Seventh German HLPF Conference

Germany’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR) on SDG implementation comes at a critical moment, as multiple crises threaten to undo hard-won gains towards crucial SDG targets and global support for multilateralism is waning. In this uncertain environment, the VNR is not only an opportunity to take stock of implementation, but to galvanize public support for continued engagement amid growing backlash against the SDGs and multilateralism. The seventh German HLPF conference aimed to collect inputs and ideas from stakeholders for Germany’s VNR presentation at the 2025 Session of the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF). It concluded a participatory process during which stakeholders had multiple opportunities to contribute to the VNR and reflect on further SDG action in Germany by the German government and with Germany as an international partner. Participants expressed their expectation that Germany not only continue supporting the 2030 Agenda but also seek out opportunities to build new coalitions willing to accelerate SDG implementation before 2030 and work together towards an enhanced framework beyond 2030.

The event was co-hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), which share the lead for Germany’s third VNR. The meeting was attended by 125 participants representing government, business, academia and policy advice, and many associations representing stakeholder groups.

Opening 

Conference host Melinda Crane, an independent journalist, welcomed participants and asked them to reflect on how we can accelerate SDG implementation, given current geopolitical and environmental crises. She invited participants to share experiences and draft messages for the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) that highlight Germany’s continuing commitment to the 2030 Agenda, noting they could also post ideas and comments to a digital pinboard.

Via video, Reem Alabali Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), said that global crises and decreasing aid challenge SDG implementation and require us to reinforce our commitment and lay the path for future cooperation, rather than merely defending what has been achieved to date. She thanked participants for their contributions to Germany’s third VNR, noting these are also a first steps towards an ambitious post-2030 framework.

Also via video, Carsten Schneider, Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), said Germany remains a reliable partner for countries of the Global South. Noting the threats to the world’s ocean discussed at the 2025 UN Global Ocean Conference in Nice, he reminded participants that SDG 14 (Life below water) requires urgent and effective action, as well as consideration of linkages with other SDGs.

Political Dialogue: Participation Works! The 2030 Agenda 2030 Five Years to Target. Defend. Accelerate. Think Beyond: Moderator Crane invited a panel of political advisors to share their expectations regarding Germany’s role in developing a post-2030 Agenda framework. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary Secretary, BMZ, said Germany should moderate, rather than lead, the discussion and inspire others to imagine what transformation towards 2030 and beyond can look like. Stefan Mair, Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), said Germany should lead partnerships that empower countries of the Global South to redesign the agenda.

Marie-Luise Abshagen, NGO Forum on Environment and Development, asked what leadership means in times of shrinking aid budgets, noting the recent withdrawal of USAID could cost an estimated 14 million lives. Kai Niebert, Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), suggested focusing on positive, tangible change to counter climate frustration and called for a post-2030 transformation agenda.

On expectations for HLPF in the context of geopolitical crises, Kofler urged participants to stay the course, continue dialogues, collaborate across forums, and showcase concrete improvements in people’s lives. Mair expected HLPF to focus on defending the 2030 Agenda and stressed the need to redesign relationships and coalitions with countries of the Global South. Abshagen called for ambitious goals and honest engagement, for example through the formation of a high ambition coalition. Niebert suggested focusing on successful approaches, such as Germany’s two high-level Commissions on coal phase-out, and on the future of agriculture.

On developing deeper partnerships, Kofler suggested working directly with civil society in partner countries. Mair proposed fewer, deeper partnerships with like-minded countries. Abshagen urged safeguarding the space for civil society and rewarding engagement with concrete change to prevent further support for right wing populism. Niebert proposed reframing sustainable development as an agenda for prosperity and resilience, with “a little less doom and sacrifice,” and suggested approaching people with specific offers for improvement in their lives.

Participants discussed the need to: ensure that research networks include more expertise from the Global South; reinforce horizontal networks among cities for peer learning; strengthen meaningful engagement of Youth and other groups; focus on social SDGs, improving empathy in discussions on transformation; and revive Germany’s North-South Commission, a government-led committee that in 1980 suggested addressing international development by empowering and including poor countries and establishing a new global economic order. Participants and panelists called for placing gender and inequalities at the center of a forward-looking strategy for resilience in a rapidly changing world.

