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, 28 February 2019 POLICY BRIEFS SDG Knowledge Weekly: Transitioning to a Circular Economy, Sustainable Consumption and Production The 2019 World Resources Forum took place from 24-27 February, in Antwerp, Belgium, on the theme 'Closing Loops: Transitions at Work.’ This brief focuses on topics discussed at the Forum, including the transition to a circular economy through the lenses of cities and regions, food and bio-based materials, ‘industry 4.0,’ soils and land use, finance, climate policy, and waste and materials management, among other topics. FEATURED High-level Debate on Migration Invites Focus on Youth, Data and Partnerships 27 February 2019: Representatives from governments, civil society, and international organizations shared experiences and best practices related to implementing the SDGs and migration-related agreements at the national and local levels during a high-level debate on migration and development. Among the issues discussed were the need to focus on youth in addressing migration, the importance of data that are disaggregated by migratory status, and the necessity for genuine partnerships between source, transit and destination countries and between stakeholders. Regional Climate Weeks to Build Momentum Towards UN Climate Summit February 2019: For the second year in a row, the Nairobi Framework Partnership (NFP) will convene three Regional Climate Weeks over the course of 2019: Africa Climate Week; Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week; and Asia-Pacific Climate Week. The events will “serve as critical stepping stones” to UN Secretary-General’s 2019 Climate Summit in September. NEWS Spain Establishes Sustainable Development Council 26 February 2019: Spain has established a Sustainable Development Council to support SDG implementation. Approving such a Council was one of Spain’s national commitments to the SDGs. Expert Brief Reflects on Varying Approaches to Social Protection 26 February 2019: Global Policy Watch (GPW) released a briefing note on current approaches to social protection, observing that the issue has become prominent on international agendas. The authors suggest that the proliferation of interest in social protection among multiple players and institutions, each with different priorities, is resulting in “mixed messages and conflicting priorities,” often in relation to resource mobilization and allocation. UN Launches Special Purpose Trust Fund Portal to Support RC System 25 February 2019: The UN Sustainable Development Group has launched an open data portal to support UN Resident Coordinators in coordinating assets at the country level. The portal aims to enhance effective coordination of the UN’s work in over 160 countries in support of the SDGs and is part of wider UN reform efforts on development, management, peace and security. WWF Guide Shares Practical Options for Businesses to Achieve “No Plastic in Nature” 25 February 2019: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has released a practical guide that aims to inspire businesses to contribute to a comprehensive approach to ending plastic in nature. The report shares three strategies that can help economy and society shift to a world with a better performing plastics cycle. Steering Committee Considers 2018-2019 Partnership Work for SIDS 21 February 2019: During the first 2019 meeting of the Steering Committee of the small island developing States (SIDS) Partnership Framework, participants discussed upcoming work for 2019 and 2018 activities. They also considered the status of SIDS partnerships, initiatives to strengthen the monitoring and review of partnerships, and ways to catalyze new partnerships. Co-facilitators, ECOSOC and UNGA Presidents Discuss FfD Events, HLPF Political Declaration 19 February 2019: With the view to strengthen collaboration and coordination between the principal organs of the UN, the Presidents of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) met with the co-facilitators of the political declaration of the summit-level High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development (FfD), and the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development (FfD Forum). Participants discussed areas of collaboration and upcoming work. Fiji Submits Low Emission Development Strategy to UNFCCC 25 February 2019: The Government of Fiji has become the 11th country to submit its long-term strategy (LTS) for low emission development 2018-2050 to the UNFCCC Secretariat. Fiji’s Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) puts forward long-term emission reductions, and defines long-term sustainable and resilient economy-wide mitigations pathways until 2050. It is the result of national, sectoral and bilateral consultations among a range of stakeholders. Education Cannot Wait Fund Launches Appeal for Children in Conflict Zones 19 February 2019: The ‘Education Cannot Wait’ (ECW) fund launched a call for funds to provide education to more than 30 million children affected by ongoing conflicts around the world. Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education, is leading the appeal, citing urgent needs of out-of-school children in Venezuela, the Central African Republic (CAR), Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, and among the Rohingya in Myanmar. Report Recommends Lifecycle Approach to Addressing Impacts of Plastic on Human Health February 2019: The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) has released a report titled, ‘Plastic and Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet,’ exploring human health impacts of plastic. The report concludes that each stage of the plastic lifecycle poses significant risks to human health on a global scale. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » 25th Session of the ISA Council (Part I) 25 February - 1 March 2019 | Kingston, Saint Andrew, Jamaica 22nd Meeting of the GCF Board 26-28 February 2019 | Incheon, Republic of Korea 35th Meeting of the LDC Expert Group 26 February - 2 March 2019 | Kiribati Regional Consultation on the Environment and Natural Resources for the 2019 AFSD and HLPF 27-28 February 2019 | Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt 12th Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators 27 February - 1 March 2019 | Bogota, Distrito Especial, Colombia Transport and Sustainable Urban Environments 28 February 2019 | virtual World Wildlife Day 2019 3 March 2019 | worldwide The Future of Sustainability Planning in Canada: The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and th... 4 March 2019 | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Arab States Modern Land Administration for Sustainable Development Forum 4-6 March 2019 | Amman, Jordan OECPR 4 4-8 March 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya World Ocean Summit 2019 5-7 March 2019 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 50th Session of UN Statistical Commission 5-8 March 2019 | New York City, US UNSC 50 Side Event: How the Inclusive Data Charter is Being Used to Improve the Availability and Use... 6 March 2019 | New York City, US UNSC 50 Side Event: Where We Live and Work 6 March 2019 | New York City, US 18th Global Major Groups and Stakeholder Forum (GMGSF-18) 7-8 March 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya Religions and the Sustainable Development Goals 7-9 March 2019 | Italy 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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