From resource scarcity and climate change to food insecurity and inequity, it is clear we need radical change in our societies to build a future that is sustainable and equitable. To bring about this change the entire United Nations must meet the challenge of delivering sustainable development and shared prosperity for all within the ecological limits of the planet.
About half of the current SDGs are directly environmental in focus or address sustainability of natural resources: poverty, health, food and agriculture, water and sanitation, human settlements, energy, climate change, sustainable consumption and production, oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems. Over 86 targets concern environmental sustainability, including at least one in each of the 17 SDGs.
A Series of High-Level panels organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) explore the way ahead, what it will take, how much it will cost and what is at stake.
Friday, 25 September, 18.00 - 21.00
W Hotel, 541 Lexington Ave/ 49th Street, New York
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Financing Sustainability at Scale: Why and How We Decided to Change Course?
Who
H.E. Ms. Barbara Hendricks, Federal Environment Minister, Germany
H.E. Bomo Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa
H.E. Tine Sundtoft, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway
H.E. Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development
Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP
What
Achieving the SGDs will require a major shift in investment flows to transform our economies and infrastructure so that they serve their underlying purpose of bringing prosperity for all on a healthy planet. The integrated and interdependent nature of the SDGs means that collaborative, open partnerships will be needed to ensure a coordinated response for those countries seeking transformative change at global and national levels. What is at stake and what is the way forward?
Saturday, 26 September, 10:00 ? 13:00
UN Headquarters, Conference Building, Conference Room 4
A Call for Joint Action to Achieve the SDGs: How to Advance Integrated Solutions to Accelerate Change?
Who
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia
H.E. Oyun Sanjaasuren, President of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)
H.E. Mr. Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Minister of Environment, Mexico
H.E. Maxine McClean, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Barbados
H.E. Ms. Barbara Hendricks, Federal Environment Minister, Germany
H.E. Eva Kjer Hansenm, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Denmark
Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP
Ms. Yolanda Kakabadse, President of WWF International
Mr. Andrew Steer, President of the World Resources Institute
Ms. Maria Eugenia Casar, Associate Administrator of UNDP
Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Mr. Gino Van Begin, Secretary-General of ICLEI
Ms. Inger Andersen, Director General of International Union for the Conservation of Nature
What
How to break the silos to achieve sustainable development across region at multiple scales? Speakers will discuss action in three clusters: sustainable consumption and production, green economy and mainstreaming biodiversity.
Saturday, 26 September, 15:00-17:00
UN Headquarters, New York, Conference Building, Conference Room 12
Launch of a New Potent Mechanism to Accelerate Technology Facilitation for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Who
H.E. Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, France
H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
Ministerial-Level Representative of Brazil
Ministerial-Level Representative of India
H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning (TBC)
H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, Presidents of the General Assembly of the United Nations (TBC)
What
Access to technology has long been the leading barrier to meeting sustainable development challenges. The Technology Facilitation Mechanism is launched at this event to enhance technical assistance to developing countries. The high-level participants of the event will share their expectations of the TFM and how their countries or organizations will benefit.
OTHER EVENTS
24 September 2015, 1:15 ? 2:25pm (EST)
United Nations Headquarters Conference Building, Room 8
California Governor and Top International Officials on the Contribution of Short-lived Climate Pollutants to the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Who
Edmund (Jerry) G. Brown Jr., Governor, State of California
Achim Steiner, Executive Director United Nations Environment Programme
Professor Veerabhadran Ramanathan, University of California at San Diego
Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bangladesh
Dr. Adejare Adejuwon, Director Climate Change Department, Ministry of Environment, Nigeria
Moderator: Ms. Hanne Bjurstrøm, Special Envoy on Climate Change, Norway
What
Reducing non-CO2 emissions known as Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, including soot, will fast track climate mitigation in the near term and contribute 0.6°C in avoided warming, helping keep the planet below a 2°C threshold. Reducing these dangerous air pollutants will also save more than 3 million lives and 50 million tons of crop yields per year. California Governor, Edmund (Jerry) G. Brown Jr., will discuss the State of California's SLCP reduction efforts. Other High Level speakers will discuss steps their countries are taking to reduce SLCPs and the benefits they expect from their activities.
Thursday, 24 September, 13:15 - 14:30
UN Headquarters, New York, Conference Building, Conference Room 6
Putting a Stop to Mercury Pollution
The Minamata Convention: From Entry Into Force to Effective Implementation
Who
Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP
High-Level Representatives of the Governments of Japan, Switzerland, United States of America and Uruguay
What
The Minamata Convention on Mercury includes a ban on new mercury mines, the phase-out of existing ones, control measures on air emissions, and the international regulation of the informal sector for artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The event aims to accelerate entry into force and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. To date, 127 countries and the European Union have signed the Convention and 12 countries have deposited their instruments.
