ESG News

Addressing the Gender Gap in Corporate America
2023-03-07 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. This webinar will celebrate International Women’s Day and highlight the gender work of some of the companies that have participated in Network USA’s Target Gender Equality accelerator program. Panelists will present their organization’s journey around gender equality, successful practices, practical tips, and learnings.

UN 2023 Water Conference
2023-03-22 08:30 - 2023-03-24 13:00 | United Nations New York Headquarters, 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Water is a fundamental part of all aspects of life. Water is inextricably linked to the three pillars of sustainable development, and it integrates social, cultural, economic and political values. It is crosscutting and supports the achievement of many SDGs through close linkages with climate, energy, cities, the environment, food security, poverty, gender equality and health, amongst others. With climate change profoundly affecting our economies, societies and environment, water is indeed the biggest deal breaker to achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Tajikistan and the Netherlands, will feature an opening and closing ceremony, six plenary meetings and five multi-stakeholder interactive dialogues. It will also feature a number of high-level special events and side events organized by Member States, the UN system and other stakeholders.
The outcome of the Conference will be a summary of the Conference proceedings and new commitments, pledges and actions by Governments and all stakeholders towards achieving SDG 6 and other water-related goals and targets, compiled in the Water Action Agenda.

The UN 2023 Water Conference and the Water Action Agenda will unite the world for water. The key building blocks of the Water Action Agenda are:

commitment to action
sustained and scalable implementation
follow-up and review processes

These blocks will enable replication and scaling up of what works and bring successful solutions to global scale.

The Business Case for Water Resilience
2023-03-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
This webinar focuses on key outcomes from the UN 2023 Water Conference and the ethical and business case for adopting water resilience and sustainability strategies. Participants will gain insight from leading businesses and acquire practical tools and resources to implement water strategies. This webinar will also provide participants with partnership opportunities and information on how to join the CEO Water Mandate and Water Resilience Coalition (WRC).

Information Session for the 2023 Climate Ambition Accelerator
2023-03-30 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtual Event
Are you interested in attending this year’s Climate Ambition Accelerator? We invite you to register for this live Q&A session to learn how your company can accelerate progress toward setting science-based targets by joining this programme.
Perhaps your company has not yet set emissions targets, or you’ve created targets without using the science-based targets methodology. Maybe you’re overwhelmed by the technical requirements involved. No matter where you are in your sustainability journey, the Climate Ambition Accelerator will help you get started and make progress towards setting ambitious emission targets.
This virtual, interactive session will help you better understand the inner workings of the Accelerator, what you can expect to learn and achieve, and provide answers to any other questions you might have.

Transforming your business for a Blue Economy
2023-04-02 08:00 - 17:00 | Singapore
This event is open to everyone joining ADEX — industry and consumers.
Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) 2023
Sustainable Diving Dialogue: Transforming your business for a Blue Economy
Sunday, 2 April | Time: 12:00-13:00 hrs (UTC/GMT+8)
Underwater360 Main Stage (Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore)
Overview
The UN Environment Programme (COBSEA Secretariat) is hosting an event in partnership with The Reef-World Foundation (Green Fins international coordinator), and UW360. This dialogue aims to explore how the dive industry can become more sustainable, involving various stakeholders such as dive centers, liveaboards, booking agents, manufacturers, media, and training agencies.
The discussion will focus on crucial topics like preventing plastic pollution, conserving coral reefs, and promoting sustainable business models. Industry leaders, movers, and shakers in sustainability will share their insights and examples of sustainable business models during an interactive discussion. Attendees are encouraged to engage with the panelists, share their ideas, best practices, and questions, and learn more about pursuing a sustainable business model for the diving industry.
Target audience
This event is designed for representatives from all segments of the diving industry including dive professionals, operators, liveaboards, resorts, travel providers, diver training organizations, manufacturers, photographers, the media, and others. Our goal is to provide actionable insights that will help you align your business with the market of the future, making it more profitable and resilient by adopting sustainable business models.
Key issues to be discussed
• Dispelling the myth that sustainability has to be expensive: Reef-World’s recent Sustainability Survey has identified cost as one of the biggest barriers to the uptake of sustainable practices in the industry, especially in the post-pandemic restart phase. This event aims to debunk the myth that sustainability is expensive by sharing evidence that sustainable practices have reduced operational costs by up to 70% in some areas. We will feature stories and solutions from industry leaders who are adopting cost-sensitive environmental solutions in their businesses.
• Unlocking the value of sustainability: Companies in the diving industry are interested in finding ways to increase the visibility of and market sustainability. Research shows that post-pandemic dive tourists are interested in more sustainable holiday options and are willing to pay more for sustainability. However, they need more transparency around environmentally-friendly options to avoid greenwashing. The event will focus on how authenticity in showcasing environmental ethos and practices can help promote sustainability and avoid greenwashing. The event will showcase stories of businesses that have benefited from sustainability by unlocking higher-value products that also deliver on local conservation needs, connecting with local governments and partners on conservation efforts, and unexpectedly enjoying financial benefits as a result.
Speakers
Moderator: Natalie Harms, Secretariat of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), UN Environment Programme
Panelists:

