SDG – APBest – Asia Pacific Basin for Energy Strategies

UN DESA VOICE MARCH 2025

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, VOL. 29, NO. 3 – MARCH 2025

Statisticians come together with a shared vision to secure trusted data

“Data are critically important for everyone,” says Stefan Schweinfest, Director of UN DESA’s Statistics Division. “All the decisions that you take in your life, you’re basing them on data,” he stressed, as we spoke on the important work of the UN Statistical Commission. On 4-7 March 2025, some 600 statisticians from across the world will come together at UN Headquarters in New York to ensure better data, better lives.

From everyday choices – what clothes to wear based on temperature data; or what route to take when commuting; to informing decisions that matter for improving peoples’ lives – it is all based on data. “You need to know how many people you have in your country and what groups you have to take particular care of,” Mr. Schweinfest said, explaining the importance of data in managing services like health care and education.

Commission to focus on two big topics this year

A veteran in the statistical community, we met Mr. Schweinfest on the eve of the Commission’s 56th session. He shared that two big topics will be addressed this year – the 2025 Systems of National Accounts, and the 2030 World Population and Housing Census Programme.

“We will adopt a new system of national accounts,” he explained, describing its most recognized element, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “The system of national accounts is the guidebook to measure your economy the same way, whether you are in Mongolia or in Paraguay,” he said, noting that using the same statistical language enables countries to successfully exchange information and experiences.

“Every decade, the United Nations calls and declares a census round,” Mr. Schweinfest continued, describing the process of countries committing to counting their people. The census will help the international community better understand where people live and what their living conditions are, which later forms the basis for policy advice and decisions. “At the end, we will have good numbers for all of the countries and the whole world,” he explained.

Combining census data with economic trends

Mr. Schweinfest also outlined the possibilities when pairing census data with economic trends.

“With the system of national accounts, you understand where income is generated, which activities generate income and how the income is distributed in your population,” he said. He also described how this process can help countries intervene when needed to make sure that the well-being of people as well as the environment are protected.

Mr. Schweinfest also emphasized that the work on going beyond GDP to make nature count, is part of ongoing efforts in the statistical community, integrating economic and environmental accounting.

How data helps advance sustainable development

“I’m very proud of the statistical community,” Mr. Schweinfest said, as we discussed the role the statistical community plays in advancing sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“I think the deliberate decision in 2015 was to make the development agenda an accountability framework. That’s why it was structured in goals, targets and indicators. And whilst the goals and targets obviously come from the political sphere, the indicators were really managed in this room,” he said, describing how these 240 indicators help the international community measure and assess SDG progress every year.

A professional community of solidarity, with a shared vision

As the UN Statistical Commission comes together this month, it will also discuss other important matters including the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, SDG indicators, environment and climate change statistics, environmental-economic accounting, household surveys, economic statistics, and many more topics.

Mr. Schweinfest described the privilege he feels, being part of the Commission’s work. “To look at this room full of people who’ve come to […] discuss these topics, that is always a fantastic feeling,” he said. “I look at us as a community of solidarity, a professional community with a shared vision,” he continued, stressing that it is all about ensuring data quality and reliability.

He also looked back at some major developments of the Commission’s work over the past 36 years. “It is a much bigger Commission,” he explained, sharing how there are many more countries participating. “Nowadays we have sessions with 120 and 140 countries […]. It has also become much bigger and broader in terms of topics,” he said, highlighting integrated economic and environmental statistics, as well as human rights and governance statistics, as some of the new areas covered by the Commission.

Mr. Schweinfest also highlighted that there are more interesting data sources these days, including private sector data, big data, citizen reported data, geographical and geospatial data.

As we wrapped up our interview in Conference Room 4 at UN Headquarters, or the Commission’s “natural habitat”, as Mr. Schweinfest described it, he concluded, “I’ve always considered that this is the best job in the universe.”

Be sure to follow Mr. Schweinfest and the action at the 56th Session of the UN Statistical Commission by tuning in to UN Web TV on 4-7 March 2025.

EXPERT VOICES

How the Development Cooperation Forum delivers SDG impact

This month, the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) will come together to discuss global financial architecture reforms and financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ahead of the event, we spoke with Shari Spiegel, Director of UN DESA Financing for Sustainable Development Office, who highlighted the Forum’s significance in shaping international development cooperation and accelerating progress toward the goals.

