POLICY BRIEFS
SDG Knowledge Weekly: Migration, Health, Gender and Data
Adam Fishman, Thematic Expert for 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (US)
Topics at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, often revolve around mobilizing finance and addressing inequality. This year, those issues came into focus through discussions about migration, gender and health, with a particular look at the need for better data. This brief explores these calls and related knowledge products from the Davos discussions.
FEATURED
WEF Launches Partnerships on Circular Economy, Oceans, Skills Development
26 January 2018: The 48th World Economic Forum (WEF 48) Annual Meeting brought together over 3,000 participants from over 100 countries to discuss opportunities for creating a shared future and embracing “our common humanity” in the face of rapid technological change. Leaders made commitments and announcements related to climate change, oceans, the digital divide, sanitation, and gender equality, among others.
Launch of National Carbon Market Moves China Closer to Clean Power, NDC Fulfillment
7 January 2018: On 19 December 2017, the government of China launched a process to design and implement a national carbon emissions trading system. Once enacted, the system will cover about 3.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the country’s electrical power sector, and surpass the EU Emissions Trading System (about 2 billion tons) as the world’s largest carbon trading system.
DESA Issues VNR Handbook, Revised Voluntary Guidelines
January 2018: The UN Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has issued a draft unedited version of a handbook on preparing Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). The handbook provides “basic, practical information” on the steps that countries may take when preparing a VNR, and is intended to be used in conjunction with the UN Secretary-General’s proposal of voluntary common reporting guidelines for VNRs, which were updated in December 2017, and are included in the handbook.
NEWS
European Union Announces Collaborative Energy Projects
29 January 2018: The EU announced various regional energy projects, including the investment of €873 million in clean energy infrastructure projects, the Smart Specialisation Platform on Energy event, and the launching of the new Energy Poverty Observatory.
UNFCCC Launches Talanoa Dialogue Platform to Boost Climate Ambition
26 January 2018: The Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has launched an interactive web portal to support the ‘Talanoa Dialogue,’ an international conversation on progress in tackling climate change and ways to increase ambition in implementing the long-term objective of the Paris Agreement adopted at COP 23.
UNEP and WTO Announce Initiative to Align Trade with Sustainable Development
26 January 2018: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP or UN Environment) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have announced an initiative to promote trade that supports both economic and sustainable development.
GIZ and Partners Host Conference on Sustainable Energy for Displaced People
25 January 2018: Participants at a conference on the theme, “Energy for Displaced People: A Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Energy Solutions in Situations of Development,” hosted by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and partners, developed recommendations for a global plan of action to ensure that refugee populations will have access to reliable, affordable, sustainable and modern energy resources by 2030.
WEF Launches Public-Private Platform on Circular Economy
24 January 2017: The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and its partners launched a Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The platform aims to enable greater cooperation among public and private-sector organizations to close the production-consumption loop, addressing problems of pollution and waste. PACE will contribute to achieving SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) by developing solutions for e-waste, plastic pollution and other SCP challenges.
UNIDO, World Bank and GIZ Develop Framework for Eco-Industrial Parks 23 January 2018: The creation of industrial parks is a recognized strategy to support industrial and commercial activity through focused infrastructure development. The resulting concentration of activity can, however, lead to negative environmental and social impacts. The concept of Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) aims to overcome those challenges and align industrial development with efforts to achieve the SDGs. The UN Industrial Organization (UNIDO), the World Bank and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) released a Framework to support EIP development.
Netherlands Conducts Audit for National SDG Preparedness
January 2018: Countries’ national supreme audit institutions (SAIs) have begun carrying out assessments of preparedness to achieve the SDGs. The Netherlands recently issued its review, while Canada has announced plans to conduct one. In total, more than 100 SAIs have shown interest in carrying out SDG-related audits, according to the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).
UNDP Releases Guidance on Mechanisms for SDG Implementation
18 December 2017: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) released a guidance note on integration and coordination mechanisms for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The note provides information on how countries have adapted or established institutional and coordination frameworks to implement the Goals, and highlights efforts to promote horizontal and vertical coherence.