Elaine Wallace – Owner, Bunaken Oasis Resort and Spa (Green Fins DIgital Member)
Paul Tanner – Territory Director, PADI (Training agency)
John Thet – CEO, UW360 (Media)
David McClinton – Owner and Director, Ceningan Divers and Resort (Green Fins Top 10 Certified Member)
Bo Mancao – Underwater Imager
Adam Broadbent – Founder & CEO, ZuBLu (booking platform)

Key takeaways of the event
The event offers a unique opportunity to connect with leaders in sustainability and gain valuable insights into sustainable practices in the diving industry. Key takeaways include:

Gain valuable connections with leaders in conservation and sustainability, allowing you to build relationships and collaborate with others in the industry.
Gain insight into the latest post-pandemic business trends and learn how to incorporate sustainability into your business practices immediately, including practical tips for reducing costs and increasing profitability.
Discover how to effectively communicate your sustainability efforts to consumers, building trust and loyalty with your customer base.
Learn how adopting sustainable practices can attract more customers who are willing to pay more, return for more, and promote your services among their online networks.

Overall, the event offers a unique opportunity to gain practical knowledge and actionable insights into sustainable business practices, helping you to align your business for the future and increase your profitability and resilience.

Accelerating Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Trinidad and Tobago: Sustainable and Green Growth Opportunities
2023-04-04 09:30 - 17:00 | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain
UNDESA/DSDG in cooperation with UNOSD, ECLAC, and the RCO/UNCT are organizing a Training Workshop entitled “Accelerating Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Trinidad and Tobago: Sustainable and Green Growth Opportunities” in Port of Spain from 4 to 6 April 2023.
The 3-Day Training Workshop represents Phase 4 of the UNDESA, UNOSD and ECLAC cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago that aims to strengthen the national stakeholders integrated planning and decision-making that incorporate sustainable and green growth, strengthen resilience and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals.
The workshop will bring together senior policy makers from the planning ministry, key line ministries, civil society organizations, academia, and private sector representatives.

The SDG Business Breakdown: Sales & Marketing
2023-04-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
To efficiently contribute to the creation of a more prosperous planet, sustainability needs to be embedded in a company’s DNA. This can be a challenging task, especially for departments that do not directly work on sustainability issues.
The UN Global Compact Network USA will host The Business Breakdown of the SDGs webinar series to provide companies with the opportunity to integrate the SDGs into each core function of their business. This series aims to help non-sustainability professionals integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into their day-to-day work. By ‘breaking down’ a business by function in each webinar, the series is designed to provide department-specific insight, knowledge, and inspiration needed to make a positive impact on the company’s SDG strategy.
This session will provide Sales & Marketing professionals with the insight, tools, and actions to integrate the SDGs into their work. The webinar will feature Sales & Marketing expert, Randi Kronthal-Sacco of NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.
Randi Kronthal-Sacco (Stern ‘83) is a Senior Scholar at the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business. Ms. Kronthal-Sacco leads CSB’s research in the areas of marketing and brands including the Sustainable Market Share Index and is responsible for corporate outreach.

