Highlights and images for 27 May 2025

“We are far off track on both climate and SDG actions,” led the opening remarks by Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, United Nations Department on Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) at the Sixth Global Climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Synergies Conference. As participants met to discuss avenues for addressing the entangled crises of climate change, environmental degradation, and global inequality, another statement rang true: “Climate action done right is development done right.” Throughout its first day, participants heard from high-level representatives and experts on a wide range of topics ranging, such as the benefits of synergistic actions, securing financing for implementation, leveraging Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and multi-stakeholder inclusion in a whole-of-society approach.

In welcoming remarks, participants heard from Jeppe Bruus, Minister for Green Transition, Denmark, about Denmark’s efforts in adopting the world’s first ever greenhouse gas emissions tax on agriculture, which aims to provide the additional benefits of protecting and restoring biodiversity and improving water quality. Navid Hanif, UN DESA, proposed steps forward, including unlocking and aligning public and private capital for green, inclusive and climate resilient societies. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), via a video message, celebrated global investments in green energy, which last year exceeded USD two trillion that, double the amount invested in fossil fuels.

During the High-level Segment, speakers highlighted national efforts to meet climate and sustainable development targets. Participants were also reminded that climate change goes beyond the environment and is also a social crisis requiring equitable responses. One minister stressed that least developed countries and small island developing States feel the impact of climate change most severely. Speakers from UN agencies underscored the importance of international cooperation for reinforcing national ambition and supporting implementation.

In a Scene-Setting session, participants heard from the Expert Group on Climate Change and SDG Synergies, which previewed key findings from its upcoming 2025 Global Report and three thematic reports on: biodiversity/nature and development synergies action; closing the insurance protection gap; and achieving greater health impacts through synergistic action in cities.

Two roundtable discussions took place throughout the day. The first looked at closing the finance gap and leveraging funding to enable greater synergistic action, incorporating climate and sustainable development action. Discussions covered, amongst other things, the role of ministries of finance to coordinate action at the national level, and the challenges and opportunities from private funding and investments. The second roundtable addressed how countries can integrate sustainable development action into their NDCs, where participants gained insight into domestic action across sectors, and heard about avenues for turning NDC ambitions into action.

In two panels during the multi-stakeholder dialogue, participants heard about, inter alia, how green energy projects are benefitting vulnerable communities in Bangladesh, the co-benefits arising from addressing climate change and development needs through a human rights-based approach, and the importance of recognizing and respecting Indigenous Peoples rights related to Free, Prior and Informed Consent.