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Highlights for Wednesday, 3 July 2019 Omar Ghazi Al-Attas, Maryam Al-Dabbagh, Saudi Arabia; Hasan Mubarak, Bahrain; and Yaqoub Al-Matouq, Kuwait, having a discussion with Amit Love, India OEWG 41 convened for its third day on Wednesday, 3 July 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand.Delegates met throughout the day in plenary addressing: Article 5 parties’ access to energy efficient technology; linkages between HCFCs and HFCs in transitioning to low-GWP alternatives; safety standards; review of the terms of reference (ToR), composition, balance, fields of expertise and workload of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP); membership of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) Executive Committee (ExCom); and the request by Azerbaijan to be included among the parties to which the phase-down schedule for HFCs, as set out in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 2J of the Montreal Protocol, applies. Contact groups on ToR for the study on the MLF replenishment 2021-2023, unexpected emissions of CFC-11 and an informal consultation on lab and analytical uses met during the course of the day.Highlights of the discussions include: adopting common standards between similar markets would enable manufacturers to capitalize on scale and accelerate technology readiness; how countries are setting and enforcing minimum energy performance standards; the suggestion of a review mechanism on the composition of the TEAP; and presentation of the development of an online tool for safety standards. Three side events were held during day: ‘​Green Cooling in South-East Asia - selected case studies from Indonesia and Thailand’ organized by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), ‘​Enforcement of HCFC Licensing Systems’ organized by OzonAction, and ‘Japan’s F-gas policy and current status of measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance energy efficiency products in RACHP sector’ organized by The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association.At the end of the day’s deliberations, some delegates were heard commenting that parts of the afternoon’s debate felt a bit like “going down memory lane.” Recalling the heated debates leading up to the Kigali Amendment’s adoption, she remarked that the eristic discussions triggered by the review of the TEAP’s ToR, composition, balance, fields of expertise and workload, the MLF ExCom membership were somewhat unexpected. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, is providing daily web coverage from OEWG 41. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Environmental Effects Assessment Panel Co-Chairs Nigel Paul and Janet Bornman consulting with Cindy Newberg and John Thompson, US, before the morning session OEWG 41 Co-Chairs Laura-Juliana Arciniegas, Colombia, and Alain Wilmart, Belgium, consulting with Ozone Secretariat Raad Kadhim Hasan Jeryo, Iraq Ernesto Daniel Plasencia Escalante, Cuba Helène Rochat and Bassam Elassaad, TEAP Gabrielle Dreyfus, TEAP Delegates from the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in quiet discussion TEAP members confer before addressing parties' questions Maryam Al-Dabbagh, Saudi Arabia Jacques Monlolamon Glai, Côte d’ivoire Philip Owen, EU, and Philippe Chemouny, Canada Andrew Clark, US Jacques Salomon, Haiti Ashley Woodcock, Co-Chair, TEAP Task Force on Energy Efficiency Delegates listening to a presentation by Omar Abdelaziz, TEAP Task Force on Energy Efficiency Yaqoub Al-Matouq, Kuwait Amit Love, India Omar Ghazi Al-Attas, Saudi Arabia Cornelius Rhein, EU Osvaldo Patricio Álvarez Pérez, Chile Liana Ghahramanyan, Armenia Jamila Mammadova, Azerbaijan Patrick McInerney, Australia Contact Groups The Contact Group on the ToR for the study on the MLF replenishment The Contact Group on CFC-11 issues Around the Venue

Highlights for Thursday, 4 July 2019 Paul Newman, Co-Chair of SAP, analyzing some text with Bella Maranion and Helen Tope, Co-Chairs of TEAP OEWG 41 convened for its penultimate day on Thursday, 4 July 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand.Plenary addressed the remaining agenda items, as well as outstanding issues. The remaining agenda items deliberated include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) at risk of non-compliance with the Montreal Protocol as a result of UN Security Council sanctions, and the role the Montreal Protocol can play in the sustainability of the cold chain with a view to reducing food losses.Outstanding agenda items were discussed in contact groups and informal consultations before reporting to plenary. Highlights include: an informal group discussed the Government of Italy's proposal to have a roundtable during the High Level Segment of MOP 31 regarding the Protocol’s role in the sustainability of the cold chain; an informal group on the TEAP terms of reference (ToR) discussed current procedures for TEAP nominations and the matrix of expertise; the contact group on CFC-11 issues emphasized addressing institutional structure and Montreal Protocol