The private sector is key to creating jobs and eradicating poverty. The SDG Global Business Forum (16 July) gathers leaders from the private sector, governments, and civil society worldwide to co-create business-driven solutions for accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals. Co-convened by the UN Global Compact, UNDESA, the International Organisation of Employers and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development on the sidelines of the HLPF, this virtual event also serves as a key moment ahead of the Summit of the Future, gathering business insights for a better future.
SDGs
In a world facing political turmoil, economic slowdown, rising inequalities and a worsening environmental crisis, our promise to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is at stake. 8 - 17 July 2024: High-level Political Forum (HLPF) at UN headquarters in New York. More from UN DESA Voice.
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the main UN platform for the follow-up and review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is being held on 8-17 July 2024 under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. Under the theme “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”, the forum will review in-depth: SDG 1. End poverty; SDG 2. End hunger; SDG 13. Climate action; SDG 16. Peace and justice; and SDG 17. Partnerships.
Special Focus: High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Five SDGs will be reviewed in depth:
We are just six years away from the 2030 deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and progress is lagging. The 2024 Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day, 27 June, offers an opportunity to exchange ideas on how key stakeholders, including policy makers, large companies, financial institutions, and the international community can support micro-, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), which account for 50% of GDP worldwide, to advance the 2030 Agenda and contribute to achieving the SDGs, including poverty eradication and decent work for all.
Amidst the myriad of global crises exacerbating the gaps between critical SDGs targets and reality, collaborative initiatives in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic have empowered local communities, underscoring the transformative potential of public and private partnerships.
During the holidays, we spend more time with family and friends, cooking, exchanging gifts or travelling to meet loved ones. All of these actions can be done in a more sustainable way, respectful of ourselves, our cities and our planet. Sustainability, in fact, goes beyond the environment; it includes other things that people need, such as jobs, equal opportunities, health, education, safety and a vibrant quality of life. Here are some things you can do to make this holiday sustainable, merry and bright, such as cutting back on your water usage, shopping with responsible companies, promoting inclusion and respect for others and sharing what you have learned.
While armed conflicts, rising food insecurity, and the climate emergency have pushed displaced people around the world to the brink, refugees are finding ways to contribute to their host communities, as educators, entrepreneurs, advocates, climate activists and health-care workers, among others. During the upcoming Global Refugee Forum, an opportunity to mobilize action for positive change in the lives of refugees will be appreciated as the 17 goals collectively known as the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be fully realized without their inclusion. Being a refugee is not a handicap and they are living proof that their power of perseverance is towards a better future no matter the obstacles that stand in their way.
Adopted in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity, it’s clear as we approach the halfway mark that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in trouble. In the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, and climate-related disasters have wiped out advances on some SDGs. UNDP remains optimistic through its ongoing SDG Push initiative which has produced Integrated SDG Insights reports for over 90+ countries. These provide a landscape of SDG trends and national priorities – and chart pathways that maximize the interlinkages – helping to drive more effective policies to achieve the Goals.
Ministers are meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's general debate to set the stage for the Summit of the Future. The Sustainable Development Goals are badly off track. The Summit of the Future will create the conditions in which implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can more readily be achieved. This will happen through an action-oriented outcome document called the Pact for the Future. The Pact will be negotiated, and endorsed by countries in the leadup to and during the Summit in September 2024.
UNDP’s Integrated SDG Insights explore how to achieve the SDGs by 2030. So that no one is left behind.
The 2023 SDG Summit (18-19 September, New York) kicks off the UN General Assembly High-level Week, a pivotal moment when world leaders converge to address global challenges. With the Agenda for Sustainable Development at midpoint, this summit will propel accelerated actions for the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN's vision for a better world by 2030. The summit will respond to the impact of multiple and interlocking crises the world faces, and it aims to rekindle hope and optimism. It is a moment to recommit to a vision of the future that ensures no one is left behind.
With the 2030 Agenda at midpoint, world leaders will carry out a comprehensive review of the state of the 17 Goals. At the UNGA-78 SDG Media Zone, we will highlight the tireless efforts of the global community and aim to reach and inspire audiences everywhere through collaborations with international media organizations.
Sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, is a cross-cutting activity that can contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by fostering economic growth, alleviating poverty, creating full and productive employment and decent work for all. Global Tourism Resilience Day (17 February), aims to foster resilient tourism development to deal with shocks, taking into account the vulnerability of the tourism sector to emergencies. It is also a call for action for Member States to develop national strategies for rehabilitation after disruptions.