The Sixth Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlighted the importance of accelerated action on climate and development going hand in hand – and the need to move from fragmented, short-term, and project-based approaches to long-term, nationally driven strategies.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the meeting notes that while the crises facing the world are interconnected and, as such, require coordinated action that enables co-benefits, approaches to addressing mutually reinforcing goals are often fragmented. In addition, countries are “seriously off track in achieving global targets on climate change and the SDGs.” With only five years left to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there is an urgent need for impactful and meaningful action, ENB writes.

Convening under the theme, ‘Unleashing Synergies Towards an Equitable, Climate-resilient, and Sustainable Future,’ the two-day Conference sought to feed into the upcoming third round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement on climate change. Participants also emphasized the need to link with work at the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which is expected to address the financing gaps for the SDGs, climate change, and biodiversity.

The High-level Segment on day one highlighted national efforts to meet climate and sustainable development targets. Several ministers stressed that least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS) feel the impact of climate change most severely, with one noting that “the financing needed to address climate change exists but is in the wrong place.”

“During roundtables,” ENB writes, “participants discussed how to close the finance gap and leverage funding to enable greater synergistic action, and ways to integrate sustainable development action into their NDCs.” Multi-stakeholder dialogues highlighted, inter alia, the co-benefits of addressing climate change and development needs through a human rights-based approach.

On day two, parallel sessions addressed, among other topics: the role of country platforms; linkages between climate-SDG synergies and energy action; and using nature-based solutions (NbS) for enabling synergistic approaches to water, food, and biodiversity action. Participants heard how country platforms can help enable bottom-up, whole-of-society, and whole-of-government approaches in mobilizing diverse funding to meet local needs. Regarding NbS, “one example highlighted how support for community-driven small-scale hydropower solutions had helped turn negative feedback loops into positive ones.”

The 2025 Global Climate and SDG Synergies Conference took place from 27-28 May in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was co-convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the UNFCCC Secretariat. [ENB Coverage of Sixth Global Climate and SDG Synergies Conference]