Calling for an integrative approach: Climate, SDGs and biodiversity
Serious concerns were underlined at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regarding the current NDC targets. It was pointed out that when added together, greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 would still be 13.7% higher than in 2010.* In the Asia-Pacific region, the progress gap for achieving the SDGs grows wider and the prospect of achieving the SDGs. In 2017, the estimated year to achieve the SDGs was 2052, and by 2021, the estimated year had increased to 2065.**
In order to achieve both the 2030 Agenda and the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Agreement by 2030, it is critical to strengthen co-benefits and accelerate synergies between them. UN DESA and the UNFCCC Secretariat co-convened the Third Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to build a foundation for synergistic actions that align with the climate and SDG processes and stimulate action by various stakeholders at the global, regional and national levels.
Spotlighting a conference led by Asia
Recognising that strengthening and accelerating the synergistic implementation of the SDGs, climate action, and biodiversity agenda solutions is critical to solving complex systemic challenges, IGES has closely worked with the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan since the first Global Conference took place in April 2019 in UN City in Copenhagen. Using this platform in Asia, we call for stakeholders in the region to join together so that their voices will echo beyond 2030 into the post-SDG era.
Go to "Climate and SDGs Synergy Approach - Achieving Decarbonized Societies and Securing Human Wellbeing" COP25 Side Event Report and discover how it started.
Establishing a new normal for youth participation in decision-making
This conference also aims to unite youth-led environmental non-profit organisations. We already know that younger generations have a crucial role to play in enhancing climate action. Simply highlighting their voices is not enough to reflect their vision in the decision-making process. Youth can fully participate only when we support them and establish the norm of their participation in decisions. To do so, IGES will continue identifying the structural barriers to their engagement and take actions to minimise them. These barriers can be financial and informational or even a lack of empowerment.
Collective message from environmental youth non-profit organisations in Japan
Climate actions, biodiversity agenda solutions, and achieving the SDGs that encompass these issues are urgent in today’s global society. We, the youth generation, are the ones most affected by these unresolved issues. Now is the time for us to come together, collaborate, and make our voices heard to the international community and policy decision-makers to shape our future ourselves. In this meeting, we urge to establish new values that are not necessarily measured in GDP, based on the concept of “degrowth”.
*Glasgow Climate Pact1/CMA.3 https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2021_10_add1_adv.pdf
**Asia and the Pacific SDGs Progress Report 2022 https://www.unescap.org/kp/2022/asia-and-pacific-sdg-progress-report-2022
For information on participating in side events of this meeting. Hybrid at United Nations University in Tokyo & Online.
https://www.un.org/en/climate-sdgs-conference-2022/page/participation
This conference background note is developed for the Third Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The note aims to address two questions: 1) What is known about synergies and trade-offs? and 2) What can be done to consolidate existing and emerging knowledge on these...
Expected outcomes of the event
It is expected that the Third Global Synergies Conference will significantly contribute to a better understanding and more effective promotion of synergies between climate action, sustainable development, and pandemic recovery efforts.
More specifically, the Conference will have the following deliverables:
- Conference background materials: developed as part of the preparatory process to inform the discussions. It will build on the most recent documentation and analysis related to harnessing climate and SDGs synergies.
- Forward-looking Conference Summary with key recommendations on scaling up joint implementation of climate actions and SDGs. This aims to inform deliberations ahead of major 2022 global processes, including through advocacy and other practical engagements (such as virtual means) in support of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July 2022, UN General Assembly session in September 2022, the UNFCCC COP27 in November 2022, and other relevant platforms.
- A network of knowledge partners that contributes to codification and dissemination of knowledge on climate and SDGs synergies using the Climate & SDGs Synergies Knowledge Platform as a digital platform. The network will be composed of organizations (such as those involved in the technical advisory group) who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing this topic. This will act as a one-stop-shop on topics related to harnessing climate and SDGs synergies and providing.
- Report from Youth Representatives: this will be delivered at the closing of the event
Establishing a new normal for youth participation in decision-making
This conference also aims to unite youth-led environmental non-profit organisations. We already know that younger generations are crucial in enhancing climate action. Simply highlighting their voices is not enough to reflect their vision in the decision-making process. Youth can fully participate only when we support them and establish the norm of their participation in decisions. To do so, IGES will continue identifying the structural barriers to their engagement and take actions to minimise them. These barriers can be financial and informational or even a lack of empowerment.
Collective message from environmental youth non-profit organisations in Japan
Climate actions, biodiversity agenda solutions, and achieving the SDGs that encompass these issues are urgent in today’s global society. We, the youth generation, are the ones most affected by these unresolved issues. Now is the time for us to come together, collaborate, and make our voices heard to the international community and policy decision-makers to shape our future ourselves. In this meeting, we urge to establish new values that are not necessarily measured in GDP, based on the concept of “degrowth”.
Event Details
Tokyo, Japan | Hybrid