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 April 2019 GUEST ARTICLES Deforestation and Conversion-free Supply Chains: What is Needed Now Our daily lives pose serious threats to tropical forests and ecosystems. When we eat meat or chocolate or when we use toothpaste or apply makeup, we are using products such as soy and palm oil. These commodities require large areas of land – areas for which tropical forest is often cut or valuable grassland is cleared. Maintaining Momentum, Maximizing Benefits on Climate and SDGs The achievements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Paris Agreement on climate change must not lose momentum at this crucial stage of implementation. Now is the time to up the game on climate action and the delivery of all SDGs. But how can policy-makers turn these ambitious agendas into coherent policies? And what tools are available to practitioners so that policy becomes transformative change – in the form of investments, infrastructure and development capacities? POLICY BRIEFS Monthly Forecast April 2019: Synergies Between Global Agendas, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Building on last month’s busy agenda, which included the fourth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-4), the third One Planet Summit and the second substantive session of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group working towards a Global Pact for the Environment, April brings renewed focus to: climate change and linkages between the Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; biodiversity, including conservation and sustainable use of areas beyond national jurisdiction; sound management of chemicals and waste, and regional sustainable development and finance for sustainable development, among other issues. FEATURED SDG Knowledge Weekly: Water and Linkages to Data, Businesses and Countries Reflecting on the theme of this year’s World Water Day, “leaving no one behind,” this SDG Knowledge Weekly reviews recent reports and articles related to securing clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) for all, including the Goal’s linkages to other international frameworks, the business world, and the data revolution. UN Report: Repurpose Global Architecture to Finance Sustainable Development 4 April 2019: The UN’s Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development (IATF) has launched the 2019 Financing for Sustainable Development Report. The report introduces “integrated national financing frameworks” to help countries align their financing policies with their strategies and priorities. The authors also call for “repurposing” the global institutional architecture to create a more sustainable global economy. Negotiations on 2019 FfD Forum Outcome Underway 25 March 2019: The co-facilitators for negotiations on the outcome document of the 2019 Forum on Financing for Development (FfD) Follow-up convened a session for initial comments on the zero draft. The next stage is paragraph-by-paragraph negotiations on the draft text, which were expected to begin on 27 March 2019. NEWS SAICM Report Highlights Progress on Emerging Policy Issues in Chemicals Management 4 April 2019: The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) has released a report outlining emerging policy issues in chemicals management. The report was issued ahead of the third meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG3) of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) taking place from 2-4 April 2019, in Montevideo, Uruguay. Climate Project Supports Adaptation and Resilience in Pacific Islands 2 April 2019: Fifteen Pacific island countries are part of the newly launched Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building (PACRES) project under the Intra-African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) Programme funded by the 11th European Development Fund’s (EDF). The EUR 12 million project aims to strengthen adaptation and mitigation measures at the national and regional level and support partner countries in climate negotiations and in implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change. UNEP Guide Presents Governance Framework for MPAs 2 April 2019: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a guidance document that highlights the role of marine protected areas (MPAs) in maintaining or restoring the health of ocean and coastal ecosystems, in line with SDG 14 (life below water). The guide provides evidence-based advice on how governance of MPAs can promote conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, drawing on case studies from around the world. UN, Partners Launch 17-Month SDG Book Club in Six Languages 2 April 2019: The International Publishers Association (IPA) and other organizations partnered with the UN to launch an SDG Book Club aimed at children from six to 12 years old. The book club encourages children to explore the SDGs through a curated reading list of books from around the world. The book selection for each Goal will be published during the first week of every month for 17 months, starting with Goal 1 (no poverty) in April 2019, which is available now, and culminating with Goal 17 (partnerships for the Goals) in September 2020. First Candidate for UNGA 74 Presidency Announced 26 March 2019: UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has announced that the Permanent Representative of Nigeria, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, is the first candidate for president of the UNGA’s 74th session. An informal interactive dialogue with Muhammad-Bande is scheduled for 13 May 2019. Paper Calls for “Unprecedented” Transformation of Infrastructure Systems to Achieve Climate, Development Objectives 1 April 2019: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Government of Germany have published a paper highlighting the need to transform existing infrastructure systems to realize global climate and development objectives. Audit Finds Poland Has Identified SDG Accelerators, Needs Work on Indicators April 2019: The Supreme Audit Office of Poland has audited the country's preparedness to implement the SDGs. The report concludes that effective actions at the national level have been initiated to ensure the integration of SDGs into national development policies, while noting the need for further work on SDG partnership, awareness raising and indicators. UNICEF, WHO Produce WASH Facility Improvement Tool in Four UN Languages 7 March 2019: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reissued their 2017 guide for improving the quality of hospitals and clinics through better water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities. The guide is available in four UN languages, and is intended to support countries’ efforts to improve infrastructure and services for WASH and waste management in healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. NAP Global Network Discusses Alignment of Implementation Efforts under SDG, Climate, DRR Agendas 6 March 2019: The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network has published the second in a series of briefs on aligning national policies and implementation efforts under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Such alignment, the brief notes, can increase the coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of the policy processes, while advancing climate-resilient development. Special Rapporteur Urges Human Rights Approach to Water and Sanitation in Lesotho 28 February 2019: The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Léo Heller, highlighted justice issues related to water and sanitation access in Lesotho, following his two-week visit. He urged the Government of Lesotho to give attention to principles of equality, non-discrimination, access to information and prioritizing those who are most vulnerable. Heller made his statement after visiting town and country areas, homes and various public facilities such as schools, clinics and prisons on his trip. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » Second Session of the Intergovernmental Conference on BBNJ 25 March - 5 April 2019 | New York City, US OceanVisions2019: Climate Summit 1-4 April 2019 | Atlanta, GA, US 52nd Session of the Commission on Population and Development 1-5 April 2019 | New York City, US Sixth Mediterranean Forest Week 1-5 April 2019 | Mount Lebanon {greater region}, Lebanon Third Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group for SAICM 2-4 April 2019 | Montevideo, Uruguay Regional Consultation on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework for Africa 2-5 April 2019 | Addis Ababa, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia Central Asia Climate Change Conference 2019 3-4 April 2019 | Tashkent, Toshkent, Uzbekistan Expert Group Meeting on SDG 8 4-5 April 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Sanitation and Water for All Sector Ministers’ Meeting 4-5 April 2019 | San Jose, Costa Rica WMU Third International Women’s Conference 4-5 April 2019 | Malmo, Skane Lan, Sweden ECOSOC Youth Forum 2019 8-9 April 2019 | New York City, US Forest Europe Workshop: Forests for Human Health – Challenges and Opportunities 8-9 April 2019 | Vienna, Wien, Austria Berlin Energy Week 8-12 April 2019 | Berlin, Germany Korea Global Adaptation Week 8-12 April 2019 | Republic of Korea NAP Expo 2019 8-12 April 2019 | Republic of Korea Resilience Frontiers 8-12 April 2019 | Republic of Korea 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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