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GUEST ARTICLES
Sustainable Infrastructure: Protecting the Planet of Tomorrow Requires the Right Decisions to be Made Today
In 2015, the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development represented an urgent call for action. Coming together, world leaders agreed upon a roadmap for future action, and the 17 SDGs established a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and planet, and the achievement of a better and more sustainable future for all. Four years on, the foundations for the attainment of these objectives are now being built, and infrastructure lies at the heart of this process.
Mobilizing the World’s Scientists to Support the Sustainable Development Goals
This week saw the publication of an InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) report designed to help the global science community, and in particular the world’s science academies, support the SDGs more effectively and with more urgency.
Deep Sea Marine Science is Key to Unlocking the Potential of Our Oceans
There has never been a time of greater promise or greater challenge for the future of our oceans. This was the topic on everyone’s minds as the international community gathered in Copenhagen this week for the first Global Planning Meeting for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
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
Photo by Luis Del Río Camacho SDG Knowledge Weekly: Forests and their Linkages across the SDGs
This SDG Knowledge Weekly centers on the knowledge products that fed into and were released around the 14th Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF), which took place from 6-10 May 2019, at UN Headquarters in New York, US.
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
Featured Image -179 Governments Begin Informal Consultations on SDG Summit Outcome
15 May 2019: Governments exchanged initial views on the outcome document to be adopted at the SDG Summit in September 2019. The political declaration is being negotiated through a series of consultations taking place in May and June 2019, convened by the co-facilitators for the document.
BMU/Thomas Koehler Petersberg Climate Dialogue Commits to Enhanced Action Ahead of UN Summit, COP 25
14 May 2019: The tenth Petersberg Climate Dialogue resulted in a commitment to joint progress on climate action and implementation, and reaffirmed the need to submit revised and enhanced climate targets and long-term strategies by 2020. Germany and Chile organized the Dialogue under the theme, ‘Fulfilling the Promise of Paris.’
UN Photo/Gill Fickling Over 50 Countries, Organizations Pledge to Create Gender-Responsive Standards
14 May 2019: Countries and international, regional and national standards bodies and organizations signed the Declaration for Gender Responsive Standards and Standards Development at a ceremony hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Signatories to the Declaration pledge to create and implement a gender action plan for their body or organization, and to share data and information on their plan's implementation.
Photo by Lynn Wagner Special Edition of SDG Progress Report Finds Need for 'Trajectory Shift'
May 2019: The UN Secretary-General has released the advance, unedited version of his annual report on progress towards the SDGs. The report identifies cross-cutting areas where political leadership and urgent, scalable multi-stakeholder action are critical to shift the world onto a trajectory compatible with achieving the SDGs by 2030.
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
Photo by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu OECD Programme Leading Development of Localized SDG Indicator Framework
15 May 2019: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) held a technical meeting on the localized indicator framework for the SDGs. The meeting convened as part of OECD’s Programme on a Territorial Approach to the SDGs, in which nine cities and regions in Latin America, Europe and Asia are participating as pilots.
Featured Image - 242 STI Forum Side Event Explores Technology, Partnerships for SDGs
13 May 2019: On the margins of UN’s annual forum on science, technology, and innovation (STI Forum), representatives of governments, the UN system, the private sector and academia zoomed in on building SDG networks in STI. Participants explored concrete examples of such networks and reflected on challenges and opportunities with regard to innovation for SDGs.
Photo by IISD/ENB UN Heads Call for Ambitious Action Ahead of UN Climate Summit
13 May 2019: The Heads of 37 UN agencies and entities have issued a joint appeal, calling on Member States to take “urgent action to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.” The appeal comes ahead of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on 23 September 2019.
Photo credit: TAP Network DESA Compiles 295 "Good Practices" in SDG Implementation
10 May 2019: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has shared 295 good practices, success stories and lessons learned to inspire momentum for the next cycle of SDG implementation. The SDG "good practices" gathered over the past several months are now collated into an “evidence-based stocktaking” in preparation for the 2019 sessions of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
UN Photo/Mark Garten UNGA Decides to Convene High-level Ocean Conference in 2020
9 May 2019: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) decided to convene a high-level conference on the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources, within the context of the SDGs. The 2020 Conference follows the high-level UN Conference to Support the Implementation of SDG 14 (UN Ocean Conference), which took place in June 2017.