What role does the Forum play in supporting other significant milestones for 2025?

“The DCF is particularly crucial this year as it will inform the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and the 2025 High-Level Political Forum—especially discussions on strengthening global financial architecture reforms and enhancing the means of implementations of the SDGs. More than just a policy dialogue, the 2025 DCF presents a key opportunity to ensure development cooperation delivers real, measurable results in line with country needs and priorities.”

What key issues will the Forum address this year?

“The 2025 Forum comes at a pivotal moment amid a lively global discourse on the importance of international development cooperation. With 600 million people still projected to live in extreme poverty by 2030 and an SDG financing gap of up to $4 trillion annually, discussions at the Forum will focus on making development cooperation more effective, inclusive, and responsive to country needs and priorities.

On day one, the Forum will explore how development cooperation can better respond to today’s challenges, balancing crisis response with long-term sustainable development. Discussions will also examine how development finance tools and instruments—such as grants, loans, and blended finance—can be adapted to better serve national development strategies. Strengthening country leadership and ownership in directing development efforts will also be a major theme.

On day two, the focus will shift to enhancing coordination among development partners, ensuring that cooperation is driven by national needs and priorities. The Forum will also explore ways to strengthen global and regional cooperation, making development efforts more cohesive and impactful.”

How does the Forum help advance the SDGs?

“A key discussion in the Forum will be how to ensure we advance all of the SDGs not just a select few, especially by balancing humanitarian aid with long-term development and climate adaptation. Experts will also address the growing fragmentation of development finance and strategies to ensure stronger collaboration across all actors.”

Learn more about the Development Cooperation Forum 2025, taking place on 12-13 March under the theme “Transforming International Development Cooperation: From Global Dialogue to Action,” here.

Things You Need To Know

5 reasons why the International Day of Forests matters

This year’s International Day of Forests highlights the vital role of forests in food security, nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods. This year’s theme, “Forests and Foods,” connects forests to global efforts to combat hunger, protect biodiversity, and address climate change. Here are 5 reasons why this year’s theme is so important.

1. Forests feed the world

Forests provide a variety of edible resources, from fruits, nuts, and seeds to wild game and mushrooms. More than five billion people depend on forests and non-timber products for food, medicine, and income.

2. Forests are key to achieving zero hunger

By sustaining pollinators, improving soil fertility, and regulating water cycles, forests enhance agricultural productivity. Agroforestry—a farming method that integrates trees and crops—can boost food security while preserving ecosystems.

3. Forest conservation is climate action

Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing billions of metric tonnes of CO₂ annually. Sustainable forest management helps mitigate climate change, protecting food systems from climate-related disasters like droughts and floods.

4. Forests maintain biodiversity and life on land

Forests host 80% of terrestrial species, supporting ecosystems that sustain healthy, resilient food systems. Protecting forests is crucial for maintaining biodiversity, preventing land degradation, and securing food sources.

5. Forests support livelihoods and local economies

Millions, especially Indigenous Peoples and rural communities, rely on forests for employment and income. Strengthening sustainable forest-based value chains—like non-timber forest products—improves economic resilience.

The International Day of Forests, observed annually on 21 March is led by the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat, UN DESA, and FAO to raise awareness and promote sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all forests and trees for present and future generations. This year’s International Day of Forests reminds us that forests and food are deeply interconnected.

Join the conversation using #ForestDay and help advocate for sustainable forest management and food security for all! You can also join the event at UN Headquarters in-person or through UN WebTV.

International Day of Clean Energy 26 January

Solar energy is the most abundant of all energy resources and can even be harnessed in cloudy weather.
Photo:Raphael Pouget/UNICEF

Clean energy: for all…
Energy lies at the core of a double challenge: leaving no one behind and protecting the Planet. And clean energy is crucial to its solution.

In a world grappling with climate change, clean energy plays a vital role in reducing emissions, and can also benefit communities lacking access to reliable power sources. Still today, 685 million people live in the dark – more than 80 per cent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The connection between clean energy, socio-economic development, and environmental sustainability is crucial in addressing issues faced by vulnerable communities worldwide.

For populations without clean energy access, the lack of reliable power hinders education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, and many of these developing regions still rely heavily on polluting fossil fuels for their daily life, perpetuating poverty. If current trends continue, by 2030 around 1.8 billion people will still use unsafe, unhealthy and inefficient cooking systems, such as burning wood or dung.