4th global conference of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme
2023-04-24 04:00 - 2023-04-27 13:00 | Virtual Event
Humankind is confronted with multiple deeply rooted and interlinked crises, including in relation to climate, biodiversity, conflict, energy, consumer prices, food insecurity, malnutrition and health.
Global food systems challenges call for a profound and swift transformation of how we produce, process, retail, and consume food and dispose organic waste.
The UN Secretary-General’s Food Systems Summit (UN FSS) in September 2021 created important momentum for this transformation.
Contributing to the 2023 Stock-Taking Moment of the UN FSS follow-up process, this conference will look at how food systems need to be transformed to overcome these crises in order to minimize the risk of global collapse and achieve the SDGs.
Based on concrete examples, the conference will look at main barriers and bottlenecks in relation to food systems transformation, discuss solutions and release a series of actionable recommendations with a focus on the following five key levers:

Global, regional, national, sub-national inclusive governance to set the foundations for applying a holistic/integrated approach towards sustainable food systems.
Collaborative, multisectoral, integrated policy actions based on a holistic approach to materialize the transformation we need: shifting consumption and production patterns in our food systems.
Mobilizing means of implementation, including financing.
Metrics and accountability frameworks to measure transformation.
Mission-oriented research and innovation, in collaboration with the private sector.

To do so, the conference will provide a space for countries, coalitions, the Food Systems Coordination Hub’s “ecosystem of support” and other food systems actors to present transformational actions, tools and initiatives linked to the implementation of National Pathways for Food Systems Transformation that have emerged since the UN FSS and discuss how such actions can be further scaled up to ensure that we collectively attain our sustainable food systems pathways by 2030.
In addition, the conference will discuss how progress on shaping sustainable, resilient, healthy and inclusive food systems in the context of the UN FSS follow-up process can be properly measured in view of the UN FSS 2023 Stock-Taking Moment and beyond.

8th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals
2023-05-03 09:00 - 2023-05-04 17:00 | United Nations New York Headquarters, 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The eighth annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) will be held from 3 to 4 May 2023. The Forum will be convened by the President of ECOSOC Her Excellency Lachezara Stoeva who has appointed two co-chairs – H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Thomas Woodroffe, United Kingdom Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council. As per its mandate, the Forum will be organized by the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT), convened by UN-DESA and UNCTAD, and the 10-Member Group of high-level representatives appointed by the Secretary General.
In line with recent mandates and as in previous years, the STI Forum will facilitate discussions on science, technology and innovation cooperation in support of the SDGs. In addition to providing the mandated inputs for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to be held from 10 to 19 July 2023, the Forum will also take a broader look at the contribution of STI to the achievement of all the SDGs in recognition of the September mid-term review of SDG progress.
Accordingly, the theme for the STI Forum 2023 is: “Science, technology and innovation for accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”.

Clean Energy Technologies to meet SDGs in Small Island States
2023-05-03 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
This Virtual Event will provide a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among experts in the field of sustainable energy and island communities. It will explore innovative technologies, best practices, and policy frameworks for promoting sustainable energy transitions in islands. The outcomes of the will contribute to the development of sustainable energy solutions for island communities, and ultimately, to the achievement of global Sustainable Development Goals. This event continues the discourse on concrete implementation and solutions in preparation for the Fourth International Conference on SIDS to be held in 2024 and towards the 2030 Sustainable Development goals milestones.

Sustainable Investment Forum Europe 2023
2023-05-09 03:00 - 12:30 | Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel, 18 Avenue De Suffren, 22 Rue Jean Rey Entrée Au, Paris, 75015, France
In partnership with UNEP FI, Climate Action will host the 6th annual Sustainable Investment Forum Europe in Paris on 09 May 2023. The forum’s mission is to support European and global action for an equitable and just transition in sustainable investing.
The Forum will provide the medium to foster solutions for sustainable investors as they grapple with challenging terrain caused by the practical challenges of new regulations, a global energy crisis, greenwashing, and more.

