Organization Economic Cooperation and Development

    VIPs attending the launch of the Global Hub on Governance for the SDGs   Highlights Angel Gurría, Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), said the Hub will address the governance bottlenecks that make achieving the SDGs challenging.  Achim Steiner, Administrator, UN Development Programme (UNDP), noted that the Hub will help harness “the extraordinary level of experimentation and innovation” taking place in the internet and governance fields. Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, United Arab Emirates (UAE), mentioned that UAE will host some of the Hub’s activities and will create an accelerator to advance its development and utilization. The event, presented by the governments of UAE, Colombia and Romania, UNDP, and OECD, launched the Global Hub on Governance for the SDGs, a joint OECD-UNDP initiative, which aims to facilitate targeted support to interested countries tackling the specific governance challenges of SDG implementation. The Hub will provide a space for national experts and practitioners to interact and learn from each other, and will align with other existing and planned SDG initiatives to leverage SDGs 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals) as key enablers of the entire 2030 Agenda. Opening the event, Angel Gurría, Secretary General, OECD, said inclusive, strong, and accountable institutions are key to achieving the SDGs, adding that the Hub will address the governance bottlenecks that make achieving the SDGs challenging. He noted that challenges persist everywhere, including in advanced economies. Gurría highlighted that a whole-of-government approach to SDG implementation is paramount, adding that the Hub will strengthen governance mechanisms at all levels by enabling governments to develop tailor-made solutions to their specific needs. Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP, noted that good governance systems enable the predictability of rule of law, and thus attract investments and economic growth. He explained that the Hub aims to help governments navigate the complexity that the SDGs bring to development planning. Noting that the internet exacerbates current global challenges such as enabling and expanding human trafficking and hate speech, he underscored that international cooperation, including through the Hub, will be essential to address them. Steiner added that the Hub will help harness “the extraordinary level of experimentation and innovation” taking place in the internet and governance fields. Eugen Teodorovici, Minister of Public Finance, Romania, highlighted the need to involve ministers of finance in discussing governance for the SDGs. He expressed Romania’s readiness to share knowledge and best practices acquired in SDG implementation through the Hub, including on stakeholders and mobilization of local governments. He announced that starting in 2020 Romania will integrate the SDGs in its national budget. Noting the need to establish platforms for meaningful government cooperation in support of the SDGs, Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, United Arab Emirates (UAE), said that UAE will host some of the Hub’s activities and will create an accelerator to advance its development and utilization. Andres Rugeles Pineda, Deputy Permanent Representative of Colombia to the UN, highlighted the value of learning lessons through peer exchange and tailored support and said Colombia would lead on the monitoring and evidence pillar. During a panel discussion, Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister, Uganda, discussed the preparation of Uganda’s national SDG framework, including through a consultative process and integrating the SDGs into national governmental processes. Evelyn Wever-Croes, Prime Minister, Aruba, noted special governance challenges that small-scale societies face and highlighted national efforts to implement e-governance. Gabriela Agosto, Executive Secretary of the National Council for the Coordination of Social Policies, Argentina, noted challenges with increasing protectionism and difficulties in accessing the global trade system, and said an exchange of ideas and experiences with other countries would be beneficial. Ruairí de Búrca, Director General, Irish Aid, said Ireland has used the climate agenda to drive a whole of government approach, but noted that existing frameworks for development and delivery need to be adjusted to deliver this agenda. André Weidenhaupt, Director General, Department of the Environment, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Luxembourg, noted national initiatives that would fit into the Hub: a toolbox for municipalities to help put the 2030 Agenda into practice at the local level; a sustainability check process, through which all legislative proposals will be reviewed with regard to their compatibility with the SDGs; and a toolbox that addresses policy coherence for sustainable development. Eddy Maloka, CEO, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), said the APRM promotes good governance through experience sharing at the highest level, and added that the Hub will be an important resource for the Mechanism. Ahmed Kamaly, Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform for Planning Affairs, Egypt, reviewed Egypt’s Voluntary National Review and said governance was one of the challenges it identified. In conclusion, Marcos Bonturi, Director, Public Governance, OECD, highlighted that the next steps will include engaging with member countries, UNDP partners, and others who have expressed an interest in the Governance Hub. Haoliang Xu, Director, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP, said that while we know that global challenges include addressing climate change, deforestation, poverty, and inequality, the solutions need to become more sophisticated. He noted that the partnership will seek to help governments address these challenges and achieve the development outcomes that the global community has set for itself. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) meeting coverage, provided web coverage from the Launch of Global Hub on Governance for the SDGs. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. View of the plenary during the launch of the Hub José Ángel Gurría Treviño, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Achim Steiner, Administrator, UN Development Programme Eugen Orlando Teodorovici, Minister of Public Finance, Romania Andres Rugeles Pineda, Deputy Permanent Representative of Colombia to the UN Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, UAE Deborah Charles, News Editor, Devex, moderated the event L-R: Evelyna Christina Wever-Croes, Prime Minister of Aruba, and Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of Uganda CONTACT Ricardo Sánchez Torres, OECD | ricardo.sancheztorres@oecd.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.oecd.org/gov/pcsd/launchoftheglobalhubonthegovernanceforthesdgs.htm  

Highlights for Thursday, 29 August 2019 Representatives from civil society at the end of a peaceful demonstration about nature and people protection versus corporate interest. The first meeting of the Working Group on Post-2020 resumed discussions on Thursday, tackling the future work programme of the Working Group and allocation of tasks to other intersessional bodies and processes. Delegates called for inter alia: a balanced approach in thematic intersessional consultations; ensuring draft text is available ahead of the second meeting of the Working Group; and involvement of the UN Environment Management Group to ensure inputs from all multilateral environmental agreements. During the lunch break, delegates attended an information session focused on strategic planning. Nick Salafsky, Foundations of Success, presented the second of a two-part series on developing a shared strategic planning framework. He led participants in an interactive exercise on developing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-Oriented, and Time-limited (SMART) targets, using, among other principles, the theory of change.In the afternoon and evening, a discussion group co-chaired by Charlotta Sörqvist (Sweden) and Dilosharvo Dustov (Tajikistan) met to discuss a non-paper prepared by the discussion group co-chairs on a possible structure of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF). Delegates deliberated on the components of, and relationships between, the rationale, the preamble, the 2050 Vision, the 2030 mission, a possible apex goal and milestones, and goals, targets, sub-targets and indicators. Discussions focused on central questions to the structure, including, inter alia: whether the 2030 mission should express an action to be taken or a status of biodiversity to be achieved by 2030; how to express the 2030 mission in a simple manner while ensuring a balanced representation of all three pillars of the Convention; how to formulate SMART goals, indicators and targets; how to ensure that levers of transformative change are specified within the scope of the GBF; and whether an apex goal would benefit or hinder effective implementation of the GBF. With only one day left of the meeting, delegates continued to push towards a tangible outcome. One delegate remarked that we want to leave with clear guidance on the “post-2020 outcome we want” to enable us to return for the second meeting with more substance than a “to do list.” Some delegates were already eager to produce and negotiate text, and urged for ensuring that the second meeting will be furnished with comprehensive preparative documents. Many called for intersessional consultations that go beyond the subsidiary bodies of the convention, the Bureau and the Secretariat. The discussion group, some delegates noted, allowed for unpacking of details of the GBF’s scope and structure. Noting how much time was taken on targets, one delegate remarked that, “the apex target is becoming a distraction,” and that there should be more focus on implementation, which is indeed where we failed with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Hlobsile Sikhosana, eSwatini Working Group Co-Chair Basile van Havre, Canada Marina von Weissenberg, Anne Theo Seinen, and Stefan Leiner, EU Takafumi Osawa, Japan Sonia Peña Moreno, and Jane Smart, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) L-R: Amy Fraenkel, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and Tita Korvenoja and Diane Klaimi, UNEP María Rivera, Ramsar Convention, and Katia Karousakis, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Cicilia Githaiga, Women Ken Paul, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) Abdulghani A.M. Al-Bokwali, Yemen Kevin Lunzalu, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Kenya Amy Fraenkel, Acting CMS Executive Secretary Barbara Lassen, Natural Justice Diagana Mallé, Mauritania Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat Malte Timpte, Institute for Biodiversity Network (IBN) Óscar Guevara, WWF Colombia Yemisi Fawibe, Nigeria Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni, South Africa Delegates continued work during the afternoon and evening on the potential elements and scope of the framework. Nick Salafsky, Foundations of Success, during the lunch event on Strategic Planning Frameworks - Part II Participants engage in an activity to develop a SMART target Delegates from the Arab region meet at lunch time L-R: Neville Ash, Director, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC); Aria St. Louis, Grenada; and Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, Ghana, share a laugh at the end of the morning session Evening informal consultations Members of the 30X30 Ocean Alliance meet outside plenary (L-R) Alfred DeGemmis, Wildlife Conservation Society; Justin Kenney, 30X30 Ocean Alliance; Masha Kalinina, Pew Charitable Trusts; Lina Barrera, Conservation International; and Michael Degnan, Campaign for Nature L-R: Brian O’Donnell and Raina Thiele, Campaign for Nature, and Holly Jonas, ICCA Consortium Civil society asked parties “Who do you listen to: Nature & people or corporate interest?”

Highlights for Wednesday, 28 August 2019 The global civic movement AVAAZ delivers Letters for Life on Earth to world leaders who are called upon to champion a new global deal for nature that protects half the earth, and uses the other half sustainably. More than 2.8 million citizens support this petition. Read all 10 books. The first meeting of the Working Group on Post-2020 resumed discussions on the elements of the structure and scope of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF) on Wednesday.Delegates completed discussions on clusters two, three and four on: enabling conditions and means of implementation for the GBF, including resource mobilization, financial mechanisms, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer, knowledge management, and communication; planning and accountability modalities, mechanisms and tools, including National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs); national reports, the review process, and voluntary contributions; and cross-cutting approaches and issues, including mainstreaming, synergies, partnerships, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), gender and youth. During lunch delegates attended an information session on scientific evidence for informing the design of the framework. Presentations included: Ana María Hernández, Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), who outlined key IPBES statistics on the impacts of direct drivers of biodiversity loss, and noted the scientific evidence that will be provided by the upcoming IPBES assessments on transformative change and the nexus of biodiversity, water, food and health. Jian Liu, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), who outlined key findings illustrating biodiversity as a “hidden crisis”. He presented scientific evidence showing that pollution, climate change and biodiversity are the three major interlinked challenges to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), concluding that with the approaching tipping points, transformational change is long overdue. Irene Hoffmann, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, who outlined scientific evidence on multiple interacting drivers of change affecting biodiversity for food and agriculture, and proposed four areas for action, including, among others: addressing knowledge and data gaps; supporting emerging biodiversity-friendly management practices; and improving cross-sectoral collaboration. Andreas Benjamin Schei, Norwegian Environment Agency, summarized the outputs of the ninth Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity. He highlighted participants’ focus on the urgent need for, inter alia: mainstreaming biodiversity; ecosystem restoration; capturing a variety of ways of understanding nature; increased coherence in implementing the Rio Conventions at the national level; and the ability to track post-2020 implementation. In the evening, a discussion group chaired by Charlotta Sörqvist (Sweden) and Dilosharvo Dustov (Tajikistan) met to reach a common understanding on the structure and scope of the outcome-oriented elements: vision, mission, goals and targets. Delegates also attended an information session on Nature-Based Solutions and the Climate Action Summit.With such a short week to complete discussions, day two saw in-depth and focused interventions on the potential elements on structure and scope of the GBF. Delegates started wondering whether the outcome of this first meeting will provide an adequately developed foundation for subsequent meetings, and eventually enable a GBF worthy for adoption at the 2020 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15). Plenary discussions reflected a strong sense that implementation should be a key focus. Indeed, there were many echoing voices emphasizing that if we do not address financial arrangements and enabling conditions, we will be setting ourselves up for failure. It would mean, stressed several delegates, that we have not learned from our mistakes in the context of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Familiar debates emerged regarding the balance between ambition and feasibility. One delegate cautioned against, “biting off more than we can swallow,” while another participant said, “with the approaching global tipping points, transformational change is needed yesterday.” IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page The dais during the morning session Niklaus Wagner, Switzerland Georgina Catacora-Vargas, Bolivia Aurélie Taylor Patience Dingom and Prudence Tangham Galega, Cameroon Daniel Wai-Poi, New Zealand Daniel Wepukhulu, Kenya Byoung-Yoon Lee and Yuri Kim, Republic of Korea Carlos Manuel Alomía, Ecuador Elizabeth Taylor Jay, Colombia Delegates during Wednesday’s proceedings Maria Luisa Angélica del Río Mispireta, Peru, and Santiago Bertoni, Paraguay Georgina Chandler, Birdlife International María Rivera, Ramsar Convention, and Katia Karousakis, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Brooke Hynes, Australia Linda Krueger, The Nature Conservancy Marta Eugenia Juárez Ruiz, Costa Rica Jeanne N’Tain, Côte d’Ivoire Eder Peña, Venezuela Rita Uwaka, Friends of the Earth Nigeria Iván Vejar Pardo, Chile Resiato Salyan, Women Amielle DeWan (left), National Geographic Fellow, facilitated the lunch session on Recent Assessments IPBES Chair Ana María Hernández Irene Hoffmann, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) L-R: Joji Cariño, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP); Aslak Holmberg, Saami Council; and Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, AIPP Maria (Masha) Kalinina, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and Marina Antonopoulou, WWF Delegates at informal meetings outside the plenary room The South African delegation Representatives from Civil Society during a break L-R: Óscar Soria, Avaaz; Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, Mexico; and Laura Rico, Avaaz

Highlights for Friday, 19 July 2019 Flags fly outside UN Headquarters as the High-Level Segment of the ECOSOC 2019 concludes. The High-level Segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) met on Friday to discuss visions and projections for the future of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and long-term trends and scenarios.Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), presented mega-trends from the summary of the Sustainable Development Outlook 2019 which will be launched in September 2019, highlighting that: implementation of the SDGs is made more challenging by lower GDP growth, 1% below the growth rate during the period of the Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015), and the looming risk of sudden deterioration of financial conditions is a further risk; and global population is projected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030, and while this can present a demographic dividend for developing countries with a young workforce, nearly 1.8 million are projected to face chronic unemployment risk and remain outside the workforce. Cristián Samper, Wildlife Conservation Society, called for 30% of ecosystems to be set aside by 2030 and for restoration of degraded areas. He said 30% of the solutions for climate change can be nature-based, but are overlooked in most national determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.In the panel discussion on visions and projections for the future, panelists highlighted: education and continuous learning as key to unlocking progress in the 2030 Agenda; peace, justice, and strong institutions as a cross-cutting goal; deep decarbonization and a digital revolution among focus areas for pathways to transformational change; healthy competition between countries to accelerate implementation; and the need for the 2019 September Summits to speak to one another.In the session on long-term trends and scenarios, participants drew attention to decision-making and SDG implementation at a time of uncertainty regarding solutions, such as the transformational benefits or potential dangers of new technologies. Panelists discussed the key role of equality in unlocking the potential of the other Goals; the multi-dimensional nature of inequality; the role of diverging demographic trends in driving inequalities; the vicious cycle created by long entrenched inequalities and denial of human rights; the importance of transparency, predictability, and accountability, especially in national budgets; access to technology and capacity to all countries and all citizens; the potential of climate change to exacerbate inequalities, and the need for just transitions; and the need for all voices to be heard while drafting policies. In closing remarks, Liu said progress towards the SDGs is slow; the lack of data hinders progress in reaching those furthest behind; and stakeholder participation is essential not to leave anyone behind. He noted that the high-level Summits in September 2019 will be an opportunity to share these messages.ECOSOC President Inga Rhonda King said the efforts invested in HLPF’s first cycle will lead to the doubling of efforts for SDG implementation, and an integrated approach that includes people in decision-making is key to ensure no one is left behind. She summarized several emerging mega-trends discussed at the ECOSOC High-level Segment, and concluded that the ECOSOC and HLPF are providing a platform to nurture a discussion on these issues.The meeting was gaveled to a close at 5:35 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from HLPF 2019. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Where Are We heading? Visions and Projections for the Future of the SDGs Delegates gather in the ECOSOC Chamber for the High-Level Segment of the ECOSOC. Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs Cristián Samper, President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Society During his presentation, Cristián Samper, President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Society, demonstrates that without a healthy biosphere, there will be no foundation for the social and economic development needed on the planet. Li Andersson, Minister of Education, Finland Ohood bint Khalifa Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, UAE Moderator Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator, Scaling-Up Nutrition Movement Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice-President, World Bank Group Masamichi Kono, Deputy Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nebojša Nakićenović, Acting Deputy Director-General, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Marcela Guillibrand De la Jara, Executive Director, Red Volunteers of Chile Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary, UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Lucas Tavares, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Francis Kai Kai, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone Long-Term Trends and Scenarios Claire Melamed, Executive Director, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, moderated the session. Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Chair, Committee of the Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) Isabelle Durant, Deputy Secretary-General, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Isabelle Pypaert-Perrin, Executive Director, International Movement ATD Fourth World Charles Kenny, Director of Technology and Development, Center for Global Development Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner, Wales Doreen Bogdan Martin, Director, Development Bureau, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Paulette Metang, Executive President, Cameroonian Association for the Care of the Elderly (ACAMAGE) Elliott Harris, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Development and Chief Economist, UN DESA General Debate The final day of the General Debate took place in the Trusteeship Council Chamber. Bashar Jaafari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the UN Christian Wenaweser, Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the UN Dawn Hastings-Williams, Minister of State, Guyana Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the UN Closing of the High-level Segment of ECOSOC Inga Rhonda King, President, ECOSOC, delivers closing remarks. Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs, congratulates Inga Rhonda King, President, ECOSOC, for her work during HLPF 2019. Delegates applaud the closure of the session. Around the Venue Participants gather in the delegates lounge, with the New York City skyline in the background. Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator, Scaling-Up Nutrition Movement, speaks with Nebojša Nakićenović, IIASA, and Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP Paul Simon and Leslie Wade, UN DESA Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice-President, World Bank Group Abdullah Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Tonya Vaturi, UN DESA The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering HLPF 2019: Wanja Nyingi, Kenya; Ana-Maria Lebada, Romania; Anju Sharma, UK; Rishikesh Bhandary, Nepal; and Kiara Worth, South Africa A traditional storyboard gifted to the UN by Palau. Artwork entitled 'Agenda 2030,' gifted to the UN by Mexico. Artwork entitled 'Sleeping Child,' gifted to the UN by Poland.

Events Covered on Tuesday, 16 July 2019 Florence Syevuo, SDG Kenya Forum The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Tuesday, 16 July 2019: SDG 16+ and the Future We Want Building Climate Actions in Mountains Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page SDG 16+ and the Future We Want Presented by the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the UN in partnership with the Sixteen Plus Forum (16+ Forum); the Global Alliance; the Pathfinders; LexisNexis; and the Transparency, Accountability, and Participation (TAP) Network. Key messages: The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 promotes: peace; inclusiveness; access to justice; and effective and accountable institutions at all levels; SDG 16+ extends SDG 16 to reflect interlinkages with other SDGs by combining the original SDG 16 targets with an additional 24 targets from other SDGs, taking the total number of targets to 36; SDG 16+ targets draw attention to the needs of people, communities, and societies that face the greatest risk of being left behind due to violence, injustice, exclusion, and poor governance; and It is essential to galvanize political will and forward-looking, as well as multi-stakeholder commitments to accelerate SDG 16+ implementation in the next four-year cycle of the 2030 Agenda. The objective of this side event was to highlight the importance of SDG 16+ and its interlinkages to all SDGs, as well as to demonstrate how it enables the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The event also celebrated successful national experiences of SDG 16+ in action, as highlighted in the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). Event summary: Moderating the event Mark Thompson, The New York Times, drew attention to the relationship between the SDGs and journalism, noting current challenges for safe journalism and press freedom. In the opening remarks, Elizabeth Grace Sugg, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, United Kingdom, recognized current challenges to: reduce violence and obtain peace; promote access to justice; and obtain strong institutions. Acknowledging the need to leave no one behind, she underlined difficulties journalists and civil society face to promote SDGs, calling for the strengthening of partnerships. Francis Kai-Kai, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone, explained achievements and obstacles for the promotion of SDG 16 in Sierra Leone highlighting that “no justice for the poor means no peace for the rich.” He emphasized that SDG 16 is taken very seriously, exemplifying that his country’s VNR focused on the deliverance of education (SDG 4) and justice (SDG 16). Lynrose Genon, UN