Although this situation has generally been improving, the most recent figures show that the number of people without electricity actually increased by 10 million in 2022, as population growth outpaced progress. The world is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

… and for our planet
But adopting clean energy is integral to the fight against climate change, as well.

A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the Sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas) to generate electricity and heat.

The science is clear: to limit climate change, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable. Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.

At the same time, improving energy efficiency is key. Using less energy for the same output – through more efficient technologies in the transport, building, lighting, and appliances sectors for instance: saves money, cuts down on carbon pollution, and helps ensure universal access to sustainable energy for all.

Background

The International Day of Clean Energy on 26 January was declared by the General Assembly (resolution A/77/327) as a call to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet.

26 January is also the founding date of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a global intergovernmental agency established in 2009 to support countries in their energy transitions, serve as a platform for international cooperation, and provide data and analyses on clean energy technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment.

Did you know?
Coal, oil, and gas (fossil fuels) are responsible for nearly 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Scientists emphasize the need to cut emissions by almost half by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Fossil fuels still dominate global energy production, but renewable sources of energy, such as wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, now power about 29% of electricity worldwide.

Read more here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/clean-energy-d

UN DESA Voice January 2025: Milestone events to advance sustainable development

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, VOL 29, NO. 1 – JANUARY 2025

3 milestone moments in 2025 to shape our sustainable future

While we’ve just counted down to a new year, another clock continues to tick: for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. In 2025 – the 80th anniversary of the United Nations – UN DESA will continue accelerating progress by bringing the international community together, by building capacity on the ground and by providing essential data through our flagship publications. Here are some milestone moments to follow in 2025.

EXPERT VOICES

Behind the numbers of a new report on the global economy

On 9 January, UN DESA will release the 2025 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report, presenting the latest forecast for the global economy. What makes this edition different from other reports covering the global economy and what can we expect from it this year? We spoke with Katarzyna Rokosz and Zhenqian Huang – members of the WESP team – to find out.

UN DESA Voice December 2024: Building our digital future together

Building our digital future together

There is now little distinction between our offline and online lives. The Internet and digital technologies are so woven into the everyday fabric of societies that losing access—or trust—can feel like the ground shifting beneath us. Yet, 2.6 billion remain offline, left out of opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic growth.

Those who are online face growing threats to their privacy, security, and rights, while rapid changes driven by AI create uncertainty and unease about the future.

This December in Riyadh, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) convened by the UN Secretary-General will address these issues head-on. The aim? To build a digital ecosystem that works for everyone, everywhere, based on multistakeholder exchanges among diverse communities navigating digital transformation.

Questions like how digital tools can foster peace and sustainability, how we close the connectivity gap, how we mainstream human rights across the digital landscape, and how we ensure AI serves society—not exploits it—are on the agenda. Whether they are government ministers, legislators, youth activists or technical experts, participants come to the IGF as equals. The Forum will foster actionable policy recommendations and deliver impactful messages worldwide.

This year’s Forum comes at a pivotal moment, just months after the adoption of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), which envisions a safer, fairer digital future, and ahead of the WSIS+20 Review in 2025, which will set out new targets for digital development and governance. Both frameworks emphasize the same core idea: digital technologies should be people-centred and approached cooperatively.

As socioeconomic and digital trajectories become interlinked, the need for risk mitigation is clear. But so, too, is the need to tap into the vast ocean of digital possibilities that will help translate technological progress into progress for people and planet.

The IGF holds out promise that global governance and cooperation, harnessing digital solutions for the climate crisis, and combatting threats like misinformation and disinformation – just some of the topics that will be discussed in Riyadh – are all possible.

For more information: Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Expert Voices

Reflections from the SDG Pavilion at COP29

The SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference has become an annual stop for many interested in climate and SDG synergies. We spoke with two veterans of the past six SDG Pavilions—Ariel Alexovich, Sustainable Development Officer in UN DESA’s Office of the Under-Secretary-General, and Nadine Salame, Senior Programme Management Assistant in the Division for Sustainable Development Goals—about their recent experience at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Set the scene for us: What was the energy like at COP29 and the SDG Pavilion?