CS79 Side-event: Mine Action for Sustainable Development
2023-05-15 02:00 - 03:30 | Bangkok, Thailand & Virtual Event, Bangkok, Thailand
The existence of landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERWs) because of protracted sequence of domestic and regional conflicts has for decades severely affected countries in the Asia and the Pacific, resulting in thousands of casualties and injuries every year, millions of internally displaced people and many more lives in danger. 21 countries in the region were identified as the affected countries, although extent varied across countries. While efforts and commitments to clear landmines under Article 5 of the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) continue to be undertaken by countries and development partners, few countries are on track to fulfil their obligations due to political, geographical, financial and capacity constraints.
Landmines undermine socio-economic development of the countries and livelihood of people in local communities. They refrain people from access to farming and pastoral lands, trading, housing, and other necessary infrastructures, presenting a great risk for local populations. They pose severe social consequences and considerable burdens on victims/survivors and their family, including expenses on long-term medical care, loss of employment, poverty, hunger, discrimination, and social stigma. The presence of mine contamination in agricultural lands and community environments also makes adapting to the negative impact of climate change largely difficult especially for the vulnerable groups in society.
These challenges around landmines have had a cross cutting impact, affecting not only the country’s development but also its path towards achieving the SDGs as it hinders the economy from reaching its full potential. Against this background, mine-clearing efforts and continued endeavours to address economic, social and environmental consequences of landmines are key to building confidence, in which people can live safely and freely from constraints, and support inclusive, resilient and sustainable development.
The session aims to raise awareness to a broader audience of the challenges and issues of demining and to engage in frank dialogue with experts and institutions on addressing the social and economic development impacts to communities and societies. The deliberations will also highlight the links between mine action and the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs
Representatives of Asia and the Pacific, international and regional organizations, national entities, including non-governmental organizations, private sector, who are engaged in the activities related to mine action will participate.
To join, please register here https://forms.office.com/e/rnVvudthLR and here https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/.

ESCAP-SCO Side Event: Enabling Food Systems Transformation through Climate Smart Agri-Innovation
2023-05-16 01:30 - 02:30 | Virtual Event
The agricultural sector in the Asia-Pacific region is suffering from a number of key constraints which are significantly worsening the vulnerability of agriculture to climate impacts in the region. Apart from being highly vulnerable to its impacts, agriculture is also an important contributor to climate change.
Agricultural innovation for development of more efficient and sustainable technologies and machinery holds significant promise to boost climate resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Apart from digital and smart technologies, there is a vital role for innovation of simple and low-cost agricultural technologies and practices for resource-poor farmers and smallholders. These can help put agriculture on a trajectory of resilient and low-carbon development.
Co-organized by ESCAP and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) during the 79th session of the Commission, the event will inform and support countries’ implementation of the national food system transformation pathway, especially in the action areas of advancing equitable livelihoods, building resilience, and accelerating the Means of Implementation. It will advance the understanding of policymakers and practitioners working in the areas of agriculture and climate change adaptation and mitigation on the need for promoting agri-innovation.
The event will be opened by remarks from senior-level speakers. This will be followed by a panel of experts that will illustrate pertinent approaches and technologies. The closing session will reflect on how such solutions can be upscaled in the region through multilateral cooperation.
Participants attending the 79th session of the Commission in Bangkok are welcome to attend in-person while the event will also be open to online participation through the registration link below. The event will be conducted in English and simultaneous interpretation will be provided in Chinese and Russian for the online participants.

Intergovernmental Consultations on Nature-Based Solutions: First Global Consultation
2023-05-16 08:00 - 2023-05-17 17:00 | Virtual Event
The first global consultation meeting in the intergovernmental consultations on nature-based solutions will be a virtual meeting. It will comprise two four-hour sessions, one held on Tuesday May 16th and one on Wednesday May 17th 2023.

