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, 30 May 2019 POLICY BRIEFS On the Road to the 2020 UN Biodiversity Conference: Imagining the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework The 2019-2020 biennium is crucial for global biodiversity governance. Despite many positive actions by Parties and stakeholders, most of the Aichi targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 are not on track to be achieved by 2020. In the absence of further significant progress, this failure will also jeopardize achievement of the SDGs and ultimately the planet’s life-support systems. The international community, under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is set to review successes and failures in the context of the implementation of the Strategic Plan and negotiate a global biodiversity framework for the post-2020 era. FEATURED Governments Near Agreement on 75th Anniversary: 'The Future We Want, The UN We Need' 30 May 2019: UN Member States are nearing the finalization of plans for commemorating the UN's 75th anniversary in 2020. A draft resolution on organizational details has been circulated under silence procedure. After a one-day extension, the text will be considered agreed if no objections are raised by 12 pm EST on 31 May 2019. Institutional Finance Update: Investors’ Decisions Impact Climate Change, and Climate Risks Impact Their Portfolios 20 May 2019: Meeting the SDGs requires leveraging private sector finance and increasing investments in activities that can deliver benefits for livelihoods, climate, ecosystems and biodiversity. What is needed, stresses UN Assistant Secretary-General Satya Tripathi, is private sector leadership in a systemic change towards accounting for environmental externalities and greening business operations. Climate risk assessments enable informed investment decisions in that direction. They reveal that climate risk levels vary between sectors, both in terms of portfolio contributions to climate risks and exposure to risks, including policy risks. NEWS Asia-Pacific Not on Track to Achieve Any SDGs by 2030 28 May 2019: The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) released its 2019 progress report on the SDGs during the 75th Commission session. The report finds that Asia and the Pacific will not achieve any of the 17 SDGs by 2030 if the region remains on its current trajectory. Mid-term Review for Energy Decade Points to Uneven Progress 24 May 2019: The High-Level Dialogue on the Implementation of the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All assessed progress five years in, with speakers highlighting the need to prioritize clean cooking, address vulnerable populations, and redouble efforts. SBSTA Chair Issues Reflections Note in Advance of Bonn Climate Change Conference 24 May 2019: The Chair of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) has released a reflections note in advance of SBSTA’s 50th session, providing information on the status of work on SBSTA agenda items and proposed organization of work. Good Growth Conference Urges Transformative Action in Agricultural Commodities 24 May 2019: Participants at the Good Growth Conference agreed to promote sustainable production of agricultural commodities, with the aim of reducing tropical deforestation and enhancing sustainable growth. UNDP Calls for Youth-Inclusive Approach to Prevent Violent Extremism 23 May 2019: A UN Development Programme (UNDP) report calls for increased investment in ensuring the participation of young people in decision-making and governance. The report emphasizes the central role of youth in preventing and responding to violent extremism. The authors drew on case studies from Kosovo, Pakistan and Yemen, among several other sources. Preparations Underway for Beijing 25-Year Review and High-level Celebration 22 May 2019: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has agreed to convene a high-level meeting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, which took place in Beijing, China in September 1995. The Permanent Representative of New Zealand, Craig John Hawke, and the Permanent Representative of Qatar, Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, will conduct consultations on arrangements for the meeting. GLF Panel Highlights Role of Sustainable Wood Supply Chains in Achieving SDGs 22 May 2019: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) co-organized a panel discussion that highlighted the potential of wood production to contribute to meeting the SDGs. The discussion convened at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) in Kyoto, Japan. World Bank Launches 10-Year SDG Bond 16 May 2019: The World Bank has issued a ten-year Global Sustainable Development Bond to raise awareness of SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions). The Bank’s first ten-year EUR global bond in ten years, the financial instrument was launched during a workshop in Ireland on catalyzing global savings for the SDGs. FAO Analyzes Costs and Benefits of DRR in Agriculture 13 May 2019: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has published a study titled, ‘Disaster Risk Reduction at Farm Level: Multiple Benefits, No Regrets,’ tracking the performance of 36 farming practices with potential benefits for mitigating the impacts of disasters. The study finds that disaster risk reduction (DRR) practices provide benefits that are 2.2 times higher than practices previously used by farmers. CANARI Launches SDG Platform for Caribbean Civil Society 7 May 2019: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) launched a knowledge platform to enhance civil society contributions to the SDGs. The ‘Caribbean Civil Society SDGs Knowledge Platform’ addresses implementation, monitoring and review of the 17 Goals. The platform highlights funding opportunities for civil society organizations to attend meetings, among other tools and resources. In VNR Main Messages, WEOG Countries Outline Achievements, Gaps May 2019: In preparation for the exchange of voluntary national reviews (VNR) at the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), six countries from the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG) have released the "main messages" of their reports. The six WEOG countries expected to present VNRs in 2019 are: Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Turkey and the UK. From other regions, 41 additional countries are expected to report as well. Eastern European Countries Release VNR Main Messages May 2019: The 47 countries scheduled to present voluntary national reviews (VNR) during the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) have released the main messages of their reviews, including four countries from the Eastern European Group: Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » Global Soil Week 2019 27-30 May 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya 1st UN-Habitat Assembly 27-31 May 2019 | Nairobi, Kenya AI for Good Global Summit 28-31 May 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland European Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ECCA 2019) 28-31 May 2019 | Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal Forest Congress for the Caucasus and Central Asia 28-31 May 2019 | Ysyk-Kol {greater region}, Kyrgyzstan Sub-regional Exchange for the Pacific on the Restoration of Forests and Other Ecosystems 28-31 May 2019 | Nadi, Western, Fiji Communities of Ocean Action "From Commitments to Action: Implementing SDG14" 30-31 May 2019 | Incheon, Republic of Korea Festival to End Plastic Pollution 1 June 2019 | Antigua and Barbuda CCICED Annual General Meeting 2019 2-5 June 2019 | Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China World Circular Economy Forum 2019 (WCEF2019) 3-5 June 2019 | Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland Women Deliver 2019 Conference 3-6 June 2019 | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada CIF Trust Fund Committee and Sub-Committee Meetings 3-7 June 2019 | Washington D.C., US 18th Session of the WMO Congress 3-14 June 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland Election for President of 74th UN General Assembly 4 June 2019 | New York City, US Innovate4Climate 4-7 June 2019 | Singapore, Singapore World Environment Day 2019 5 June 2019 | China (worldwide) 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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