Click here to visit the IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub knowledgebase.  SDG UPDATE A compilation of items recently posted to the SDG Knowledge Hub Tuesday, 25 June 2019 GUEST ARTICLES WTO Fisheries Negotiations: Failure Is Not An Option Roberto Azevêdo, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), recently went on record about the importance of completing by year-end the WTO negotiations for the elimination of fisheries subsidies that contribute to illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, overfishing and the overcapacity of fishing fleets and infrastructures. I could not agree with him more. Asia and the Pacific: Ready for Takeoff Towards the Sustainable Development Goals? Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a shift has occurred in Asia and the Pacific. The Sustainable Development Goals have left a visible imprint in our schools, our businesses and our governments. Towards a Healthier Future: The Contributions of the EU to the Activities of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions With the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions[i] having convened under the theme, ‘Clean Planet, Healthy People: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste,’ in 2019, this article reflects on the important achievements of a partnership between the European Union (EU) and the BRS Secretariat, focusing on the implementation of the BRS Conventions. POLICY BRIEFS SDG Knowledge Weekly: The Africa-EU Relationship This SDG Knowledge Weekly focuses on reports, news and recent events linking African countries’ development with the EU. FEATURED Member States Consider Final Draft of SDG Summit Declaration 21 June 2019: The political declaration to be adopted at the SDG Summit has been circulated in final draft form. Titled 'Gearing up for a decade of action and delivery for sustainable development,' the outcome document will be considered agreed by UN Member States if no objections are raised by 26 June 2019. World Public Sector Report 2019 Focuses on SDG 16, Public Institutions 24 June 2019: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has released the 2019 edition of the World Public Sector Report, which focuses on the public institutions component of SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions). SDG 16 is one of the six Goals that will be reviewed in-depth during the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). NEWS Friends of Governance Consider GSDR Findings, SDG Indicator Review 21 June 2019: During a meeting of the Friends of Governance for Sustainable Development, participants discussed elements to advance implementation of the 2030 Agenda and accelerate progress in the next few years. Topics included key findings of the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), preparations for the 2020 review of the global SDG indicator framework, and ways in which the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) could better identify and address emerging issues. WHO and UNICEF Estimate Progress in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 20 June 2019: In preparation for the UN General Assembly’s first high-level review of progress on the 2030 Agenda, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are reporting on achievements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for the 2000-2017 period, focusing on inequalities within and between countries. SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) contains targets on drinking water (SDG target 6.1) and sanitation services (SDG target 6.2). Nigerian Project Tackles E-Waste, Promotes Circular Economy 19 June 2019: The UN Environment Programme, the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Nigeria announced an initiative to create a circular system for electronics in Nigeria. The initiative aims to address the negative impacts of current practices in electronics waste management on the country’s environment and the health of its citizens. NGO Network Analyzes UK’s Contribution to International Achievement of SDGs 17 June 2019: A network of UK-based international development NGOs and networks has analyzed the impact of the UK's official development assistance (ODA), other UK international policies and the international footprint of its domestic policies on the global achievement of the SDGs. The report by Bond appears ahead of the UK’s presentation of its Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). European Auditors Find EU Lagging on Measuring SDG Contributions 12 June 2019: The European Court of Auditors issued a review of the EU's reporting on SDG achievement and sustainable development, both at the EU level and reporting by individual EU agencies and institutions. The auditors conclude that the EU has not yet created the building blocks for meaningful reporting on sustainability. Women Deliver Urges Action on Gender Equality to Achieve All SDGs 3 June 2019: The 2019 Women Deliver Conference called for accelerated action to empower women and girls, end violence against women and realize gender equality. The 2019 Conference focused on the theme, ‘Power, Progress, Change.’ UN Secretary-General Reports on Empowerment, Inclusiveness, Equality 1 May 2019: The UN Secretary-General has issued a report on the 2019 theme of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), ‘Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.’ The report seeks to inform ECOSOC's annual High-level Segment, which will take place from 16-19 July 2019 and serve as the culmination of the 2018-2019 cycle of ECOSOC meetings. CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS SEE MORE » 50th Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies 17-27 June 2019 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment 2019 24-26 June 2019 | Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland 6th International Conference Energy and Meteorology 24-27 June 2019 | Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark European Urban Resilience Forum 25 June 2019 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Technical Expert Meeting on Adaptation 2019 25-26 June 2019 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Resilient Cities 2019 26-28 June 2019 | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany 30th Session of UNESCO IOC Assembly 26 June - 4 July 2019 | Paris, Ile-De-France, France EU Chemicals Policy 2030 27-29 June 2019 | Brussels, Belgium Third Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) 28 June 2019 | Brussels, Belgium G20 Summit Meeting 28-29 June 2019 | Osaka, Japan Stocktaking Meeting in Preparation for Climate Action Summit 30 June - 1 July 2019 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 50th Session of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf 1 July 2019 | New York City, US 41st Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol 1-5 July 2019 | Bangkok (Krung Thep), Thailand International Conference on Youth, Ocean and SDG 14 1-5 July 2019 | Malacca, Melaka, Malaysia Ninth Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity 2-5 July 2019 | Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway 23rd Meeting of the GCF Board 6-8 July 2019 | Incheon, 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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