Keynote Speeches and Discussions on SDGs in Focus at HLPF 2025

In a series of sessions during which stakeholders joined a panel of experts for in-depth discussion, participants generated inputs and ideas regarding four of the five SDGs under review at HLPF. Each session started with expert comments, followed by comments from participants.

SDG3 - Health and Wellbeing: Maike Voss, Future Forum - Public Health, explained that the sudden withdrawal of USAID is deepening setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate impacts, and other causes of avoidable deaths. She said Germany requires a public health strategy that considers the needs of its ageing population. Sonja Grigat, Association of Development and Humanitarian NGOs (VENRO), highlighted that 4.5 billion people are still without access to basic health services, many of whom are marginalized and face new climate-related challenges. She called for recognizing the human right to health, increasing official development aid (ODA) to 0.7% of GDP, and safeguarding space for CSO engagement.

One participant called for better integration of migrant perspectives in health policy and increasing health services for migrants. Voss added that more work is required to address racism, discrimination and inequity in health. Alexander Schmidt-Gernig, Federal Ministry for Health (BMG), acknowledged the need for better indicators as attention shifts towards outcomes and effectiveness. Voss suggested that looking at climate impacts on women could support communication with policy makers.

Florian Brod, Youth Delegate for Sustainable Development, emphasized health and mental health support for young people in transition between school and professional life. 

Monika von Palubicki, National Council of German Women’s Organizations, highlighted linkages between gender equality, climate, health, and poverty. Highlighting links with SDG 8, she said women’s rights need special attention in supply chain management. Sebastian Saad, Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) said that development aid should aim to build capacity in recipient countries to act and take responsibility for better health services. Grigat highlighted the need to improve health financing and regulate international drug trade.

SDG5 - Gender Equality: Carla Dietzel, CARE Germany, outlined recent backlash against gender rights internationally and in Germany, noting a history of populist politicians using antifeminist positions to gain attention. She asked how Germany can remain a reliable partner while cutting ODA and called for new approaches to address structural inequalities. Ulrike Spangenberg, Secretariat of Germany’s Fourth Gender Equality Report, said gender equality is not sufficiently integrated in the transformation areas identified in Germany’s VNR. She said the fourth national report on gender equality provides recommendations for advancing gender equality in several areas.

Ursula Schäfer-Preuss, UN Women Germany, highlighted that women’s economic empowerment is fundamental to gender equality and suggested building on experiences demonstrating that better gender equality delivers better results. One participant suggested recognizing women’s invisible contributions, such as in agriculture. Dietzel underscored the role of women providing care in emergencies such as during the Ukraine war.

Markus Knigge, Blue Action Fund, highlighted challenges in monitoring gender-related targets when collaborating with small organizations due to limited funding. Spangenberg called for better indicators that can demonstrate the positive impact of gender equality on project results, with one participant highlighting the need to better communicate the positive impacts of women’s empowerment for men.

Ulle Schauws, Member of Parliament for the Green Party, reported mockery of women by far-right delegates in the German Parliament and expressed concern that businesses are wiping out decades of achievements in gender equality, diversity and inclusion to please autocratic leaders.

Spangenberg urged caution regarding the increasing influence of AI tools that have been trained on gender-biased data. Deitzel suggested generating trust by working through broad alliances with a joint position on gender equality.

SDG8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth: Christoph Selig, DHL Group, said SDG 8 targets won’t be achieved because of waning interest among state and non-state actors. Noting links with SDG 4 (quality education), he lamented high rates of school dropouts. He urged businesses to engage students in work life, citing evidence that this effectively reduces youth unemployment.
Jan Phillip Rohde, Association of Trade Unions, stressed the importance of co-determination to support innovation and sustainable practices in businesses, noting increasing pressure to reduce employee influence. He called on governments to reinforce support for the welfare state and coherent, climate-sensitive modernization.

Reiner Hoffmann, RNE, suggested highlighting the role of workers in the renewable energy transition, noting that co-determination empowers employees as agents of change. Rohde said people must be enabled to contribute to and benefit from transformations, including through higher wages.

