China’s cross-cutting research on environment and development, which shapes its national policies toward an ecological civilization, as well as international cooperation in a world of interconnected environmental and development challenges will take center stage in the deliberations. Discussions will focus on innovation in global environmental governance; inclusive energy transition; sustainable production and consumption systems; and national green governance.

Negotiators at UNCCD COP 17 considered a wide array of decisions on enhancing efforts to address desertification, land degradation and drought.

Committing to make the final years of the 2030 Agenda count, participants at the HLPF showed the Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals have delivered meaningful progress—though uneven and backsliding in some quarters.

As delegates tried to balance ambitious and increasing mandates for the Forum and its Secretariat with increasingly constrained resources, some wondered if scale and velocity can be achieved in time to realize even part of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests by its 2030 deadline.