UNEP webinar on report findings on solutions to end plastic pollution
2023-05-17 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Event
In this webinar, UNEP will present the key findings of its latest report “Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy“. The report proposes a systems change to address the causes of plastic pollution. It combines reducing the most problematic and unnecessary plastic uses with three market shifts – Reuse, Recycle, and Reorient and Diversify – and actions to deal with the plastic pollution legacy.

Reuse refers to the transformation of the ‘throwaway economy’ to a ‘reuse society’.
Recycling refers to the importance of accelerating the market for plastics recycling, ensuring it becomes a more profitable venture.
Reorient and Diversify refer to shifting the market demand towards sustainable plastic alternatives.

The report highlights that these solutions are available now and explains how a systems change underpinned by the necessary integrated regulatory instruments will result in social, environmental, and economic benefits.

What the COP15 Global Biodiversity Framework Means for Your Company
2023-05-18 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
With representatives from leading businesses, corporate biodiversity initiatives, and indigenous groups, this webinar will focus on outcomes of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). This event will give businesses a better understanding of their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity, as well as practical ways to engage in corporate investment initiatives and build cross-sector partnerships to restore the natural environment.

UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Asia Pacific 2023
2023-05-23 20:00 - 2023-05-25 03:30 | Seoul, South Korea, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
The UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Asia Pacific will be held in person on 24-25 May in Seoul, South Korea. The event will convene UNEP FI members, policymakers, civil society organisations, and academia to discuss the advancement of sustainable finance, its challenges, and solutions in Asia Pacific.
In addition to having the opportunity to network with the finance community in the region, speakers and participants will explore important issues specific to the region, including net zero banking and insurance, ASEAN taxonomies as guiding frameworks for the finance sector, understanding and managing nature-related risks, financial health and inclusion, and more.

Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution
2023-05-29 08:00 - 2023-06-02 17:00 | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Headquarters in Paris, France, Paris, France
The second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-2) will take place from 29 May to 2 June 2023 at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, France. The meeting will be preceded by regional consultations on 28 May 2023, at the same venue.
Practical information regarding the meeting and the venue is available in the Information Note for Participants (13 April 2023). Participants are strongly encouraged to read the information note to get acquainted with all the meeting logistics, including visa procedures for entry in France. This note will be continually updated with the necessary practical and logistical information.

2023 Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Sustainable Maritime Connectivity
2023-05-29 21:30 - 2023-05-31 06:30 | Virtual Event
Maritime and port activities serve as a key enabler of all dimensions of sustainable development and of deeper regional integration due to their vital role as the gateway for international trade. Despite the diversity of Asia and the Pacific region, which includes coastal countries, small island developing States or archipelago countries, there are several common issues that they all should consider in establishing their maritime and port development policies, such as supporting the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, achieving the greenhouse gas reduction targets, promoting technological innovation in the shipping and port industries and collaborating with the private sector to improve shipping performance.
Regular sharing of best practices and experiences on these and related issues can contribute to promoting better maritime transport connectivity as well as stimulating collective action for achieving SDGs. In recognition of this, the Regional Action Programme for Sustainable Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific (2022–2026), adopted at the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Transport in Bangkok in December 2021, includes a systematic regional dialogue on sustainable and resilient maritime connectivity, including the promotion of the development of low- and zero-emissions green shipping for Asia and the Pacific in close partnership with global and regional actors and the shipping industry.
The 2023 edition of the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Sustainable Maritime Connectivity will be held in Bangkok, Thailand and online on 30-31 May 2023. The event will bring together experts from the member countries and relevant organizations to engage on a wider array of issues relevant for strengthening and enhancing maritime connectivity in Asia and the Pacific, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia.