requirements to more effectively monitor potential illegal trade of controlled substances such as CFC-11; and an informal group on the ToR for the 2022 Quadrennial Assessment, with discussion on assessing emissions trends, human health, and biodiversity and ecosystem health. Three side events were held during day: ‘Energy efficiency in Servicing – past impacts of HPMP training and future potential’ organized by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), ‘Energy efficiency and refrigerant containment in supermarkets in Argentina’ organized by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and ‘Actions and Opportunities in Efficient Cooling’ organized by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and its partners.As the rains came down in Bangkok, delegates toiled hard. All the agenda items for discussions had been introduced, so it remained for delegates to reach consensus on issues for consideration at the upcoming MOP. Many were concerned that despite the heavy schedule, not enough progress is being made to pave the way for a smooth MOP; others, however, seemed nonplussed, saying that at the end of the day, the crucial discussions are always deferred to the MOP. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, is providing daily web coverage from OEWG 41. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page The dais during the morning session Yong Hui Phyon, DPRK Ralph Brieskorn, the Netherlands Jessica Escaip, New Zealand Tom Land, US, speaking informally with Lamia Benabbas, UNIDO Samuel Pare and Adama Sawadogo, Burkina Faso Epimeny Nibizi, Burundi Cindy Newberg and Nancy Akerman, US, in discussion with Stephen Montzka, SAP Delegates from Italy having a discussion during the plenary TEAP Co-Chair, Ian Porter, consutling with delegates from China Shang Baoxi, China Reine Marie Coly Badiane, Senegal  John Thompson, US, sharing a laugh with Kate Helfenstein-Louw, IISD/ENB Paul Newman, Co-Chair SAP, discussing a document with Bella Maranion and Helen Tope, Co-Chairs TEAP Tom Land, US Lara Haidar, Lebanon Contact Groups Parties convening for the contact group on the ToR for the study on the Multilateral Fund (MLF) replenishment Informal consultations on the Rome Declaration for MOP 31 The Contact Group on CFC-11 issues The informal group on the review of the TEAP ToR The informal group on MLF Executive Committee membership The informal group on the ToR for the 2022 Quadrennial Assessment Around the Venue Philip Owen, EU, and the Italian delegation OEWG 41 Co-Chair Laura-Juliana Arciniegas, and the Colombian delegation Paul Krajnik, Austria, and the Finnish delegation Delegates from the Middle East in conversation

Highlights for Friday, 5 July 2019 OEWG 41 Co-Chairs Laura-Juliana Arciniegas, Colombia, and Alain Wilmart, Belgium, congratulate each other on a successful OEWG. OEWG 41 convened for its final day on Friday, 5 July 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand.Delegates met in the morning for contact and informal groups on the terms of reference (ToR) for Multilateral Fund (MLF) 2021-2023 Replenishment study; unexpected emissions of CFC-11; ongoing reported emissions of carbon tetrachloride (CTC); stocks of methyl bromide; and the ToR for the composition of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP).All of the groups concluded their discussions, with deliberations set to resume at the 31st Meeting of the Parties (MOP 31) to be held in Rome, Italy in November 2019. Highlights of the contact and informal group discussions include: how to improve licensing systems to achieve compliance; reporting systems under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol not replacing national-level obligations; the need for the TEAP to take preparations for hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phase-down plans into account as part of the MLF Replenishment Study ToR; and how to define stocks in response to a proposed draft decision inviting parties to submit information, voluntarily, on methyl bromide stocks. Two side events were held: ‘Cooling without warming the planet: Opportunities to converge business and sustainability goals’ presented by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and ‘A roadmap for sustainable cooling-what will it take?’ presented by the World Bank. Closing plenary resumed in the late afternoon. The Co-Chairs thanked delegates for their participation during the OEWG, saying a better understanding had been reached on items that are crucial to the progress for the Protocol. The meeting closed at 5:54 pm.As the meeting closed and delegates left the conference centre, there was a sense of completion and satisfaction as delegates had reached a point in deliberations where they felt comfortable forwarding issues to MOP 31. Saying goodbye, one delegate remarked that the big issues weren’t insurmountable at OEWG 41 as parties generally found a way forward, expressing hope that this would continue at MOP 31. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, is providing daily web coverage from OEWG 41. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Contact Group on CFC-11 issues Philip Owen, EU Martin Sirois, Canada Contact Group on CTC Co-facilitators Patrick McInerney, Australia, and Leslie Smith, Grenada Henry Wohrnschimmel, Switzerland Informal Group on Stocks of Methyl Bromide View of the room during the informal group Cornelius Rhein (right), EU, consulting with Niccolò Costantini, EU; Ole-Kristian Kvissel, Norway; and Henry Wohrnschimmel, Switzerland Informal Group on the Review of the TEAP ToR Participants during the informal group The dais during the informal group Plenary OEWG 41 Co-Chair Alain Wilmart, Belgium Agnieszka Tomaszewska and Janusz Kozakiewicz, Poland Özge Tümöz Gündüz and Ülkü Fusün Ertürk, Turkey; and Youssef Hammami, Tunisia Yawo Dandjesso, Togo Mario Francisco Correia Ximenes, Timor-Leste Philippe Chemouny, Canada, speaking with Helen Walter-Terrinoni and Helen Tope, TEAP Co-Chairs Osvaldo Patricio Álvarez Pérez, Chile, gives a warm hug to Ozone Secretariat Executive Secretary Tina Birmpili View of the dais during the afternoon plenary Gene Smilansky, US OEWG 41 Co-Chair Laura-Juliana Arciniegas, Colombia, giving closing remarks John Thompson, US, speaking informally with Ozone Secretariat Executive Secretary Tina Birmpili after the closing plenary OEWG 41 Co-Chairs Laura-Juliana Arciniegas, Colombia, and Alain Wilmart, Belgium, with members of the Ozone Secretariat Around the Venue Ozone Secretariat posing for a family photo Suely Machado Carvalho, Marco González, Bella Maranion, TEAP; and Cecilia Mercado, Multilateral Fund Secretariat

  Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Sunday, 29 September 2019 On 27 September, the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) convened a high level event aimed at catalysing partnerships for implementation of the SDGs. During the event, the Local2030 Islands Network was launched to accelerate action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Led by islands for islands, the Local2030 Islands Network will serve as the platform to recognize and accelerate island-led SDG implementation as part of the UN Local2030 partnership. The Local2030 Islands Network aims to catalyze local implementation of the SDGs, connecting communities with the global effort to advance the SDGs. Founding partners and supporters of the Local2030 Islands Network include the Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Marshall Islands, Grenada, Belize, Curacao, Ireland, Hawai‘i, Guam, UN Development Programme, UN-Habitat, the Global Island Partnership, Hawai‘i Green Growth, and the UN Foundation. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ meeting coverage, provided photographic and video coverage from the side event on Island Values, Local Knowledge, Global Solutions. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Eugene Rhuggenaath, Prime Minister of Curaçao, and Joshua Tenorio, Lieutenant Governor of Guam    

  A view of the room durring the address from Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General Highlights The Data For Now initiative aims to improve the timeliness, coverage, and quality of SDG data by filling critical data gaps through collaboration and partnership. Telecom companies can play a critical role in providing timely data for policy interventions in emergencies. The World Hunger Map portal developed by the World Food Programme (WFP) and Alibaba will make local data on food security available in near real-time. Data clocks are public art installations visualizing key SDG indicators to support a new movement of “factivism.” Organized by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and partners, this event launched the Data For Now Initiative, which aims to support collaboration and partnership for the sustainable use of robust methods and tools that improve the timeliness, coverage, and quality of SDG data. Welcoming participants, Rajesh Mirchandani, Chief Communications Officer, UN Ford Foundation, said that “if we don’t count everybody” people die, ecosystems degrade, and climate change continues. Highlighting the Decade of Action and Delivery for Sustainable Development, adopted by the SDG Action Summit the previous day, he said Data For Now will bring together data practitioners and users to “do more with data.” In her keynote, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed stressed that no country is on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030 and that different approaches are needed for several Goals. Noting that good data is only available for 20% of the SDG indicators, she underlined the importance of timely, disaggregated data for identifying and scaling up effective action and accelerating progress. She said the Data For Now partnership will build a community of data users to maximise the sharing and use of data. She called on countries and organizations to join the partnership and step up data resources to ensure that the people who are still waiting are recognized and counted for the SDGs. Claire Melamed, CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, explained that progress requires access to the right data at the right time, noting that “we can’t navigate by looking in the rear-view mirror.” She said Data For Now will scale up existing tools and efforts to provide data on the world as it is now to improve action. Pledges and Projects In a series of short panels and presentations, speakers from national governments, international organizations, NGOs, and businesses showcased projects that will contribute to Data For Now. Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO Vodafone Ghana, explained how Vodafone, in collaboration with the government, uses anonymized mobile phone data to track population trends and help making life-saving decisions. Noting the importance of data privacy, she called on data providers to come together to enable accurate, timely, and predictive decision-making that saves lives. Mats Granryd, Director General, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSMA), reiterated the challenge of bridging data ethics and data uses, underlining the potential of mobile data for decision making. Noting that big data saves lives, he encouraged companies to be bold and use their data for action. David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP), and Eric Jing, Alibaba, presented the Hunger Map platform combining information from different sources to monitor and predict the global food security situation in near real-time. Beasley stressed that the platform will allow more efficient use of food aid as it enables identifying people in need at local scale. Jamie Drummond, co-founder, ONE, presented a video on a project to create public “data clocks” showing changes in key indicators in real time. As public art installations, Data Clocks intend to create shared epistemologies between activists and decision makers to support a new movement of “factivism.” Maximo Torrero, Assistant Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), described FAO’s data lab, an initiative to improve the quality and comparability of data from official country sources. He said the lab is helping countries to assess existing data and data collection methods to learn how data can be collected and used more effectively. Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, explained how the Google Earth engine combines different streams of data in real-time to provide knowledge for decision making, such as monitoring the state of forests, visualizing changes in water bodies, or predicting locust outbreaks. She said Google Earth will soon make data cubes available than can be used in other applications. Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary of International Development, UK, provided examples of the work of the Global Data Center of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), including prediction of outbreaks of cholera to improve timely relief action. He said development agencies should focus on building the capacity of countries to enable them to work together on projects like the Hunger Map. Experiences on the Ground The final panel focused on experiences on the ground. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice-President, World Bank Group, said the cost of data is often prohibitive, noting that making data publicly available can reduce the costs while improving data quality and usability. Commenting on the role of academia, Shaida Badiee, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), highlighted SDSN’s role as independent voice and its commitment to work on the conditions that facilitate data sharing and the specifics of data curation. Omar Seidu, Head of Demographics, Statistical Service, Ghana, told the story of a local community that succeeded in preventing a mining operation by using data that demonstrated operation’s destructive impacts. He described Ghana’s steps to speed up access to new data and explore alternative data sources. Ariunzaya Ayush, Chairwoman, National Statistics Office, Mongolia, reported how improved access to data was used to prevent livestock deaths during a recent harsh winter. She added that national priorities include generating georeferenced data and investing in data literacy. Iván Mauricio Ojeda, Director General, Statistics, Surveys and Censuses, Paraguay, described efforts to modernize Paraguay’s institutions and laws for statistics. He said Paraguay has aligned its national development strategy with the SDGs and mandated the Statistics Office to monitor progress. In her closing statement, Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa, highlighted the importance of high-frequency, up-to-date data for SDG implementation and the importance of making marginalized populations visible. She urged working together to move towards big data, noting that “we must find 250 million invisible women in Africa alone.”Mirchandani thanked participants and invited them to gather again at the World Data Forum in October 2020 in Bern Switzerland. