Archives
SDG Moment 2025
The SDG Moment 2025 united Heads of State and Government around their commitments to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves
Delegates underlined their main success of the last decade: enhancing the quality of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, a catalogue of internationally designated protected areas that act as “living laboratories” for testing novel approaches to advance biodiversity and development agenda. They also highlighted that future work must focus on scaling up impact.
6th Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific
Delegates from Asia Pacific showed “strong convergence” across some key environmental issues they intend to raise in December at the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly—the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment.
2nd Session of the Preparatory Commission for the Entry into Force of the BBNJ Agreement and the Convening of the 1st Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement
The Preparatory Commission deliberated on governance issues, operation of the Clearing-House Mechanism, and financial rules, resources, and the financial mechanism to prepare for the imminent entry into force of the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement).
2ᵉ partie de la 5e session du Comité intergouvernemental de négociation en vue de l'élaboration d'un Instrument international juridiquement contraignant sur la pollution plastique, y compris dans le milieu marin (CIN-5.2)
Beaucoup espéraient que cette réunion déboucherait sur l'adoption d'un nouveau traité pour mettre fin à la pollution plastique. Mais, malgré tous leurs efforts, les délégués n'ont pas pu parvenir à un consensus et ont quitté Genève dans l'incertitude quant aux prochaines étapes.
2nd Part of the 5th Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including in the Marine Environment (INC-5.2)
Many hoped this meeting would lead to the adoption of a new treaty to end plastic pollution but, try as they might, delegates were unable to reach consensus and left Geneva amid uncertainty as to what the next steps might be going forward.
15th Session of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Parties sought to match the ambition needed to reverse the alarming trends of wetland loss and degradation through increased synergies with other multilateral environmental agreements, institutional strengthening, enhanced implementation tools, partnerships and networks, and adequate financial support.
International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change
The ICJ interpreted the “tapestry of States’ obligations” under international law, providing a clear legal benchmark against which to assess climate action. Crucially, it rejected some high-emitting countries’ argument of the pre-eminence of the climate treaties in defining obligations and consequences for failing to live up to them.
Participation Process for the German VNR and Global VNR Peer Learning
In the run up to presenting its third voluntary national review (VNR) of progress towards the SDGs, the Federal Government of Germany is supporting national review, dialogue and implementation processes and international peer learning with selected other countries presenting a VNR at the 2025 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).