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GUEST ARTICLES
What Migratory Birds Tell Us About Sustainability
A sign of the passing seasons which many of us have come to expect is, increasingly, under threat. Each year, flocks of migratory birds arrive and leave in dazzling displays, landing in trees and on lakes, ponds and beaches, foraging for food in fields and marshes. They provide both sustenance and delight for billions of people around the world. But many migratory birds, like people, are struggling amid unsustainable conditions.

POLICY BRIEFS
UN Photo/Eva Fendiaspara SDG Knowledge Weekly: Biodiversity Update
The seventh session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES 7) convened last week in Paris, France, bringing significant global attention to biodiversity and ecosystem services. This SDG Knowledge Weekly brief compiles and collates reports and briefs released around the session and some of the early responses to the IPBES Global Assessment that has generated so much concern.

FEATURED
Photo by IISD | Lynn Wagner Experts Review HLPF's First Cycle, Discuss Possible Improvements
7 May 2019: Experts gathered to consider lessons learned from the first four-year cycle of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which concludes in July 2019. In the context of an intergovernmental review of the HLPF scheduled to take place during the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), participants exchanged views based on their experiences with the HLPF to date and made suggestions for improving the voluntary national reviews (VNRs), the SDG thematic reviews and multi-stakeholder participation, among other topics.
UN Photo/Logan Abassi Adaptation Finance Update: Most Vulnerable Nations Are Among Least Likely Recipients
5 May 2019: The Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in April highlighted the socioeconomic impacts and costs of climate change in the region, including the debt burden arising from disaster recovery. Several publications emphasized that Pacific island nations are seen as facing particularly high risks, and highlighted adaptation and policy challenges.
Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth Indigenous Peoples Have a Crucial Role in Implementing SDG 16, Concludes Permanent Forum
3 May 2019: The 18th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) convened on the overall theme of ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Traditional Knowledge: Generation, Transmission and Protection.’ The meeting drew attention to the role of indigenous peoples in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and highlighted the link between protecting indigenous languages and safeguarding traditional knowledge as a crucial element in addressing climate change and other challenges facing the global community today.

NEWS
UN Photo/Kim Haughton Deputy Secretary-General Updates Member States on Status of Development Reforms
3 May 2019: The UN Secretariat is making the planned transition to the new Resident Coordinator (RC) system, but a funding gap for the system exists beyond 2019, UN Member States were informed. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed briefed governments on the status of reforms to the UN development system, noting that the 1% coordination levy will help to fill the anticipated funding gap for the reinvigorated RC system.
Photo by Markus Spiske SDSN TReNDS Reflects on Lessons Learned on Data Collaboration
April 2019: The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Thematic Research Network on Data and Statistics (TReNDS) shared initial insights from the work of Contracts for Data Collaboration (C4DC). The brief from TReNDS highlights benefits of data collaboration and presents an analytical framework to organize data-sharing agreements (DSAs).
UN Photo/Mark Garten Arctic States Reaffirm Commitment to Sustainable Development of Arctic Ecosystems and People
7 May 2019: Ministers of eight Arctic States reaffirmed their commitment to the sustainable development and protection of the Arctic environment and to the well-being of Arctic inhabitants, in a Joint Ministerial Statement signed at the 11th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting. The Council’s Working Groups released reports on climate change, freshwater biodiversity, marine litter, connectivity in the Arctic and many other topics.
Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth UN Secretary-General, AUC Chairperson Urge Greater Momentum on SDGs, Climate Action
6 May 2019: UN Secretary-General António Guterres and African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed their commitment to deepen the strategic partnership between the UN and the AU in achieving sustainable development and addressing peace and security issues in Africa. Guterres and Faki released a joint communique following the Third AU-UN Annual Conference.
Featured Image -188 FAO’s AQUASTAT Update Supports Monitoring of SDG 6
6 May 2019: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) launched an updated version of its online database on water resources and agricultural water management around the world. AQUASTAT provides the statistics that enable the monitoring of progress toward sustainable management of water resources. The information available on AQUASTAT relates especially to indicators for SDG target 6.4 on water stress and water use efficiency.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Pacific Forum Shares Experiences in Building Resilience
3 May 2019: Over 300 participants shared their experiences in collaborating to promote resilient development at the inaugural Pacific Resilience Meeting. The meeting focused on the theme, ‘Youth Futures in a Resilient Pacific,’ in recognition of the energy and contribution of youth in strengthening and enhancing resilience building in the Pacific.
UN Photo/Marco Dormino NAP Global Network Makes Recommendations on Tracking Adaptation Actions in Kenya
2 May 2019: The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network has published a sNAPshot country brief titled, ‘Kenya’s Monitoring and Evaluation of Adaptation: Simplified, Integrated, Multilevel.’ The brief discusses Kenya’s experience with the design of its monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for tracking adaptation, and makes recommendations on the way forward.
Photo credit Lynn Wagner UNEP Report Calls for Bringing SDGs “Upstream” in Infrastructure Planning
May 2019: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report that calls for more integrated approaches to sustainable infrastructure to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The publication aims to motivate development planners to invest in governments’ technical and institutional capacity to apply integrated approaches.

CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE »
Basel Convention COP14, Rotterdam Convention COP9 and Stockholm Convention COP9
29 April - 9 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
14th Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 14)
6-10 May 2019 | New York City, US
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
SiDRR Conference 2019
11-12 May 2019 | Beijing, China
GLF Kyoto 2019
13 May 2019 | Kyoto, Japan
Global Solutions Summit 2019
13 May 2019 | New York City, US
Interactive Dialogue with Candidate for Presidency of 74th UN General Assembly
13 May 2019 | New York City, US
Petersberg Climate Dialogue X
13-14 May 2019 | Berlin, Germany
Science and Policy Forum for Implementation of Sendai Framework for DRR
13-14 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Second Multi-Hazard Early Warning Conference
13-14 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
UNESCO International Water Conference
13-14 May 2019 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France
World Reconstruction Conference 4
13-14 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
1st Global Planning Meeting for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
13-15 May 2019 | Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
Global Platform for DRR 2019
13-17 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland