13 May 2013: The 2013 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Integration Meeting convened on the topic of ‘Achieving sustainable development: Integrating the social, economic and environmental dimensions,’ on 13 May 2013, at UN Headquarters in New York, US. It sought to examine how science, technology and innovation (STI) can contribute to strengthening the science-policy interface and integrating the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development so as to implement triple-win solutions, with a specific focus on the themes of sustainable energy and agriculture.

In a session on ‘policy convergence for sustainable development,’ discussion addressed the potential role of ECOSOC in integrating work across institutions and sectors to catalyze change. A session on ‘scaling up for sustainable development’ included discussion of financing for the new development goals.

Reflecting on the day’s discussions, Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo said: sustainable development depends on the integration of the three dimensions; policy makers need STI to achieve development goals; high-level political engagement is a key to ensuring integration; there is an overwhelming business case for sustainable development; we must invest in sustainable agriculture; peacebuilding must be mainstreamed in UN sustainable development efforts; and ECOSOC can serve as a platform for dialogue among all stakeholders.

The outcome of the event will be a summary by the ECOSOC President, which will be presented at the annual 2013 session of the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review, in Geneva in July 2013. [IISD RS Meeting Coverage] [ECOSOC Webpage on Meeting] [DESA Press Release]