Highlights and images for 28 May 2025

The crises facing the world are interconnected; climate change, inequality, biodiversity loss and financial instability are closely intertwined and require coordinated action. Yet not only are existing approaches to tackling them fragmented, but we are also seriously off track in achieving global targets on climate change and the SDGs. This was at the heart of discussions during the last day of the Sixth Global Climate and SDG Synergies Conference, where participants got into the nitty gritty of ways to enable synergistic actions and ensure that support reaches those making meaningful change on the ground.

In the morning, participants were treated to a lively Youth Dialogue, where panelists discussed the priorities and contributions of young people, and reflected on the importance of youth-inclusive and youth-responsive policy, practice, and participation in climate and SDG action. Panelists highlighted, amongst other things: the importance of intersectionality, given the diverse experiences of young people around the world; the need for greater funding support to be directed at youth doing action on the ground; and that work towards the SDGs should move beyond treating young people as recipients of benefits, and instead see them as agents for change.

Throughout the rest of the day, participants attended six parallel sessions covering the following topics:

• Country Platforms for Climate Action and Adaptation;
• Turning Climate Pledges into Development Breakthroughs;
• Promoting Climate-SDG Synergies Through Energy Action;
• Nature’s Connections for Synergistic Approaches to Water, Food and Biodiversity;
• Climate and Security in SIDS; and
• Advancing the SDGs in Coastal Cities.

In the closing session, Ralph Wahnschafft, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), presented key messages from the Conference, including: the importance of leveraging enhanced National Determined Contributions (NDCs) to promote synergies;  the need to move away from fragmented, short-term, project-based approaches and instead promote long-term and nationally-driven strategies; and that synergistic development and climate action must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable people and countries, and leave no one behind. He also noted that more than 375 people had attended the Conference in person, with an estimated 1000 participants online and approximately 50 countries represented.

Morten Blomqvist, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark, encouraged participants to bring messages from the Conference to the Financing for Development Conference in Seville, Spain, over the summer, and to the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 30). He also invited two youth delegates to provide concluding remarks.

Helena de Castro Dias, Leuphana University, recognized that synergies are important, but stressed that we won’t reach a just transition without intersectionality and critical thinking. Kinga Szalaba, World Scouting, called for meaningful inclusion of youth in policy and decision-making, saying that it is the only way to ensure just and sustainable outcomes.

Daniele Violetti, UNFCCC, reiterated the importance of synergies and called on partners to continue working together on the shared agendas. He asked attendees to share their insights from the Conference with their respective constituents and organizations.