AA: “Truly, the energy was fantastic. People were very positive and seemed very happy to see us representing the SDGs with our colourful branding and full programme connecting the world’s climate work with its sustainable development work.

That said, the workday could be quite chaotic. Each day there were multiple sources demanding your attention at once. For instance, there’s the tech team you’ve just met and are trying to get up to speed, there are partners from the event currently on stage asking for a new microphone, there are people from the next event asking about their upcoming PowerPoint, all the while you’re taking photos, distributing headphones to the audience, and fielding hundreds of requests for free SDG pins—it’s a lot. Fortunately, we have each other to rely upon for support.”

There was a vibrant array of voices represented. Can you tell us about the diversity of perspectives and how they enriched conversations?

NS: “With more than 300 applications for about 50 slots, we were grateful that our partners saw the value in holding their events at the SDG Pavilion. Of course we have a good number of UN DESA-led events, but we open our stage to Member States, partners in the UN system and other stakeholders including youth groups and Indigenous organizations.

We especially enjoy working on the SDG Pavilion because we get to work with different teams across UN DESA. Over the years we’ve had events highlighting the special climate challenges facing small island developing States, forests, sustainable transport, climate finance and the climate impacts related to population growth, among others. This year, the special Forest Pavilion was hosted within the SDG Pavilion, making the conversations even more enriching, lively and diverse.”

What were some memorable moments that stood out to you?

NS: “Even though we prepare for the SDG Pavilion for months, a lot of the memorable things happen the day before COP starts, during the set-up. Every year we get to the venue and see firsthand what we’re working with. This year, we had a beautiful booth in a prime location next to UNFCCC and near the host country. However, we were missing a wall, some artwork and the label that actually said, “SDG Pavilion.” So, we do a lot of troubleshooting.

I will also remember Baku. It’s a beautiful city and the COP was very well organized in terms of reliable transport shuttles and very little security queues. We had some excellent meals in the city, too. “

AA: “For sure, I will remember the people we met, like our crew on the ground from India and Germany, and some of the SDG Pavilion visitors who traded pins with us, especially these three women from Uganda with whom I really made a connection.

Otherwise, some highlights were USG Li Junhua’s engagements in the Pavilion on the first day, and I enjoyed interviewing the Special Envoy for the Ocean, several Resident Coordinators, and explorer Bertrand Piccard in our social media space.”

Watch the events broadcast on UN DESA’s YouTube platform here.

A recap of events can also be obtained via the SDG Pavilion newsletter here.

Photo credit: UN DESA

Things You Need To Know

5 things to know about the leadership of persons with disabilities
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On 3 December, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” The commemoration will highlight the strides made and the challenges ahead. Here are 5 things you should know about the leadership of persons with disabilities:

1. The leadership of persons with disabilities is based on the principle of “nothing about us without us”

This phrase highlights the crucial need for their participation, representation and inclusion. It emphasizes the importance of their active involvement in decision-making processes to influence the conditions affecting their lives, ensuring that policies and initiatives consider their viewpoints and priorities.

2. Over the years, persons with disabilities and organizations representing them have led important community-driven efforts

These initiatives aim not only to advocate for their rights and well-being but also to promote inclusive development. By using both specific and general approaches, they help improve universal access to essential services and resources. Recent global climate change conferences have demonstrated a growing advocacy for disability inclusion and the rights of persons with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, in climate action.

3. The global disability rights movement has achieved significant milestones, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and UN Security Council Resolution 2475

The CRPD is especially important because it incorporates development objectives for persons with disabilities into international human rights frameworks and highlights their leadership in creating this treaty. Resolution 2475 was the first instance where the Security Council focused on the protection and circumstances of persons with disabilities in peace and security situations, highlighting their crucial impact on shaping international policy.

4. The Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 offers opportunities to enhance leadership among people with disabilities.

The Summit aims to address social development gaps, revitalize the 2030 Agenda, and stress the importance of including persons with disabilities in achieving sustainable peace and development. This year, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Inclusive development for and with persons with disabilities”, calling upon Member States, the UN system and other partners to promote the participation and perspectives of persons with disabilities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and continue to advance disability inclusion across the pillars of the UN’s work.

5. Leadership will be front and center at the commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities

On 3 December, 2024, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” The commemoration at UN Headquarters in New York will highlight the strides made and the challenges ahead, including upcoming key global milestones like the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025. By harnessing the leadership of persons with disabilities, we can advance towards a future that ensures sustainable peace and inclusive development for all.