The SDG Business Breakdown: Supply Chain & Operations
2023-06-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
To efficiently contribute to the creation of a more prosperous planet, sustainability needs to be embedded in a company’s DNA. This can be a challenging task, especially for departments who do not directly work on sustainability issues.
The UN Global Compact Network USA will host The Business Breakdown of the SDGs webinar series to provide companies with the opportunity to integrate the SDGs into each core function of their business. This series aims to help non-sustainability professionals integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into their day-to-day work. By ‘breaking down’ a business by function in each webinar, the series is designed to provide department-specific insight, knowledge, and inspiration needed to make a positive impact on the company’s SDG strategy.
This session will provide Supply Chain & Operations professionals with the insight, tools, and actions to integrate the SDGs into their work. The webinar will feature Supply Chain & Operations professionals who have made a significant impact on their company’s SDG strategy.

Bonn Climate Change Conference 2023
2023-06-05 08:00 - 2023-06-15 17:00 | Virtual Event
The Bonn Climate Change Conference is scheduled from 5 to 15 June 2023. The pre-sessional meetings take place 30 May to 4 June. Building on the mandates that emerged from COP 27 in Egypt last year, the conference will host a large number of mandated events and continue discussions on issues of critical importance, such as the global stocktake, global goal on adaptation, just transition, loss and damage and the mitigation work programme. The conference is expected to make progress on these and other important issues and prepare draft decisions for adoption at COP 28 / CMP 18 / CMA 5 in the UAE in December 2023.

United Nations World Oceans Day 2023
2023-06-08 10:00 - 13:30 | Virtual Event
JOIN UN WOD 2023
The ocean covers the majority of the earth, but only a small portion of its waters has been explored. Despite humanity’s utter reliance on it, and compared to the breadth and depth of what it gives us, the ocean receives only a fragment of our attention and resources in return.
But tides are changing.
To celebrate the United Nations World Oceans Day 2023 theme, Planet Ocean, the United Nations is joining forces with decision makers, scientists, private sector executives, civil society representatives, indigenous communities, celebrities and youth activists and more to put the ocean first.

Health is our greatest wealth: Setting the global sustainability agenda for the life & health insurance industry
2023-06-21 05:00 - 08:00 | Virtual Event
The UN Environment Programme’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI), is hosting an event that will amplify sustainability action and ambition for the life & health insurance industry in this UN Decade of Action. The event will be hosted by Vitality, a PSI signatory company, and will run from 10:00 to 13:00 BST on Wednesday, 21 June 2023. In-person participation is by invitation only. The event will be livestreamed on the UNEP FI YouTube channel. Click here to register for the livestream and add the event to your calendar.
In a post-COVID world increasingly impacted by climate change, nature loss, social inequality and the cost of living crisis, this event will feature the launch of a timely paper, “Health is our greatest wealth: How life & health insurers can drive better health outcomes and address the protection gap”. This paper is a collaborative effort by the PSI’s Life & Health Working Group—comprising 10 leading insurers and reinsurers from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America—co-led by HSBC Life and the UN, and supported by Ernst & Young LLP.
The programme will also include a CEO panel discussion, bringing together leading companies’ CEOs and other senior representatives from the insurance industry, in an engaging high-level panel discussion on the key sustainability challenges and opportunities for life & health insurers.

Investing with Nature: Deep dive on nature-based solutions in freshwater ecosystems
2023-06-27 08:00 - 09:30 | Virtual Event
Freshwater is not only indispensable for wildlife, people and planet, it is also the habit of a wide variety of fish, plant and crustacean species. The freshwater ecosystem comprises of lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, springs, bogs and wetlands, and provides transport routes, hydropower, irrigation and drinking water, as well as a wide range of other ecosystem services such as recreation, landscape and biodiversity. Moreover, it also helps prevent erosion, dispose of waste and provides natural protection from flooding.
However, threats such as pollution, climate change, water-related diseases as well as harmful human activities are putting the freshwater ecosystem in danger, therefore posing significant risks to animals, the environment, humans and the economy. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can be a cost-effective method to optimize the economic potential of the ecosystem, while enhancing its services and preserving biodiversity. For example, in the case of freshwater ecosystems, NbS can help build resilience against floods, combat climate change and support people’s health via clean water.
The third deep dive session of the new “Investing in Nature: Exploring Investment Opportunities Across Ecosystems” webinar series – funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – will explain the importance of water in nature and practical ways to invest in freshwater as a nature-based solution. The panel discussion will focus on the experiences and perspectives of private and civil society actors investing in freshwater-related nature-based solutions.