Bettina Stevener-Peters, Association for People with Disabilities, said key inclusion targets have not been achieved, especially regarding intersectional aspects of disability. Noting that mental health challenges arise from maladapted work environments, a Youth representative suggested learning from organizations that successfully retain volunteers how to provide a sense of purpose for young employees.

Yvonne Zwick, BAUM e.V. – Network for Sustainable Business Germany, suggested addressing linkages between work, environmental and social through coherent multi-solving approaches. She also urged to renew support for global environmental and social standards that do not distort competitiveness. Responding to a question whether artificial intelligence is part of the problem or the solution, Selig proposed rethinking the skills young employees need in an AI-supported world.

SDG14 - Life Below Water: Markus Knigge, Blue Action Fund, explained that the UN Global Ocean Conference highlighted unresolved issues regarding deep-sea mining, harmful subsidies, and destructive practices such as bottom trawling. Noting the situation of small island developing states (SIDS), he said cuts in ODA should lead to a reassessment of competition and acceptable risks for future partnerships.

Audrey MacLean, Youth Delegate for Sustainable Development, said humanity is conducting an uncontrolled experiment with the biosphere, including the rapid acidification of the Ocean, the world’s largest CO2 sink. She called for more attention to impacted people, better marine education, and better data on Ocean change.

Joachim Harms, German Marine Research Alliance (DAM), said scientists’ efforts to promote Ocean conservation are hindered by a lack of coordination between ministries. Supported by Knigge, he proposed extending the mandate of a parliamentary committee for marine policy coordination. Noting that SDG 14 is underfunded, Molly Crystal, Wildlife Conservation Society, urged policy makers to think smarter about mobilizing finance. Knigge outlined options for financing, such as blue bonds.

Uli Gräbener, Rare Europe, cautioned that the Global Biodiversity Framework target to protect 30 percent of marine ecosystems by 2030 can lead to protection of ecologically irrelevant areas. MacLean suggested supporting building other countries’ capacities to consolidate the use and protection of Ocean areas while including and learning from indigenous communities.

Summary of Inputs and Ideas for HLPF 2025

Crane summarized the discussions and contributions posted on the digital pinboard, noting cross-cutting comments including: the need to deliberately consider linkages between SDGs; a call for a strong commitment to Human Rights; concerns that one crisis is used as an excuse for inaction on another; and support for coalitions or partners willing to stand for the SDGs amid increasing backlash.

On SDG 3, she highlighted the need to consider: the indivisibility between human and planetary health; systemic approaches like water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); prevention as cost efficiency; and linkages between poverty and poor health.

Regarding SDG 5, she stressed: the need to defend access to products and services for sexual and reproductive health; recognizing that support for democracy requires gender equality; and the importance of not depicting women only as victims.

As key suggestions on SDG 8, Crane listed: recognizing that good labor conditions and future perspectives for Youth are a condition for growth; considering degrowth as a sustainability strategy for rich countries; and developing better indicators for data-driven policy making.

Regarding SDG 14, she highlighted a strong commitment to protecting the Ocean in partnership with other countries.

Susan Krohn, BMUKN, proposed changing perspectives to make sustainability discussions more interesting and accessible for people, suggesting that participation and a “listening attitude at eye level,” can help developing new narratives that don’t leave people behind.

Constanze Neher, BMZ, said the SDG Index published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network ranked Germany in fourth place for domestic SDG implementation but in 167th place for spillover effects impacting implementation in other countries. She said this divergence underlines the importance of addressing social and ecological inequalities within and between states, including through more effective measures on SDGs 3, 5, and 8, such as health policies that consider demographic change, feminist international assistance, and safe spaces for democratic participation. 
Krohn outlined next steps, including integrating the day’s outputs into the guidance for Germany’s delegation to the HLPF and a focus on partnerships and integrative solutions, noting that development and sustainability policy is partnership policy.

Closing the meeting, Neher highlighted the success of the participatory VNR process, noting that all stakeholder contributions are published alongside Germany’s VNR on the UN’s SDG website. Noting the urgency of accelerating implementation before 2030, she called for a new high ambition to show that “we can do it again!”