The state of the planet is a key topic of discussion of the work of the United Nations General Assembly, including at key moments of the year such as July’s High-level Political Forum and September’s High-Level Week. The page features highlights of the work and activities of UNEP and its partners.
18 Sep
2023
08:00
How nature can drive economic development
Nature Driving Economic Transformation: Leveraging the power of biodiversity and nature to drive equitable economic progress is one of twelve high impact initiatives, led by UN-system entities, that showcase select programmatic offerings and initiatives to support Member States efforts towards just development transitions and Sustainable Development Goal achievement.
18 Sep
2023
06:30
Coming up today: Monday highlights
Today sees a number of important events on in New York, including:
How nature can drive economic development at 9am EST
Nature Driving Economic Transformation: Leveraging the power of biodiversity and nature to drive equitable economic progress is one of twelve high impact initiatives, led by UN-system entities, that showcase initiatives to support Member States efforts towards Sustainable Development Goal achievement.
Heads of State and Government will gather at UN Headquarters in New York today and tomorrow to review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNEPFI at UNGA from 9am EST
The UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is a collaboration with the global financial sector to catalyse action for sustainable development. It will participate in numerous events at Climate Week NYC on the margins of the UNGA until Friday.
17 Sep
2023
20:22
UNEP Executive Director: "urgent and radical shift needed"
"We need an urgent and radical shift: from using nature, to working with nature. To creating nature-centred economies that understand the difference between price and value, between price and cost," said Inger Andersen United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, at the Nature Driving Economic Transformation event in New York.
Andersen laid out three key steps that are needed to live in harmony with nature:
- Implement the the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework ;
- Account for nature; and
- Take holistic action across the triple planetary crisis.
You can read the full speech here.
17 Sep
2023
09:00
Happening today: How digital technologies can accelerate progress towards the SDGs
This day-long event will feature a variety of speakers discussing how digital technologies can accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Sally Radwan, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Chief Digital Officer will be discussing UNEP’s CounterMEASURE project, which uses innovative technologies to collect and share geo-referenced data about plastic pollution in Asia, including The Mekong, the Indian part of the Ganges and rivers in Sri Lanka.
Citizen science is a key part of this effort, alongside drone imaging, machine learning and GIS algorithms. Using the project app, communities are able to identify plastic waste hotspots to help find how plastic is leaking into rivers.
15 Sep
2023
15:05
Nature driving economic transformation
This Sunday, a Nature Driving Economic Transformation High Impact Initiative – one of 12 High Impact Initiatives of the SDG Action Weekend – is taking place. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the event will feature a panel discussion where UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen will be speaking. Jordan Sanchez, a youth representative and poet, will be reciting a new, tailor-made poem on youth and biodiversity.
15 Sep
2023
11:59
SDG Mobilization Day
Tomorrow is Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Mobilization Day, which aims to create an opportunity for stakeholders from all sectors to convene inside the United Nations Headquarters and mobilize towards an ambitious SDG Summit and UN General Assembly High-Level Week.
Part of the SDG Action Weekend, the day will see events, workshops and forums featuring civil society, the private sector, youth, scientists and local and regional governments.
15 Sep
2023
10:37
Why we need to value nature
Nature has the power to drive economic transformation, as reflected in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted by 193 parties in 2022. Based on principles of sustainable use, equity and access and benefit sharing that leave no one behind, delivery of this Framework can drive more action in support of key Sustainable Development Goals.
Happening on 17 September from 11:45 – 13:15 EDT, Nature Driving Economic Transformation: Leveraging the power of biodiversity and nature to drive equitable economic progress is one of twelve high impact initiatives that help support Member States efforts towards just development transitions and SDG achievement.
14 Sep
2023
16:19
Adventurer Lewis Pugh completes Hudson River swim
Lewis Pugh completed his 507 km swim down the Hudson yesterday, highlighting the decades-long campaign to revive the Hudson River , once one of the United States’ most-polluted waterways. Pugh also hopes the swim will raise awareness among both the public and policymakers about the importance of protecting the world’s rivers, which are under mounting pressure from pollution and climate change.
14 Sep
2023
15:13
Why climate justice matters
Climate justice will be part of the discussions next week during the United Nations General Assembly, and it also played a big role in Africa Climate Week which finished last week in Nairobi. African heads of state, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme Inger Andersen all spoke of the need for climate finance for Africa that is commensurate with the scale of the crisis facing the continent.
For more information on why this subject is so important, watch this video.
13 Sep
2023
17:21
How does UNEP support the Sustainable Development Goals?
Next week, the SDG Summit will take place during the High-level Week of the General Assembly. The Summit marks the half-way point to the deadline for achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aims to respond to the impact of multiple and interlocking crises facing the world.
So, how does UNEP support the achievement of the 17 SDGs? Read here to find out more.