For more information: International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Photo Credit: UNDP/Duško Miljanić

UN DESA Voice November 2024: We must urgently act to advance social development

Social development in times of converging crises: A call for global action

Social development in times of converging crises: A call for global action
Global shocks and crises have become more intense, widespread and interlinked, creating consequential challenges to social development. Pandemics, violent conflicts and a spate of climate-related disasters have hit the most vulnerable people and societies the hardest.

For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the first global increase in extreme poverty in 20 years and contributed to growing inequalities between and within countries. While macroeconomic recoveries are under way, the setbacks to social development are lasting longer, especially in countries in special situations.

The recently launched World Social Report 2024 estimates that the shocks and crises of the last few years could result in a cumulative economic output loss of more than $50 trillion between 2020 and 2030, reflecting lost opportunities for investing in social development. The report finds that people in countries with strong social protection systems have fared better during recent crises. However, only half of the world has access to at least one social protection benefit. To increase coverage, the report calls for a human rights-based approach to social protection, prescribed by law, that can guarantee its continuity and predictability in times of crisis.

Yet, many developing countries lack the necessary fiscal space to achieve universal social protection. International support is needed to free up and mobilize resources, including through debt treatments and additional financial and technical support. The report suggests exploring debt swaps for SDG investments that could secure long term, resilient pathways for social development.

Global action is needed to reduce systemic risks and build universal resilience against these interlinked crises. This includes developing early warning systems, accelerating climate change mitigation, ensuring global financial stability and preventing pandemics and spillovers of violent conflict.

Building on the recent Pact for the Future, the World Social Report 2024 recognizes the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development and the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 as opportunities to commit to further actions to advance social development.

Access the full report here.

EXPERT VOICES

EVAdvocating for better data to measure sustainable development

This month, the United Nations will hold the fifth World Data Forum attracting 3,000 participants to Medellin, Colombia to discuss the latest progress in data and statistics to advance sustainable development. The Forum will champion four themes – innovation and inclusivity, data use and value, trust and protection and partnership and coordination across four days and over 100 different events. Ahead of this biennial event, UN DESA’s Ian Rutherford tells us more.

Advocating for better data to measure sustainable development
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What are the biggest data challenges that the Forum aims to tackle?

“Data are becoming more and more common in our lives. But oftentimes, they are not used effectively to benefit people, and the capacity to take advantage of the information they provide varies widely within different groups of society. The Forum brings together governments, academia and professional associations, civil society, the private sector and international and regional agencies to improve this situation. Within governments, the Forum is directed by National Statistical Offices and the data and statistical system they operate in as a key enabler of turning data into useful and actionable statistics for measuring sustainable development.”

How can the biennial Forum encourage continuous action on the whole range of data issues?

“The Forum’s programme gives a flavor of the wide range of activities being driven by different stakeholder groups. For example, two-thirds of the sessions in the programme are focused on the future of data and statistics covering issues related to youth, gender, climate and environment, digitalisation and modernization, capacity development, data literacy and data science including AI. The Forum is equally an opportunity to showcase the adoption and scaling up of new methods and sources including the expanded use of citizen generated data, geospatial, administrative data, household surveys, earth observation data, censuses, mobile phone and social media data with over 40 sessions in the programme. These activities are nourished by their appearance at the Forum and their work will continue beyond and perhaps into future Forums as they develop and evolve.”

What legacy do you hope the fifth Forum will leave?

“The Forum’s community has grown from 2,000 people who attended the first and second Forums in Cape Town and Dubai, to an active list of over 20,000 interested stakeholders. The Forum in Medellin is likely to be the biggest in-person gathering yet with 3,000 people in attendance. This Forum will be an opportunity to launch a renewed global action plan for sustainable development data to serve the remainder of the 2030 Agenda. The plan introduces twelve new priorities, and these priorities are complemented with new and stretching actions and matching commitments.

The Forum will also continue to be a rallying point to advocate for high-quality, timely, open, and inclusive data to accelerate progress on the SDGs and to address the multiple crises that threaten our world. It will support countries, especially those in fragile contexts, to advocate for strengthening their own data and statistical systems, improving data quality, and expanding data coverage to leave no one behind.”

