FEATURED
World Bank Group, EC Outline Collaboration on “Future of Work”
4 February 2019: In a joint Communique, the World Bank Group (WBG) and the European Commission (EC) outline plans for coordination on the “future of work” in all countries and regions where they operate. The Communique underscores the need to tackle this issue in order to successfully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and reach the SDGs.
30 January 2019: In 2018, moderate declines in investments in renewables globally were offset by increased investments in energy efficiency technologies across the building industry and transport sectors.
UNU-INWEH Report Highlights Importance of Groundwater in SDGs
January 2019: The UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) has analyzed connections between actions to achieve the SDGs and their potential impacts on groundwater. While the SDGs do not explicitly mention groundwater, the UNU-INWEH analysis finds many mutually reinforcing links between groundwater availability and action on the SDGs.
NEWS
UNDP, UN Women Present Evidence on Gender Equality as SDG Accelerator
4 February 2019: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women released a discussion paper setting out arguments for gender equality as an accelerator for progress across all the SDGs. The paper recommends adopting a holistic approach to gender equality focused on transforming structures that create and perpetuate gender equalities, in order to support integrated achievement of the SDGs.
IOC-UNESCO Provides Update on SDG 14 Indicator Development
31 January 2019: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) has shared an update on progress in measuring four of the targets for SDG 14 (life below water). Two of the indicators for these targets require methodological development, and two require additional data.
Online Portal Increases Transparency of UNDP-supported, GCF-financed Projects
30 January 2019: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have set up an online portal that focuses on UNDP-supported, GCF-financed projects and programmes. The portal contributes to efforts under the enhanced transparency framework established under the Paris Agreement on climate change by providing information on support provided and received.
Ocean Database Features Updated Marine Status and Trends
29 January 2019: The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) released an updated version of its ocean database. The database’s new infrastructure and technology enable new data to be immediately processed, integrated into the database and made publicly available.
ECOSOC President Outlines Structure of Work for 2019
23 January 2019: The President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) briefed UN Member States on the Council’s restructured work programme for 2019, outlining the three sets of meetings that will take place in the coming months. The changes to the ECOSOC calendar are being implemented for the first time in 2019, following a decision on strengthening ECOSOC that was reached in 2018.
Researchers Promote “Systems Leadership” for Achieving SDGs
January 2019: The Harvard Kennedy School, US, published a preview of research into “systems leadership,” an approach to solving complex problems, which suggests that systems leadership is suited to harnessing broad-based efforts towards achieving the SDGs. The authors argue that each of the 17 SDGs represents complex systems such as climate, food, health and cities, and achieving change will require a departure from traditional top-down, hierarchical approaches, in favor of adaptive and collaborative approaches that engage with diverse stakeholders.