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) meeting coverage, provided web coverage from the side event on Data for Now – Accelerating Progress Through Timely Data. Photos courtesy of Diane Bondareff Rajesh Mirchandani, Chief Communications Officer, UN Ford Foundation Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General L-R: Claire Melamed, CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO, Vodaphone Ghana; and Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA L-R: Claire Melamed, CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; David Beasley, Executive Director, WFP; and Eric Jing, Alibaba. L-R: Claire Melamed, CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, and Jamie Drummond, co-founder, ONE Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa L-R: Claire Melamed, CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; Maximo Torrero, Assistant Director-General, FAO; Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth; and Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary of International Development, UK L-R: Rajesh Mirchandani, Chief Communications Officer, UN Ford Foundation; Shaida Badiee, Sustainable Development Solutions Network; Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice-President, World Bank Group; Omar Seidu, Head of Demographics, Statistical Service, Ghana; Ariunzaya Ayush, Chairwoman, National Statistics Office, Mongolia; and Iván Mauricio Ojeda, Director General, Statistics, Surveys and Censuses, Paraguay (with interpreter) CONTACT info@data4sdgs.org Amber Kiwan | Akiwan@data4sdgs.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.data4sdgs.org http://www.data4sdgs.org/data4now  

    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  

Organized by the Permanent Mission of Germany and UNEP, the event marked the official launch of Global Opportunities for SDGs (GO for SDGs), an initiative aiming to accelerate and raise ambition for building inclusive and sustainable economies. Led by Germany and UNEP and open to other partners, GO for SDGs will serve as platform to facilitate regional dialogue and exchange among practitioners on best practices for replicating and scaling-up effects, and by fostering local institutional learning and experience sharing. L-R: Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland; Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany; and Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP   Highlights The GO for SDGs Initiative will serve as platform to accelerate ambition by facilitating dialogue and knowledge sharing for inclusive green economies. Germany will contribute EUR 7.5 million. GO for SDGs will work through existing initiatives like The UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) One Planet Network. Finland is using a toolbox of policies to achieve its commitments to be carbon neutral by 2035 and move towards a circular economy. Peru’s National Green Growth and Competitiveness Plan highlights the value of the environment and natural resources for economic growth. Karin Göbel, Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN, welcomed participants noting that the stakes to implement the SDGs have never been higher and calling for integrative solutions that bring actors together, unlock potential, and galvanize momentum towards a fast, fair, and green transformation. Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany, reminded participants that only ten years remain to implement the SDGs, noting that despite progress in some areas, more action is needed, especially on climate, water and inequality. Highlighting that many effective tools, methods and approaches already exist, she explained that the GO for SDGs initiative will focus on scaling up their use and enabling their adaptation to specific national circumstances.  She announced Germany’s contribution of EUR 7.5 million to the initiative, expressing hope that other partners will join. She called for greater efforts to promote green innovation and sustainable business models and, outlining several successful examples, expressed confidence that GO for SDGs will be fruitful. Citing several recent reports on SDG implementation, Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, stressed that many areas receive insufficient attention, including rapidly increasing resource consumption and biodiversity decline. She underlined that SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production) has the potential to unlock progress on serval SDGs. She explained that GO for SDGs will allow working through the UN system to enable sharing knowledge products and cross-country learning using existing platforms such as UNEP’s One Planet network. She called for “rolling up our collective sleeves” to tackle implementation together. Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland, said her country wants to lead by example, by making Finland climate-neutral by 2035 and moving towards a circular economy. She highlighted that these ambitious targets need to be achieved in a socially-inclusive way. Instead of instituting a comprehensive sustainable development policy, she noted, Finland has a toolbox of policies tackling different issues, from plastics to waste. Mikkonen added that, under the One Planet Network, Finland has taken responsibility on the program for sustainable building and construction. Lucía Ruíz, Minister of Environment, Peru, highlighted the need for a grassroots, multi-stakeholder approach to SDG implementation, and for “multi-alignment” of government policies and actions. She said Peru is working to transition to a green, circular economy and has recently instituted a ban on single-use plastics. She further mentioned Peru’s recently adopted National Green Growth and Competitiveness Plan, which highlights the value of the environment and natural resources for economic growth. In the ensuing discussion, participants debated, among other issues: ways to rapidly scale up successful local and regional initiatives for SDG implementation; transformative cooperation; the need to provide green jobs and include social partners in the social dialogue needed for a successful transition to a green economy; and putting local governments on the UN’s agenda. In her response, Schulze highlighted the need to translate the SDGs at the regional and local levels so that the Goals provide answers to local needs, and invited other governments to embark on the journey to become carbon neutral by 2050, like Germany. Mikkonen explained that GO for SDGs is necessary to create a pool of practical local answers and solutions to SDG implementation. Ruiz underscored the need to tackle corruption in local administrations. Satya Tripathi, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of UNEP’s New York Office, underscored the need to find the “magic mix between progress and politeness when it comes to the private sector,” which he explained implies finding the balance between safeguards and room for partnerships and innovation. In closing, Schulze encouraged participants to “paint the picture of a better future together” that will be realized through climate action and achieving the SDGs. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. L-R: Naysán Sahba, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Moderator; Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland; Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany; and Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP Karin Göbel, Head of Department of Economic and Financial Affairs, Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland Lucía Ruíz, Minister of Environment, Peru Satya Tripathi, UNEP Naysán Sahba, UNEP Event panel answering questions from participants. Anne-Beth Skrede, Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions Arjan de Haan, International Development Research Centre Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany, in conversation with event participants. CONTACT Tobias Cabani | Tobias.Cabani.Extern@bmu.bund.de MORE INFORMATION https://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/event/launch-go-sdgs-initiative-creating-opportunities-inclusive-and-sustainable-economies

The event organized by the UN University (UNU), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and the X.SDG Lab presented Japan’s revised guiding principles for SDG implementation, which resulted from a multi-stakeholder conference. It also highlighted the SDG implementation experiences of Canada and Germany, as well as efforts by Japanese companies and cities to contribute to achieving the Goals. L-R: Norichika Kanie, Keio University; Masatada Kobayashi, Co-Founder and Chief Well-being Officer, Rakuten; Chikako Miyata, All Nippon Airways (ANA); Aya Yoshida, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan; Emmanuel Mulbah Johnson, Assistant Minister for Youth Development, Liberia; Stefan Jungcurt, IISD; and Nobuo Inohana, City of Shizuoka, Japan Highlights Japan will use the insights from a recent multi-stakeholder consultation to revise its guiding principles and deepen its efforts on SDG implementation. While Canada is focused more on the social aspects of the SDGs, Germany places emphasis on the environmental aspects, with less emphasis on issues like gender equality and poverty eradication. Major Japanese companies are reviewing their practices to contribute to SDG implementation. Norichika Kanie, Keio University, said Keio University released a white paper on SDGs for Japan and held a conference on revising the SDG implementation guiding principles, which brought together more than 200 stakeholders. To date, he noted, the review of Japan’s domestic policies has revealed that extending Japan’s existing policies will not lead to the SDGs achievement. He further mentioned that Japan’s newly identified eight guiding principles for SDG implementation are: Empowering all people; Achieving good health and longevity; Creating market growth, revitalizing rural areas, and promoting technological innovation; Promoting sustainable and resilient land use, and quality infrastructure; Energy conservation, renewable energy, climate change measures, and sound material-cycle society; Conserving the environment, including biodiversity, forests, and oceans; Achieving peaceful, safe, and secure societies; and Strengthening the means and frameworks for SDG implementation. Aya Yoshida, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, said