For more information: UN World Data Forum

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

4 things you should know about the SDG Pavilion at COP29

Showing how climate action and sustainable development support one another is critical to achieving the shared ambitions of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2018, the SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA at the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP) has grown into a premiere showcase for these connections. Here are four things to know about this year’s SDG Pavilion:

1. All eyes are on Baku, Azerbaijan, host of this year’s COP

More than 30,000 policymakers, scientists, representatives of civil society organizations and young people are expected to attend COP29 in the Azerbaijan capital, Baku, nestled on the Caspian Sea, from 11 to 22 November. COP29 is being called “the finance COP” because climate finance will be a central theme, as trillions of dollars are needed to help countries drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.

2. Forests will be in focus at the SDG Pavilion

Issues such as forest data, forest-based bioeconomies and legal frameworks for forests will be highlighted through the special Forest Pavilion at the SDG Pavilion. Each day will feature dedicated discussions about ways to amplify investment in forests in order to halt and reverse deforestation and accelerate collective action to achieve the Global Forest Goals.

3. The SDG Pavilion will feature 50+ other events related to energy, the ocean, transportation, gender equality and more

Some of the high-level speakers expected to participate include UN DESA Head Li Junhua, UN Forum on Forests Director Juliette Biao, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson, and explorer and innovator Bertrand Piccard.

4. You can watch all the SDG Pavilion action online

Check out the events live from Baku on UN DESA’s YouTube channel—or watch the recordings on your schedule—and be sure to follow UN DESA’s social media accounts for updates, too.

For more information, including the full programmes, please visit the website for the SDG Pavilion at COP29 and the UN Forum on Forests website.

UN DESA Voice September 2024: Towards a pact for a sustainable future

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, VOL. 28 – SEPTEMBER 2024

Shaping our sustainable and prosperous future together

In these uncertain times – characterized by conflicts and geopolitical tensions humanity stands at a crossroads where poverty, hunger, inequality, and the devastating effects of climate change continue to pose challenges. The only viable path to a secure, sustainable and prosperous future in which we all thrive, lies in strengthened collaboration and solidarity among peoples and nations.

Responding to these challenges, the Summit of the Future presents a unique opportunity to revitalize global cooperation, increase solidarity and strengthen commitments to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. The Summit aims to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and further facilitate the implementation of the SDGs. Multilateralism emerges as the cornerstone of these collective global efforts, providing the framework for transformative actions needed to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a reality for everyone, everywhere. Drawing on the momentum of the 2023.

SDG Summit and the 2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Summit of the Future aspires to advance this vision.

Advancing a sustainable future, while strengthening the multilateral system

This September, world leaders will gather at the United Nations Headquarters to adopt a Pact for the Future, a Global Digital Compact, and a Declaration on Future Generations as outcomes of the Summit.

The Pact for the Future calls for countries to accelerate sustainable development and financing for development; ensure peace and security; responsibly manage science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation; advance meaningful engagement of youth and future generations; and the transformation of global governance. The Global Digital Compact will serve as a guide to advance a more sustainable and inclusive digital future for all, while the Declaration on Future Generations will lay out the foundation of a world built for those who will inherit it.

Fostering inclusive dialogues

The Summit of the Future, along with the adoption of the Pact for the Future, and its interactive dialogues will take place from 22 to 23 September 2024, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

It will be preceded by two Action Days on 20 and 21 September, which will aim to mobilize governments and stakeholders towards the implementation of the Pact for the Future. The Action Days will kick off with a dedicated, youth-led afternoon followed by sessions focusing on three priority themes – digital and technology, peace and security, and sustainable development and financing.

UN DESA and UNDP are leading the organization of the Session on “A Sustainable Future for All” on 21 September. The session will focus on actions that can help to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and turbocharge progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, including by addressing financing challenges that will be at the core of discussions at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Spain in June 2025. In addition, a number of side events will be held at UN Headquarters, off-site in New York and virtually.

The Summit of the Future present an opportunity for the international community to bolster multilateral cooperation and solidarity. It aims to prepare countries to address today’s political, economic, environmental, and technological challenges while enhancing foresight on future challenges and seizing tomorrow’s opportunities. It is a call to pursue bold and transformative actions for a shared future that we can only build together.