Session 3: Resilience in a time of crisis: Transforming Energy access, Climate Action Learning and strengthening indigenous knowledge to achieve the SDGs
2023-07-11 08:30 - 10:00 | Virtual Event
Resilience in a time of crisis: Transforming Energy access, Climate Action Learning and strengthening indigenous knowledge to achieve the SDGs

Fourth Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
2023-07-16 10:00 - 16:30 | United Nations New York Headquarters, 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Background

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement are intrinsically linked, and one cannot be achieved without the other. In the same spirit, the Secretary-General in a recent address on his 2023 priorities stressed that “Climate action is the 21st century’s greatest opportunity to drive forward all the Sustainable Development Goals.” As such, maximizing on the interlinkages between the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement by leveraging climate action and SDG synergies has the potential of achieving both agendas faster, while ensuring a just and equitable future.
Integrated planning, coherent policies, and economic stimulus investments designed to meet both the SDGs and climate challenges can generate significant co-benefits and speed up progress. Research has shown that aligning actions on climate and SDGs globally can yield up to US$26 trillion before 2030 in economic gains, produce over 65 million new green jobs, and save approximately 7 million premature deaths per year. With concerted and coordinated global public and private collaborative efforts, achievement of all SDGs can be advanced, trade-offs avoided, and social disparities reduced.

FOURTH GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE AND SDG SYNERGIES

The Fourth Global Climate and SDG Synergy Conference is convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Conference is conducted in association with the 2023 HLPF. It thus also provides delegations the opportunity to reflect their on-going review of progress on achieving the SDGs, notably SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17, in a wider context of the multiple interlinkages between these goals and global climate action. The Conference will take stock of progress on synergistic action at all levels. It will also shed light on some of key findings and messages from the work of the Expert Group on Climate and SDG Synergies. More specifically, the Fourth Global Conference on Climate and SDD Synergies will deliver:

A forward-looking summary, with a set of key recommendations for enhancing synergistic implementation of the SDGs and climate action at the political level as well as practical levels.
A set of empirical evidence on climate action and the SDGs co-benefits, including how various stakeholders are progressing in delivering jointly on these two agendas and transitioning towards just, equitable, and climate compatible pathways.

2023 Higher Education Sustainability Initiative Global Forum
2023-07-17 10:00 - 13:00 | United Nations New York Headquarters, 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) is an open partnership between several United Nations entities and the higher education community launched in the lead-up to the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. It is currently chaired by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the Sulitest Association – a non-profit organization and online platform aimed at improving sustainability literacy for all. Other UN partners include UNESCO, UN Environment Programme, UN Global Compact’s Principles for Responsible Management Education initiative, UN University, UN-HABITAT, UNCTAD, UNITAR, UN Office for Partnerships and UN Academic Impact.
Each year, HESI organizes a global forum as a special event to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) – UN’s main platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level – to highlight the critical role of higher education in achieving sustainable development.
This year’s HLPF is focused on “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”. The HLPF will provide an in-depth review of SDGs 6 on clean water and sanitation, 7 on affordable and clean energy, 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, 11 on sustainable cities and communities and 17 on partnerships for the Goals. The HESI Global Forum will examine the role of higher education in achieving these goals.

2023 SDG Global Business Forum
2023-07-18 08:30 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
Turbocharging the 2030 Agenda with business impact
As we approach the halfway mark to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the world has been confronted with a complex web of interconnected crises that have put the achievement of the 2030 Agenda at serious risk. What needs to change to get back on track to achieve the 2030 Agenda? Who needs to play a more prominent role? How do we ensure a just and fair transition to net zero? What immediate action can companies, governments, business organizations and civil society take to move the needle on the 2030 Agenda?
This year’s 2023 SDG Global Business Forum, taking place alongside important policy debates at the ministerial segment of the 2023 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), will welcome a global community of movers and shakers, problem solvers and innovators to debate these questions, discuss priorities, build alliances and co-create high-impact business solutions to turbocharge the SDGs in the remaining seven years before 2030.
In-person registration is now closed. Those with a valid UN grounds pass or stakeholders already registered to attend the 2023 HLPF can attend in person.
An engaging virtual hour–long session is open and the remaining sessions will be available to view
on UN Web TV.