UN Photo/Mark Garten Nature Champions Summit Calls for Putting Nature at the Center of Sustainable Development Agenda
30 April 2019: The Nature Champions Summit kicked off a series of multilateral meetings focused on building momentum towards 2020, when leaders representing 190 countries will come together with non-government actors for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to adopt a new framework for global biodiversity governance.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías ECOSOC Special Meeting Highlights Tax Challenges in Digitalization, Climate
29 April 2019: Governments, UN high-level officials and representatives of the private sector and academia highlighted that corporate tax reform must focus on developing countries’ needs and on combating inequality, while taxation should be used to finance the SDGs. Participants in the UN Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) annual one‑day meeting on international cooperation in tax matters also addressed environmental and carbon taxation, and the digitalization of economy.
Featured Image -275 IPCC Releases Update to Its 2006 Guidelines for National GHG Inventories
12 May 2019: The 49th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-49) has released an update to its methodology that governments use to estimate their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. The Panel adopted the Overview Chapter of the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories, and accepted the underlying report.
Photo by Hermes Rivera Chemicals and Waste Conventions Agree to Eliminate Two Chemical Groups and Address Plastic Waste, Adopt New Compliance Mechanism
10 May 2019: The 2019 joint Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions achieved several notable outcomes, including: the establishment of a compliance mechanism under the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade; the listing for elimination of dicofol and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts, and PFOA-related compounds under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); and the adoption of an amendment to address certain plastic wastes under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
UN Photo/Eva Fendiaspara UN Forum Discusses Forests Plan Implementation, Links Between Global Forest Goals and SDGs
10 May 2019: The 14th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF14) held technical discussions on implementation of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 (UNSPF), taking into account the review cycle of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), and the theme of the 2019 International Day of Forests, ‘Forests and Education.’
Photo by Peter Berko Report Finds Continued Rise in Internal Displacement, Influx to Cities
10 May 2019: The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) released its yearly report on internal displacement. The 2019 edition of the Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) focuses on urban internal displacement, observing that conflict and insecurity, climate shocks and rural economic changes often drive displacement towards cities.
Featured Image -301 Finland Assesses Progress on 2030 Agenda, SDG Implementation
May 2019: As part of its follow-up process on the 2030 Agenda, Finland has carried out various initiatives to assess progress on sustainable development in the country. The initiatives include: an assessment of the state of sustainable development in Finland in 2019, based largely on information generated through the country’s national indicators for sustainable development; an evaluation of Finland’s sustainable development policy through the Polku 2030 (‘Path 2030’) project; and the establishment of a "citizens’ panel" on sustainable development.
Featured Image - 300 Geneva-based Partners Launch Consultation on Sustainable Finance 'Ecosystem'
29 April 2019: A multistakeholder partnership has launched a public consultation on a "mapping" of organizations working on sustainable finance in and around Geneva, Switzerland, known collectively as the 'Geneva Sustainable Finance Ecosystem.' The mapping initiative seeks to better understand these organizations and provides a roadmap for identifying and reaching out to potential collaborators.
cg-158 SDSN, Bertelsmann Stiftung Invites Comments on 2019 SDG Index, Dashboard
29 April 2019: The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Bertelsmann Stiftung are holding a public consultation on the 2019 edition of the Sustainable Development Report. The report includes the SDG Index and Dashboards, which provide a “report card” of each country’s performance on SDG implementation.
Featured Image -119 TERI Report Highlights Efforts to Harness Co-benefits of Climate Action and SDGs in Africa
April 2019: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India, published a report titled, ‘SDG Footprint of African NDCs: Advancing the Co-benefits Approach,’ which explores how a number of African countries are designing systems to simultaneously achieve their climate targets and the SDGs.
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 »
Global Platform for DRR 2019
13-17 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Good Growth Conference
13-17 May 2019 | Lima, Peru
2019 World Hydropower Congress
14-16 May 2019 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Regional Consultation on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework for Latin America and the Carib...
14-17 May 2019 | Montevideo, Uruguay
10th Working Session of the ITPS
15-17 May 2019 | Rome, Lazio, Italy
23rd International Transport and Air Pollution Conference
15-17 May 2019 | Thessaloniki, Greece
Global Symposium on Soil Erosion
15-17 May 2019 | Rome, Lazio, Italy
Special G-STIC Event: Towards a One-stop Shop for Innovative, Market-ready Technological Solutions f...
16 May 2019 | New York City, US
Finance for Nature Global Summit
20-21 May 2019 | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
First Expert Working Group Meeting on Sustainable Infrastructure
20-21 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
OECD Forum 2019
20-21 May 2019 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France
4th World Congress on Agroforestry
20-25 May 2019 | Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Towards a Global Pact for the Environment: Third Substantive Session
20-25 May 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya
Seventy-second World Health Assembly
20-28 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment
21-23 May 2019 | New York City, US
Partners for Review 6th Meeting
21-23 May 2019 | Oaxaca, Mexico