SDG Action was launched in 2021 by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to support the UN’s Decade of Action. Its aim is to encourage cross-sector dialogue and problem solving to accelerate the transition to sustainability.
Environment — Global
Plastic waste is at crisis point, causing untold harm to wildlife and poisoning food chains. A new plastics treaty could help turn the tide and avoid irreversible damage to species and ecosystems – countries must take bold action now
Funding for polluting projects remains alarmingly high. We need to urgently switch this finance toward sustainable projects. The relatively cheap cost of action now compared with the economic disaster of inaction is a math “no brainer” – and the time to act is now
Leaders across government, civil society, and the private sector must support the rapid, exponential growth of low and zero-emissions technologies if the world is to achieve the Paris goals
Restoring the ocean’s health is vital to achieving many of the SDGs, as humankind will need the ocean to provide more food, energy, and jobs. Perhaps less well understood – but critical for our survival – is the vital role a healthy ocean will play in SDG 13: tackling climate change
After nearly a century of believing that engineering solutions could conquer nature to make cities productive and efficient centers of socio-economic development, some urban planners now realize that nature is something to design with, not against. But how do we invite nature back in when cities have been built to keep nature out?
Recent years have seen the G20 become more factional, with countries competing for national advantage. Indonesia, holder of the G20 presidency for 2022, intends to rally the member countries to deliver a unified, coordinated response to global challenges: a G20 for the SDGs
A global consensus on the scale of the climate crisis is emerging. Governments are starting to make the right noises. But we lack and need action, now
Communities, not bureaucracies, will be the driving force to turn the aspirations of the Paris Agreement into reality
The response to climate change needs to be based on science and accurate, timely data. In most cases, the data is available. A greater challenge is ensuring that the right people have it and know how to use it.
We are fortunate to possess an abundance of data that alerts us to the nature and potential impact of climate threats and that can also guide our response. We are not effectively using this knowledge. The human barriers slowing progress must be removed
SDGs: 13
Without accurate data on emissions, we cannot take actions to curb them – countries must do more on monitoring and reporting
COP26 will inspire new efforts to reach the ambitious SDG targets by 2030. Earth observation data from Copernicus will help us achieve these goals
27 years after its operations were suspended, a reimagined UN Trusteeship Council could find new purpose as a force for action on climate change
Development finance institutions (DFIs) continue to finance investment projects that risk impoverishing rural communities. They need to ensure at-risk communities have access to the technical support they need to navigate complex investment processes
Australia has a significant opportunity to be a solution provider in nature-based investment. However, the present economic system does not include the value of ecosystems, despite the fact that ecosystem health is essential to our very survival. An Australian program seeks to address this challenge