Photo Credit: Victor Hugo / WMO

Expert Voices

Climate and SDG synergies: the linchpin for an equitable future

The evidence is clear: climate goals are inextricably tied to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With so many linkages between the health of our planet and complex challenges like conflict and food security, what can we do to navigate toward progress holistically? Ahead of the Fifth Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN DESA’s Bahareh Seyedi explains.

What opportunities does the conference present for governments to address fragmentation causing insufficient progress on both climate goals and the SDGs?

“The conference takes place at a critical time when it’s abundantly clear that the global community is off-track on both climate goals and the SDGs. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 shows that only 17 per cent of SDG targets are on track. At the same time, global greenhouse gas emissions are at their highest levels in human history. We know from the latest assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that every fraction of a degree of warming matters. With every additional increment of global warming, changes in extremes, impacts and risks become larger.

The only way to course-correct is to recognize that these crises are interconnected, and tackling them requires integrated and synergistic solutions that address multiple challenges at once. The conference brings together experts from governments and other stakeholders to take a deeper look at what it takes to move away from fragmentation and traditional siloed approaches towards integrated and synergistic solutions that effectively deliver on countries’ climate and development targets.

The dialogues at the conference will be particularly important in the context of the next round of nationally determined contributions (i.e. national climate plans) due in early 2025. Countries are expected to submit new and more ambitious climate plans that are aligned with what scientists say are necessary for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees and preventing some of the worst effects of climate change. Countries must also put people at the centre of these plans and chart pathways towards a 1.5 degrees future that are equitable and just.“

What are some examples of successful synergistic climate and SDG actions?

“There is a growing number of examples from around the world on synergistic solutions leading to both climate and SDG co-benefits. The latest reports from the Expert Group on Climate and SDG Synergy, which is a group of independent experts, co-convened by UN DESA and UNFCCC, includes a variety of such examples in the areas of policy frameworks, financing systems, cities, knowledge and data.

In many cities, for example, mitigation solutions in land transport, buildings, energy and cooling, and waste management systems have led not only to huge cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but they have also delivered benefits related to better health and air quality (SDG 3), improved food security (SDG 2), more efficient use of water (SDG 6) and energy (SDG 7), as well as reducing inequalities (SDG 10). The conference will shed light on more examples as different stakeholders are invited to share lessons learned and best practices on synergistic solutions across their areas of expertise.”

How can we ensure that everyone benefits from the proposed solutions, and not just some people?

“While there is increasing attention to equity, inclusiveness and just transition in intergovernmental fora related to climate change and development, many countries continue to grapple with socio-economic tensions arising from distributional impacts of climate policies.

To ensure synergistic solutions are inclusive and benefit all groups in society, it is critical to take into account the contextualized nature of these solutions and navigate potential trade-offs. Who benefits, who loses and who pays must be key considerations. Distributional effects, including impacts on people living in poverty and other people in vulnerable situations, which may vary in different contexts, must be taken into account. The topic of just transition and inclusive approaches that leave no one behind will be one of the main themes of the conference. “

For more information:
Climate and SDG Synergy Fifth Global Conference

Things you need to know

4 things to know about the latest global population trends

The global demographic landscape has evolved greatly, driven in large part by
rapid fertility declines in some of the world’s most populous countries.
Understanding how population trends are unfolding is critical for achieving a
more inclusive, prosperous and sustainable future. Here are four things you should know about the latest global population trends:

1. One in four people today live in a country whose population has already peaked in size

In 63 countries and areas, the size of the population peaked before 2024. For countries such as Italy, Germany and the Russian Federation, the population size would have peaked even sooner in the absence of immigration. For most countries and areas with populations that have already peaked, low levels of fertility are the major driver of the ongoing population decline.

2. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, global life expectancy is rising once again

Global life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years in 2024, having fallen from 72.6 in 2019 to 70.9 at the peak of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. In 2023, the number of deaths among children under age 5 fell below 5 million for the first time in recent history.

Despite such success, much remains to be done: 95 per cent of these child deaths
occurred in countries and areas where the population is expected to still be growing at mid-century, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

3. Women today bear one child fewer, on average, than they did around 1990

In more than half of the 235 countries and areas that comprise the global population, women are giving birth to fewer than 2.1 children over a lifetime, below the level required for a population to maintain a constant size in the absence of migration. In 2024, it is projected that 4.7 million babies will be born to mothers under age 18 worldwide. Investing in the education of young people, especially girls, and raising the average ages of marriage and of first childbearing are critical for improving women’s health and increasing their labour force participation in locations where early childbearing is still common.