since 2016, the Prime Minister has organized a meeting with all Ministers twice a year to discuss SDG implementation, and that the government will use the insights from multi-stakeholder consultations to deepen Japan’s efforts to implement the SDGs. Stefan Jungcurt, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), mentioned that the Canadian government established an SDG unit under the Department for Economic and Social Development Canada (ESDC) in 2018, and allocated funding for Statistics Canada to help the national statistical office evaluate Canada’s performance on the SDGs and their targets. He said the Canadian government also provided funding to civil society organizations to conduct consultations on needs and priorities regarding the SDGs, which led to a report titled ‘Towards Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy.’ The publication will serve as the base for Canada’s national strategy for SDG implementation to be launched in the beginning of 2020. Speaking briefly on the situation of SDG implementation in Germany as well, Jungcurt mentioned that while Canada is focused more on the social aspects of the SDGs, Germany places emphasis on the environmental aspects, with less emphasis on issues like gender equality or poverty eradication. Chikako Miyata, All Nippon Airways (ANA), said ANA reviewed how the company’s practices can contribute to SDG implementation and found that it could support human rights aspects of the Goals through strengthening measures for tracing and preventing human trafficking on flights and supporting the rights of migrant workers in Japan. She added that, in order to promote awareness of the SDGs, during the 74th UN General Assembly (UNGA) high-level week, all ANA flight attendants and staff will wear the SDGs safety pins. Masatada Kobayashi, Rakuten, said Rakuten has also reviewed how the company’s practices can contribute to SDG implementation and chose to focus on four areas: accelerating social innovation; realizing sustainable consumption; making the local community sustainable; and investing in disaster relief and humanitarian aid. He noted that, in order to realize sustainable consumption, Rakuten introduced socially and environmentally conscious products to over 100 million Rakuten users and promoted articles aimed at mainstreaming the concept of “sustainable shopping.” Nobuo Inohana, Shizuoka City, said that starting 2018, Shizuoka began incorporating SDGs into five priority projects: creating the activity base of a historical culture (SDG 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions); creating the activity base of a maritime culture (SDG 14 on life below water); creating the activity base of an education culture (SDG 4 on quality education); promoting a city of health and longevity (SDG 3 on good health and well-being); and promoting the city as a theater (SDG 8 on decent growth and economic growth). He noted that the city is working on the conservation of the regional maritime environment and the development of human resources for research on marine biodiversity. Inohana added that, in partnership with the private sector and academic institutions, Shizuoka is also promoting maritime-related industries to attract an influx of non-resident population and contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy. In the ensuing discussion, Emmanuel Mulbah Johnson, Assistant Minister for Youth Development, Liberia, thanked participants for the knowledge-sharing facilitated by the event and called for support to create employment opportunities for the youth in Liberia. Other participants addressed issues related to, inter alia: how to balance profitability and sustainability; ways to promote SDG implementation in countries where companies operate beyond their headquarters; and SDG “domestication” for Africa. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) meeting coverage, provided web coverage from the side event on Essence for Successful Actions towards Achieving the SDGs. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Cosmo Takagi, Keio University, moderated the event Norichika Kanie, Keio University Aya Yoshida, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan Stefan Jungcurt, IISD Chikako Miyata, All Nippon Airways (ANA) Nobuo Inohana, City of Shizuoka, Japan Masatada Kobayashi, Co-Founder and Chief Well-being Officer, Rakuten L-R: Norichika Kanie, Keio University; Masatada Kobayashi, Co-Founder and Chief Well-being Officer, Rakuten; Aya Yoshida, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan; Stefan Jungcurt, IISD; and Nobuo Inohana, City of Shizuoka, Japan Chikako Miyata, ANA, responding to questions from participants. Emmanuel Mulbah Johnson, Assitant Minister for Youth Development, Liberia Masatada Kobayashi, Co-Founder and Chief Well-being Officer, Rakuten, answering questions from event participants. L-R: Hiroshi Ishida, Caux Round Table; Chikako Miyata, ANA; and Stefan Jungcurt, IISD CONTACT Cosmo Takagi | cosmo@sfc.keio.ac.jp MORE INFORMATION https://ungaguide.com/listing/essence-for-successful-actions-towards-achieving-the-sdgs/