Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Sustainable Impact

As 2024 draws to a close, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) extends its heartfelt gratitude for your support and dedication to our organization. Despite mounting geopolitical tensions, a worsening climate crisis, widening inequalities, and insufficient global commitment, we have continued to work together to develop and catalyze global and local solutions to the world’s most critical sustainable development challenges.

Some of the SDSN’s key highlights this year include:

• EXPANDING our network to more than 2,000 members and growing to 57 national and regional networks advancing the SDGs globally and locally.
• REACHING one million learners globally through the SDG Academy’s courses, including new MOOCs on the Amazon, Multilateralism, and Approaches to Climate Adaptation in Europe, and empowering learners through the Ages of Globalization course and the newly launched Capabilities 4 the Future Hub.
• ENGAGING youth across the globe through new SDSN Youth networks, the Science Panel for the Amazon’s Youth Advisory Committee, virtual discussions, fellowships, and diverse global opportunities.
• SPEARHEADING solutions-focused initiatives and research, including critical analyses supporting the energy transition and urban climate finance and multi-country case studies uncovering the hidden costs of agrifood systems.
• RELEASING key publications, research, and datasets, including the annual Sustainable Development Report featuring SDSN’s recommendations for the Summit of the Future; the World Happiness Report; regional and subnational sustainable reports and indices for Europe and Benin; several key policy briefs from the Science Panel for the Amazon; a special issue of the African Journal for Sustainable Development; new datasets on microplastics, coral bleaching, and more.
• HOSTING and supporting high-level, multi-stakeholder discussions and events, including the University Presidents Meetings, the Paving the Way for the Pact of the Future conference, the ESD for 2030 Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting, the UNESCO World Congress on OER, and the SDSN’s Pre-Summit of the Future event.
• COLLABORATING with Siemens Energy on the ‘Universities for SDG 13 Competition’ and a new training program on SDG 7 with Global Schools.
• SIGNING an agreement with Agence Française de Développement and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan to support SDG monitoring and pathways.
• ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING at key multilateral events throughout the year, including the UN High-Level Political Forum, the UN General Assembly and Summit of the Future, New York Climate Week, the COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the COP29 of UNFCCC, and the COP16 of the UNCCD.
• MOBILIZING science-based action on critical forest biomes through its three science panels for the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and the newly launched Science Panel for Borneo.
• DEBUTING our new website and further integrating DEIB into our culture and workplan.

We remain committed to building on these efforts in 2025 to reach a more equitable, peaceful, and sustainable world.