3rd International Forum on Low-Carbon Cities: City-led climate actions in North-east Asia
2023-08-28 19:30 - 2023-08-29 04:30 | Incheon (Hybrid), Republic of Korea
The 3rd International Forum on Low-Carbon Cities will be jointly organized by ESCAP East and North-East Asia Office and Incheon Metropolitan City on 29 August 2023 during the Korea Global Adaptation Week, in collaboration with Green Climate Fund, Incheon Carbon Neutrality Center, ICLEI, innovative Green Development Program, CityNet, Climate Change Center and Local Government Association for Climate and Energy Transition. The Forum is expected to facilitate information sharing and strengthen partnership and peer-learning among cities and city networks in North-East Asia and beyond, by bringing together local governments, international and regional organizations, national and regional city networks and various stakeholders.
More details including registration site will be updated in due course.

8th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum (APAN Forum)
2023-08-30 00:00 - 2023-09-01 23:59 | Songdo Convensia Convention Center, Incheon City, Korea, Republic of
Considered Asia-Pacific’s largest and longest-standing gathering of adaptation practitioners to share information, knowledge and best practices in adaptation and resilience-building, the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum (APAN Forum) is the biennial flagship event of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) Secretariat, hosted within the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
The APAN Forum serves as a primary regional platform for adaptation practitioners to meet, exchange knowledge and experiences, and collaborate towards the pertinent outcomes and practical solutions that are needed to address the challenges of climate change.
The 8th APAN Forum will take place in-person from 30 August (Wednesday) to 1 September (Friday) during the Korea Global Adaptation Week (KGAW) 2023. It will be hosted by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Environment Institute – Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change and Incheon Metropolitan City, and co-organised by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UNEP through the APAN Secretariat.
Objectives
The APAN Forum aims to:

Enhance understanding of climate change adaptation issues, approaches, and policies for effective planning;
Provide a comprehensive report on actions taken and progress made to address knowledge, policy, and funding gaps since the last APAN Forum;
Serve as a platform for accelerating action and implementing adaptation knowledge and programmes, offering actionable guidelines for communities, practitioners, and policymakers;
Formulate recommendations to expand adaptation efforts in the Asia-Pacific region, guiding contributions to COPs and other global/regional initiatives; and,
Promote climate change adaptation and resilience through knowledge sharing, collaboration, and amplification of messages from local to global levels.

Forum Theme
Resilience for All: Enabling transformative implementation
Over the past two decades, Resilience has served as a unifying theme for the APAN Forums. The past years have seen significant efforts towards generating knowledge and information on climate change adaptation at the global and regional levels. However, we are still significantly off-schedule to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and the world is in a state of climate emergency. The current climate change impacts are evident and disruptive in sectors like agriculture, ecosystems, human health, urban settlements and infrastructure.
Therefore, this year’s theme underscores the urgency of adaptation action that is required to build resilience and equip communities with the capacity to withstand and moderate worst-case climate scenarios. It is also in line with the key outcomes of COP 27, further emphasising the importance of transformative approach to accelerating and enhancing adaptation efforts.
Target Participants
Representatives from governments, financing institutions, academia and research, international organisations, UN agencies, civil society organisations, youth organisations and the private sector, among others, will participate in the 8th APAN Forum to work together to build and strengthen partnerships across sectors for adaptation action. The Forum will also provide a space to reflect on the outcomes of COP 27, and to highlight regional lessons learned. These will serve as inputs for the discussions at COP 28, which is to be held at the Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates in November 2023.