Development Programme (UNDP) 16x16 Initiative, shared her experience as a young leader and highlighted key barriers youth networks face to implement SDGs on the ground, such as the lack of : access to youth funding; SDGs knowledge diffusion; and feasibility for youth participation in VNR. Kim Haviv, White & Case Law Firm, underlined the role of the private sector for putting SDG 16 into practice by stimulating competition and the establishment of relationships that encourage forward thinking. She said private sector’s involvement goes beyond “self-protection,” noting that “business calculates risks, but also takes risks.” Florence Syevuo, SDG Kenya Forum, underscored the strength of civil society to make the voices of marginalized groups be heard, noting that SDG 16 is one of the most critical SDGs and should be reviewed every year along with SDG 17 (partnerships). Marcos Bonturi, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), explained that an estimated five billion people do not have access to justice, sharing information on the model legal survey adopted by OECD to help policy makers to understand legal problems and justice systems. In the ensuing discussion, participants asked for suggestions to further engage the private sector and a panelist recalled the need to start by reinforcing relationships that pair up with local needs. During the concluding remarks, Mourad Wahba, UNDP, recognized the importance of SDG 16 and of civil society participation. He called for more optimism in addressing SDG 16 by enhancing investment for more responsive institutions that support civil society and create partnerships, including with youth organizations. Event conclusions: By promoting the dialogue between different stakeholders, this side event demonstrated that to create the future we want it is necessary to act together and showcase what works to achieve progress on SDG 16+ at all levels. Committed to continue the promotion of SDG 16+ at the SDG Summit 2019, which will take place in September 2019, participants agreed that political will for investment in evidence-based actions and empowerment of all, including youth, is crucial to accelerate progress on SDG 16+ and all other SDGs. From L-R: Mark Thompson, The New York Times; Francis Kai-Kai, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone; Lynrose Genon, UNDP 16x16 Initiative; Kim Haviv, White & Case Law Firm; Florence Syevuo, SDG Kenya Forum; and Marcos Bonturi, Organisation for OECD Lynrose Genon, UNDP 16x16 Initiative Marcos Bonturi, OECD Francis Kai-Kai, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone Elizabeth Grace Sugg, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, United Kingdom Mark Thompson, The New York Times Kim Haviv, White & Case Law Firm Ian McDougall, LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation CONTACT Stacy Weld-Blundell | stacy.weldblundell@fco.gov.uk MORE INFORMATION www.sdg16hub.org/node/909 Building Climate Actions in Mountains Presented by the Principality of Andorra, Switzerland, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Mountain-Partnership Secretariat Key messages: Mountain ecosystems are home to more than one billion people, nearly 15% of the world’s population, and provide essential services, notably water regulation, for downstream areas; People living in mountain regions are among the world’s poorest; and Restoring mountain ecosystems, adopting climate sensitive agricultural practices, reducing mountain people’s exposure to climate risks and strengthening their adaptive capacity are essential to achieving the goals of ending poverty, zero hunger, clean water, clean energy, economic growth, and reducing inequalities. The event had the following main objectives: advocate for pro-mountain climate change adaptation policies; report on the Framework for Action for implementing mountains in the 2030 Agenda; encourage international commitment for climate adaptation and disaster risk management; and build alliances and better data to promote the role of mountains “as the world’s water towers.” Event Summary: Grammenos Mastrojeni, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy, moderated the event. Maria Ubach, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andorra, called for more international cooperation to combat the effects of climate change in mountains, given that the degradation of mountains, notably linked to the effects of climate change, are compromising the livelihoods of vulnerable populations. Mirgul Moldoisaeva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN, noted that mountains are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems in the world with high poverty rates and food insecurity. She emphasized that droughts, earthquakes, and landslides are effects of climate change that weaken the well-being of mountain populations, proposing the establishment of an informal group of Friends of Mountainous countries to join forces to achieve economic prosperity and environmental sustainability for all. Jacques Ducrest, Federal Council for the Agenda 2030, Switzerland, mentioned the importance of sustainable agriculture; food security, resilience to climate change; disaster risk reduction, integrated resource management, sustainable use of biodiversity and forests to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stressed that only