SDG Moment

The Political Declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals Summit requested the Secretary-General “to organize an annual moment in the context of the general debate of the General Assembly to highlight inspiring SDG Action.” UN Member States recognized that the world was not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and called on all actors to bring more ambition and urgency to their implementation efforts over the course of a “Decade of Action.”

The SDG Moment is to take place annually during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), each September until 2030. The Moment will highlight successes and identify where more action is needed. This year, the first SDG Moment will take place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The three-hour meeting will be convened on Friday, 18 September 2020.

The meeting will consist of three primary components. The introductory component will set the scene for the Decade of Action and will start with an address from the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly. The second component will feature contributions from 20 Member States. The third component will showcase contributions from a full range of stakeholders including from civil society, the private sector, cities and local authorities, and others, that help address the gaps and needs identified by Member States.

The SDG Moment will be complemented by three other initiatives. First, a global broadcast event will bring the essence of the SDG Moment to the widest possible global audience. Second, the United Nations development system and partners will hold national and regional dialogues to bring the Decade of Action closer to local decision makers and communities. And a virtual, interactive SDG action zone will provide dedicated space for a full range of stakeholders to delve deeper into what is needed to deliver the SDGs by 2030.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin will provide virtual coverage of the SDG Moment.