4. Population ageing is an inevitable outcome of the demographic transition

The decline of fertility and the increase in life expectancy have contributed to a shift in the population age distribution towards older ages. In countries and areas with relatively low levels of fertility and high levels of life expectancy, such as Canada, France and Sweden, more than 20 per cent of the population is already aged 65 years or older in 2024. Understanding and measuring population ageing is crucial for planning and taking action to effectively address its consequences.

For more information: World Population Prospects 2024
Photo Credit: World Bank / Sarah Farhat

It’s time we embrace politics to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

By Minh-Thu Pham, Co-founder and CEO, Project Starling

Despite being an inherently political institution, the United Nations is not a place where we like to talk about politics – at least explicitly. And yet politics – which determines how our societies are governed, what the rules are, who determines them, and how we manage relations – plays a major role in whether we solve problems together and achieve the aims laid out in ambitious UN agreements. Those of us focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals or addressing climate change, or any number of global challenges must reexamine the state of our politics and figure out how to harness it to deliver results
for people.

In a world where crises no longer confine themselves to borders, the interconnected nature of our challenges demands a level of global cooperation that should be unprecedented. But trust in political leadership and in our institutions is eroding. In recent months, widespread discontent has led to historic political shifts worldwide, signaling tremendous demand for change. Leaders have inadequately addressed the public’s demands for meaningful action. The question is, will we respond to and channel that discontent in a way that regains public confidence and deliver transformative change – or will we succumb to the temptation to play it safe, stick to what we know, and avoid taking risks to do things differently? I think we must embrace risk and develop better ways to problem-solve together.

Our collective failure to act has destabilized domestic politics and eroded the foundations of global governance. As a result, our current politics have led to the decline of long established institutions and the rise of populist movements that offer simplistic, regressive solutions to complex global challenges.

In 2024, about half the world held national elections, and so far, these elections have been marked by a widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo as voters react to economic inequality, the rising cost of living, and the perception that leaders are out of touch with the realities faced by ordinary people. Economic strains have made the perceived costs of the green transition less politically palatable and driven a turn back towards unsustainable energy sources. These trends have fueled a sense that global cooperation and solidarity with people in other parts of the world will make us worse off – a fear that many politicians have used to their advantage.

Countries across the world are dealing with rising global debt, as politicians propose to cut taxes or increase government spending to gain electoral support. And geopolitical tensions and security concerns are incentivizing governments to spend more on defense and, thus, less on social programs or sustainable development.

But the real danger to global stability lies not only in the loss of power by incumbents but also in how we interpret their losses. Did politicians lose support because their constituents want them to turn inward, focus on narrow national interests, and withdraw from the world? Or did they lose support because of their failure to adequately address transnational problems that have made people worse off? What if we responded differently this time? Perhaps the time will soon come when deciding to invest in global cooperation and choosing global solidarity can win elections.

At these crossroads, the UN Summit of the Future taking place among heads of state and government at the UN this September will provide a blueprint for renewing global governance – how we work together, on what issues, and who gets to help determine the rules – which are, essentially, political questions. Importantly, it will help determine whether we move towards a more equitable and collaborative global order or retreat into narrow, nationalistic agendas that

further fracture our shared future. In sum, this Summit is important for achieving the SDGs. History has shown that moments of crisis can turn into occasions of opportunity. The last significant wave of global governance reform was born out of the devastation of global conflict, when political moods had shifted and people viewed humanity more expansively. After immense division, they were ready to collaborate.

Today, we may be on the brink of another such moment. The urgency of the moment demands us to think of politics not as divisive and cynical but as a way to bring in, unite, and inspire hope — to allow more actors to engage, to elevate the voices of the vulnerable, and to shift power and share it with those bearing the brunt of global crises.

That’s what “Leaving No One Behind” has to mean as 2030 approaches. We can’t achieve the SDGs without taking into account the desire of the public for a different kind of politics. Instead, we must respond to public discontent by changing how we make decisions and who we give power to and include in decision-making – by confronting politics head on and embracing the positive impact it can deliver. The time for unprecedented action is now.

* The views expressed in this blog are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UN DESA.

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