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, 2 May 2019 POLICY BRIEFS SDG Knowledge Weekly: Update and Perspectives on Belt and Road Initiative Continuing on the infrastructure and investment themes from recent weeks’ briefs, this SDG Knowledge Weekly brief focuses on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the country’s infrastructure investments and their regional impacts. Featuring official statements, academic/expert opinions and other studies, this brief complements an SDG Knowledge Hub write-up of the BRI Forum, the resulting communiqué and other outcomes. Monthly Forecast May 2019: Chemicals, Science and Sustainable Development May 2019 is a busy time for intergovernmental negotiations on environmental protection, as well as for discussions of governance and technology for sustainable development. Talks will cover issues from the very technical and immediate, to the sweeping, forward-looking and ambitious. In addition, several long-anticipated reports will be launched. Here is your guide to the month. FEATURED Second Belt and Road Forum Results in Over 283 Deliverables 27 April 2019: Heads of State and UN leaders agreed on a Joint Communiqué and over 283 deliverables at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF). UN agencies and others announced joint projects and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in support of inclusive, sustainable development during the Forum. Interagency Group Identifies Antimicrobial Resistance Threat as Formidable but not Unsurmountable 29 April 2019: The UN Interagency Coordination Group (IACG) on Antimicrobial Resistance released its final report, finding that antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis that “threatens a century of progress in health and achievement of the SDGs.” ILO Urges Advancement of Decent Work in E-waste Sector 17 April 2019: Governments, workers and employer organizations have called on countries to better manage electrical and electronic waste (e-waste), converting it into a source of decent work, urging action “at all levels.” The call came as part of an agreement reached at the conclusion of the Global Dialogue Forum on Decent Work in the Management of Electrical and Electronic Waste, convened by the International Labour Organization (ILO). NEWS Basel COP 14 Promotes Sound Management of Hazardous Wastes 29 April 2019: The 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is addressing environmentally sound management (ESM) of wastes through the development of technical guidelines on waste from electronics, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), lead acid batteries and mercury, as well as certain hazardous waste treatment methods. Basel COP Considers Partnership on Plastic Wastes 29 April 2019: A proposal to form a Partnership on Plastic Wastes is being considered at the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. Stockholm Convention COP Considers Technical Work on PCBs and DDT, Listing New Chemicals 29 April 2019: The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is addressing, among other things, proposed listing of new chemicals to Annex A, and technical work on DDT use and its alternatives, and eliminating polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Rotterdam COP Considers Listing Seven Chemicals to Annex III, Enhancing Convention Effectiveness 29 April 2019: The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade is considering, among other issues, proposals to list seven additional chemicals in Annex III. Stakeholders Bring Inputs to UNGA Meeting on Universal Health Coverage 29 April 2019: Over 600 representatives from public health organizations, civil society, foundations, academia and the private sectors discussed their perspectives on universal health coverage (UHC) and shared best practices, during the UN General Assembly's (UNGA) Interactive Multi-stakeholder Hearing on UHC. Discussions will feed into the UNGA's High-level Meeting on UHC on 23 September 2019. LAC Forum Discusses Positive and Negative Trends on SDGs 26 April 2019: Representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean reviewed progress and challenges regarding implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs in the region, during the third meeting of the Forum of the Countries of LAC on Sustainable Development. UN Project Seeks to Eliminate Mercury in ASGM Sector in Mongolia and the Philippines 5 April 2019: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have launched a USD 60 million project titled, ‘Contribution Toward the Elimination of Mercury in the Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining Sector: From Miners To Refiners.’ The project will help reduce harmful mercury emissions and protect the health and well-being of the millions of men, women and children working in the industry in Mongolia and the Philippines. IISD Report Highlights Sustainability Considerations in Recycling Cobalt and Lithium April 2019: The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) released a report titled, ‘Sustainability and Second Life: The Case for Cobalt and Lithium Recycling.’ The report calls for adopting recycling in the mining sector and in supply chains to ensure a responsible and sustainable transition to a low-carbon economy and to advance several SDGs. Report Analyzes UN System's Progress on Gender Equality April 2019: The UN Secretary-General reported on progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment across the UN system. Recommendations focus on how the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and other UN entities can support accelerated gender mainstreaming in UN policies and programmes. Parliamentarians Discuss Multilateralism, UN Effectiveness 26 March 2019: During the UN's 2019 Annual Parliamentary Hearing, members of parliaments around the world called on the UN to be more relevant, responsive and transparent, to do a better job of including women and youth and partnering with stakeholders, and to embrace innovation, technology and modern communication tools to engage with the public. Speakers also highlighted the threats of nationalism, populism and isolationism and stressed the need for multilateralism in a world "grappling with increasingly complex cross-border challenges." Experts Prepare for STI Forum and SDG Summit 1 March 2019: Officials and experts met in preparation for the fourth annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the SDGs, also known as the STI Forum. Participants shared insights on STI for the SDGs that will be reviewed in depth at the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). They also discussed lessons learned from the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) since its inception in 2015, in order to inform the "SDG Summit" in September 2019. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » 18th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) 22 April - 3 May 2019 | New York City, US UNECE Resource Management Week 2019 29 April - 3 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Seventh Session of the IPBES Plenary (IPBES-7) 29 April - 4 May 2019 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France Basel Convention COP14, Rotterdam Convention COP9 and Stockholm Convention COP9 29 April - 9 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Pacific Resilience Meeting and EU-GCCA+ Meeting 1-3 May 2019 | Suva, Central, Fiji 52nd ADB Annual Meeting 1-5 May 2019 | Nadi, Western, Fiji Informal Consultations of States Parties to the UN Fish Stocks Agreement 2-3 May 2019 | New York City, US Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development 2019 2-4 May 2019 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany G7 Environment Meeting 5-6 May 2019 | Metz, Lorraine, France First North American Dialogue on Biocultural Diversity 5-8 May 2019 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada Expert Group Meeting on Lessons Learned from First Cycle of HLPF 6-7 May 2019 | New York City, US 14th Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 14) 6-10 May 2019 | New York City, US 11th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting 7 May 2019 | Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland World Conference on Forests for Public Health 8-11 May 2019 | Athens, Attiki, Greece 49th Session of the IPCC 8-12 May 2019 | Kyoto, Japan G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting 11-12 May 2019 | Niigata, Japan 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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