook for Pacific Coral Reefs 27 September 2018: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP, or UN Environment) launched a report titled, ‘Status and Trends of Coral Reefs for the Pacific,’ which highlights the role of the region’s coral reefs in the life and culture of eight million Pacific islanders. The report will contribute to reporting for the SDGs and is a response to the priorities identified in the SAMOA Pathway and Pacific Oceanscape Framework. UNFCCC Announces Momentum for Change Winners 27 September 2018: The UNFCCC announced the 15 recipients of the 2018 UN ‘Momentum for Change’ award. The winning activities contribute to one of Momentum for Change’s four focus areas: planetary health; Climate Neutral Now (CNN); women for results; and financing for climate-friendly investment. The winners will be recognized at the Katowice Climate Change Conference. Landesa, UNEP and Partners Unveil Initiatives to Protect Land, Environmental Rights 26 September 2018: Landesa, a global network on land rights, launched the Resource Platform for Responsible Investments in Property and Land (RIPL), with support from the LEGEND Programme of the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Earlier this month, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP, or UN Environment) participated in the Brazil launch of the UN Environmental Rights Initiative, in response to escalating violence against individuals and organizations working on the frontline of land rights and environmental protection. UNDP Launches SDG Impact Platform for Investors and Businesses 25 September 2018: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) presented the SDG Impact initiative on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly (UNGA). SDG Impact aims to empower investors and businesses to contribute to the SDGs, including by providing country-level data and SDG investment roadmaps. High-level Event Discusses Equity, Democratization in Technological Revolution 25 September 2018: On the margins of the 73rd UN General Assembly's (UNGA) high-level debate, high-level representatives of governments, the private sector, civil society, and academia discussed the impact of the technological revolution on society, including on the workforce, education, and low-income countries' industrialization. They called for regulation of new technologies and for educational systems to adapt to the changing labor market. UNDP Outlines Caribbean SIDS’ Recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria 17 September 2018: A summary report from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) examines progress on recovery in the Caribbean one year after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The report highlights UNDP’s contributions and strategy in the joint efforts, which include the mobilization of US$25 million and the restoration of over 800 buildings. BSR Platform Helps Companies Improve Climate Resilience, Mitigate Risk 13 September 2018: Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has launched the Climate-Resilient Value Chains Leaders Platform. The digital platform will help safeguard business viability in the face of climate change and enable companies to engage with peers to benefit the communities in which they operate. The announcement was made at the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS). Corporate Leaders Group Calls on Governments to Aim for Net Zero Emissions by 2050 12 September 2018: The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group issued a statement calling on the governments of advanced economies to develop “strong, credible and appropriate” strategies that will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest. A side event at the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS), hosted by the Group and The B Team, highlighted the call. Africa-Focused Portal Highlights SDG Successes, Opportunities 6 July 2018: The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the SDG Center for Africa (SDGC/A) released an online Africa SDG Index and Dashboards. The portal tracks 51 African countries' progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and displays the data in either an index or a dashboard format. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73) 18 September - 5 October 2018 | New York City, US 48th Session of the IPCC 1-5 October 2018 | Incheon, Republic of Korea CITES SC70 1-5 October 2018 | Sochi, Krasnodar, Russian Federation IUFRO 2018 Posadas 1-5 October 2018 | Argentina Asia Water Forum 2018 2-4 October 2018 | Manila, Philippines International Expert Workshop on Blue Natural Capital 3-4 October 2018 | Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal 12th Meeting of the CTCN Advisory Board 3-5 October 2018 | Vienna, Wien, Austria 5th Green Industry Conference for Sustainable Development 3-5 October 2018 | Bangkok (Krung Thep), Thailand World Leaders’ Conservation Forum (WLCF) 2018 3-5 October 2018 | Jeju City, Jeju (Cheju-Do), Republic of Korea G20 Health Ministerial Meeting 4 October 2018 | Cordoba, Argentina Business 20 Summit (B20 2018) 4-5 October 2018 | Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina Closing the Financing Gap for Water in Line with SDG Ambitions: The Role of Blended Finance 4-5 October 2018 | Germany Social Pre-COP in Belgium to the Katowice Climate Change Conference 9 October 2018 | Brussels, Belgium 2nd Arctic Biodiversity Congress 9-12 October 2018 | Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland 32nd Meeting of the Adaptation Fund Board 9-12 October 2018 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Third Inter-ministerial Conference on Health and Environment in Africa 9-12 October 2018 | Libreville, Estuaire, Gabon 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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