Highlights and images for 29 June 2026

“Fragmented efforts are no longer viable” to tackle today’s interconnected and compounding global crises. In his opening remarks at the Seventh Global Conference on Climate and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Synergies, Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand, called for stronger alliances between economic resilience and environmental and sustainable development policies.  

Daniele Violetti, Senior Director, Programmes Coordination, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, underscored that climate change actively erodes progress on poverty, food security, health, and ecosystems protection, saying these interconnected crises require integrated solutions. Bahareh Seyedi, Senior Sustainable Energy and Climate Advisor, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) added that climate actions that “keep development in mind” can reinforce progress on other SDGs, including health, food security, and economic development.  

Reflecting on the conference’s theme of moving “From commitment to delivery: scaling integrated action in a volatile world,” Lin Yang, Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), urged focusing on integrated approaches that achieve co-benefits in today’s constrained fiscal and policy environments. 

Joining via video message, Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), addressed where we stand on the state of climate and the SDGs. They stressed that climate hazards, such as El Niño events and glacier loss, are development emergencies, and called for “connecting the dots” at the intergovernmental level to unlock synergistic development planning at national levels. 

In a scene-setting session, members of the Expert Group on Climate and SDG Synergies considered how to transition from fragmentation to integration, by turning commitments into coherent and integrated actions in a resource-constrained world. Among key messages, speakers highlighted:  

• the importance of involving scientists, local governments, and the private sector in developing solutions for those on the frontlines of climate change;  

• co-benefits of well-designed climate actions on reducing poverty, strengthening resilience, and improving quality of life;  

• that the distinction between climate and development actions is “artificial”; and 

• synergies between climate and energy security. 

During a multi-stakeholder dialogue, panelists and audience members engaged on how to advance whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches in climate and SDG policymaking. Speakers touched on the need to create space for traditional and formal governance systems to work alongside one another, enshrine true social inclusion in sustainable development, and bring more stakeholders to the decision-making table. 

In the afternoon, delegates engaged in six roundtable sessions under the theme “integrated delivery systems for people and the planet.”  

In the roundtable on climate justice, energy resilience, and small island developing States (SIDS), speakers stressed the wide-ranging impacts of fossil fuel dependence and called for, among others: operationalizing the multidimensional vulnerability index; recognizing the value of Indigenous and local knowledge in shaping fit-for-purpose solutions; and strong international and regional partnerships that enshrine the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. 

On sustainable transport and mobility for inclusive and low-carbon development, panelists addressed, among others, the impact of the transport sector on climate change and development, the need for accessible development finance for SIDS, which face high infrastructure costs and capacity constraints, and the finance gap for building sustainable transportation systems. 

Speakers in a roundtable on energy and a just transition for climate and development underscored that while there is visible progress on renewable energy deployment and electricity access, persistent structural gaps hinder a truly just and inclusive energy transition. Participants stressed that stronger institutional coordination remains the critical “missing link” in implementing nationally determined contributions (NDCs). 

The roundtable addressing interlinkages between water, health, and climate saw speakers emphasize the need to consider water-related climate hazards holistically, throughout the water cycle and across borders and sectors. Among others, they urged a people-centered approach and for integrating water security into the development agenda. 

Participants in the roundtable on nature-based solutions (NbS) for a climate resilient and nature-positive future discussed the importance of NbS for a just climate transition. Speakers emphasized that NbS are not a single, one-size-fits-all solution, but a diverse set of context-driven interventions, requiring stronger cross-sectoral collaboration and expanded partnerships. 

A roundtable on smart, sustainable cities focused on identifying barriers to scaling solutions, closing gender and inclusivity gaps, pairing digital, smart solutions with more traditional, resilient ones, and examining the impact of new technologies on urban communities.