sustainable mountains and sustainable agricultural practices can enable the achievement of the SDGs and recommended more attention to climate smart solution in mountains, given that these ecosystems are relevant carbon sinks. Josep M. Casals Alis, Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Sustainability, Andorra, reported actions to build the resilience of people living in mountains, highlighting: agroecology, research on new adapted crops to dry conditions, and adoption of a new legal framework to reinforce the agricultural sector, while ensuring food safety. On drivers of mountain degradation, Lucas Tavares, Liaison Officer in New York-FAO, noted land degradation and unsustainable use of natural resources. He suggested the use of agroforestry, as well as the combination of innovation and traditional knowledge to promote sustainable mountains. He called for actions beyond the agriculture arena, drawing attention to the agendas of health, education, access to energy, and infrastructure roads. Yoko Watanabe, Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), UN Development Programme (UNDP), noted the importance of community empowerment in sustainable projects, underscoring that addressing poverty-environment nexus is essential for achieving the SDGs. In this context, she announced the launch and implementation of a joint initiative between GEF SGP and Mountain Partnership in supporting communities on improvement of value chains and entrepreneurship on mountain products to ensure long-term environment and socio-economic benefits for local communities. Paul Egerton, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Representative to the UN, advocated for further inclusion of mountains in the SDGs debate, considering the growing number of vulnerable populations living in these ecosystems. He recommended focusing on better early warning observation systems and announced the WMO’s decision to host the High Mountain Summit in October 2019. Giogio Grussu, FAO Mountain-Partnership Secretariat, noted that the  Partnership currently has 370 members, of which 60 are governments. He emphasized that the Agenda 2030 must be implemented “at all levels” and that engaging with civil society is the only way to make this Agenda a success. In the ensuing discussion, participants reflected on the need to be more vocal about the importance to act on mountains and climate change, as well as to raise funds to support this issue. Participants also noted the negative impact of landslides, which is displacing people from mountains, and the importance of not adding the burden of product certification on farmers when developing projects on sustainable agriculture. Event conclusions: Mountains provide 60-80% of all freshwater of our planet and 50% of the word’s population relies on its ecosystem services. The discussion demonstrated that mountains are key ecosystems, providing goods and services to the planet and supporting the livelihoods of a vast number of people. Panelists called for more “mountain visibility” in international debates and urged countries to support funding for addressing the challenge of climate change in mountains. Why Does it Matter: Global changes are disrupting local mountain economies and pushing mountain people to abandon the land. Sustainable agriculture must be promoted and supported, which helps to empower communities and ensure inclusiveness, while supporting the implementation of key SDGs, notably related to climate, quality, food security, and justice. From L-R: Mirgul Moldoisaeva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN; Maria Ubach, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andorra; and Grammenos Mastrojeni, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy Giorgio Grussu, FAO Mountain-Partnership Secretariat Lucas Tavares, Liaison Officer in New York-FAO Paul Egerton, WMO Jacques Ducrest, Federal Council for the Agenda 2030, Switzerland Lucas Tavares, Liaison Officer in New York-FAO, and Yoko Watanabe, Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), UNDP Josep M. Casals Alis, Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Sustainability, Andorra Mirgul Moldoisaeva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN CONTACT Giorgio Grussu | Giorgio.Grussu@fao.org MORE INFORMATION www.fao.org/mountain-partnership/en/

Highlights for Tuesday, 9 July 2019 On the first day of HLPF 2019, discussions focused on SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Tuesday, 9 July 2019 Four years after implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) started, the 2019 meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) opened to take stock of progress, gaps, and obstacles. Inga Rhonda King, President, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), highlighted why this HLPF session is particularly important in her opening address: it is the last meeting in the HLPF’s first cycle, marking the conclusion of the review of all 17 SDGs, discussion on four themes, and presentation of 142 voluntary national reviews; it will send messages to the SDG Summit in September 2019; it will start discussions on how HLPF did in the past four years, and what changes are needed; and it will reflect on collective progress in SDG implementation, globally, regionally, nationally, and locally. Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the UN Secretary-General’s SDG progress report, which notes that while there is progress, the global response has not been sufficient thus far. Speakers highlighted the need for more empowerment, courage, inclusivity, and equality.In the afternoon the HLPF reviewed SDG implementation and interrelations among goals, focusing on SDG 4 (quality education). A presentation on the progress made revealed a “global learning crisis”, with a low proficiency rate amongst school children in reading and mathematics despite increased enrollment rates, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Solutions proposed by speakers included not only reforms of the education sector, but a transformation of mindsets to make educational systems more inclusive; integration of the vision of SDGs, including global citizenship and sustainability, in curricula; and “dramatically” improving working conditions for teachers.For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from HLPF 2019. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Opening Plenary Panel speakers during the opening plenary that focused on 'How far we are from achieving the SDGs?' (L-R): Najat Maalla M'jid, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Violence Against Children; Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs; Valentin Rybakov, Vice-President, ECOSOC; Inga Rhonda King, President, ECOSOC; Emer Herity, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA); Chris Skinner, Author and Commentator, UK; and Yolanda Joab Mori, One Young World Ambassador, Micronesia. Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs Najat Maalla M'jid, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Violence Against Children Chris Skinner, Author and Commentator, UK Inga Rhonda King, President, ECOSOC Yolanda Joab Mori, One Young World Ambassador, Micronesia Delegates applaud the statement by Yolanda Joab Mori who commented "We don’t need more power, we need more courage." Progress, Gaps, and Obstacles: Are We on Track for Leaving No One Behind? Panel speakers during the session 'Where do we stand?' (L-R): Robin Ogilvy, Special Representative and Permanent Observer of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to the UN; Marta Acosta, Auditor General, Costa Rica; Julio Santaella, President, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, Mexico; Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs; Emer Herity, UN DESA; Moderator Minh-Thu Pham, Executive Director, UN Foundation; and Thomas Brooks, Chief Scientist, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Julio Santaella, President, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, Mexico Moderator Minh-Thu Pham, Executive Director, UN Foundation Using the interactive platform Sli.do to encourage participation from the audience, a word cloud was created highlighting the key issues that delegates think need to be discussed. Marta Acosta, Auditor General, Costa Rica Thomas Brooks, Chief Scientist, IUCN Robin Ogilvy, Special Representative and Permanent Observer of OECD to the UN Panel speakers for the session 'Who is at risk of being left behind?' (L-R): Stephen Chacha, Co-Founder, Tanzania Data Lab, and Africa Philanthropic Foundation; Jarkko Turunen, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Asia and Pacific Department, Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); Inga Rhonda King, President, ECOSOC; Emer Herity, UN DESA, Secretariat; Moderator Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); and Sarah Charles, Senior Director for Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy, International Rescue Committee (IRC). Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary, ECLAC Moderator Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UNITAR George Khoury, Vice-Chair, National Association for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NARD), Lebanon Lucas Chancel, Co-Director, World Inequality Lab, and coordinator of the World Inequality Report 2018 Discussion on SDG 4 - Quality Education A video produced by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) was screened at the start of plenary to highlight the importance of all people, especially children, having access to quality education. Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development John McLaughlin, Deputy Minister, Education and Early Childhood Development, Canada Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO Shashwat Sapkota, Statistics Division, UN DESA Moderator Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF Lead discussants Susan Hopgood, President, Education International, and María José Monge, President, Monge Foundation, Costa Rica Lía Burbano Mosquera, speaking on behalf of LGBTI, NGOs, and UN Volunteers Kazuhiro Yoshida, Co-Chair, SDG-Education 2030 Steering Committee Manuele Bertoli, Switzerland Sam Barratt, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Around the Venue Delegates gather for the start of HLPF 2019. Inga Rhonda King, President, ECOSOC, speaks with delegates. Delegates review a document at the start of the afternoon session. Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs Delegates from the Russian Federation Delegates from Zambia Members of the Women's Major Group wear blue scarves symbolizing "Austerity drop-out: life-long learning and education for all."