SDSN at UNGA 2024, the Summit of the Future, and Climate Week
As world leaders convene in New York for the UN General Assembly's high-level week and the Summit of the Future, the SDSN and our partners are hosting a myriad of events. We invite you to join us at the following events.
Please note: As event details are confirmed, this post will be updated. Make sure to check back regularly.
Bridging Generations: Reflecting on the Summit of the Future
Date and Time: September 13, 2024 | 9:00 am EDT
Host(s): SDSN Youth
Location: Online
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMuc-CsqzwjHtP6SYG5GfSfkHF5sJF4e3zl#/registration
Join SDSN Youth for a dynamic dialogue, bringing together seasoned experts and emerging leaders from SDSN and SDSN Youth to shape the future of sustainable development. This event will facilitate intergenerational conversations on the key topics of the Summit of the Future, from the sustainable development goals, financing, and youth involvement, as well as identify key expectations for the upcoming Conference. Engage with diverse perspectives, contribute to meaningful discussions, and help shape actionable insights for a sustainable global agenda.
MDP Summit
Date and Time: September 18, 2024 | 8:00 am EDT
Host(s): MDP Program
Location: Online
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtde6upjooHtDRXa0JvHbDqxevIS5o3JAV#/registration
The Master's in Development Practice will host the 16th Annual Summit of the Global Association of Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) Programs. This event will provide the MDP Community with an opportunity to showcase their programs, as well as practices and challenges, and provides an opportunity for institutions potentially interested in offering an MDP program to connect with our learning community and discuss the innovative work being conducted in diverse contexts around the world.
Rethinking the G20: Main Takeaways from T20 Brasil
Date and Time: September 18, 2024 | 9:00 am - 11:00 am EDT
Host(s): SDSN, CEBRI, Rockefeller Foundation
Location: Rockfeller Foundation Convening Center, 420 Fifth Avenue, New York, United States
Registration Link: https://app.pipefy.com/public/form/bCYKqbIB
The roundtable will disseminate and discuss the main policy proposals to the G20 emerging from the Think20 Brasil process, focusing on three topics that are key drivers of economic growth and sustainable development in the 21st century: 1) energy transitions, 2) climate finance and 3) digital transformation. The roundtable will detail T20 recommendations in these areas, debating how they can be strategic to set the agenda for COP30 next year in Brazil.
SDSN Network Chairs Meeting
Date and Time: September 18, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT
Host(s): SDSN
Location: In-person/online
Registration Link: This event is invite-only.
The annual Network Chairs Meeting is a pivotal opportunity for SDSN Chairs to connect with peers from the 57 SDSN national and regional networks worldwide.
Special Issue Launch: Redefining African Futures: The State, Resilience, and Pathways to Progress
Date and Time: September 19, 2024 | 9:00 am - 10:30 am EDT
Host(s): SDG Academy and the UN Office of the Special Advisor on Africa
Location: Online
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yhMMWblCThWcc6TV4_py_w#/registration
Organized by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and the SDG Academy. This special issue of the African Journal of Sustainable Development, dedicated to African scholarship, addresses critical themes related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), multilateral cooperation, and the future of global governance.
SDSN Leadership Council Meeting
Date and Time: September 19, 2024 | 9:00 am - 5:30 pm EDT
Host(s): SDSN
Location: In-person/online
Registration Link: This event is invite-only.
The 23rd meeting of SDSN's Leadership Council will convene to crucial topics including development finance, food and land-use, biodiversity, climate and energy, sustainable development education, and digital transformation.
ICSD Online Parallel Sessions
Date and Time: September 19, 2024 | Sessions will take place throughout the day
Host(s): SDSN and the MDP Program
Location: Online
Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-conference-on-sustainable-development-icsd-2024-tickets-902676338227?aff=oddtdtcreator
Join the SDSN, in collaboration with the Global Association of Master’s in Development Practice Programs (MDP), for the 12th Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD)'s online parallel sessions! The theme of this year's ICSD is “Solutions for the Future,” with participants sharing practical solutions for achieving the SDGs at local and national levels across 7 major themes.
The Future of the Electric Grid
Date and Time: September 19, 2024; Time TBC
Host(s): School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS - Depts. of Electrical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering, Quadracci Sustainable Engineering Lab [QSEL]), Columbia World Projects (CWP), Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET), Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP), Columbia Climate School, and SDSN
Location: The Forum: 601 West 125th Street, Room 301
Registration: Please send an email to John Peacock ([email protected]) to confirm attendance.
This event will explore how new developments related to the electricity grid, such as storage, power systems/electronics and AI, change the architecture and operations for the billion people that lack access.
SDSN’s High-Level Pre-Summit of the Future Conference
Date and Time: September 20 - 21, 2024 | 9:00 am - 6:00 pm EDT
Host(s): SDSN
Location: In-person and online *In-person attendance is by invite only*
Watch the livestream online: September 20 & September 21
Ahead of the UN's Summit of the Future, the SDSN will host a high-level, two-day, Pre-Summit of the Future Conference to inform outcomes of the Summit as part of its annual International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD). The event will feature rich discussions and esteemed keynote speakers and panels on the five core topics of the Summit of the Future, including (1) sustainable development and SDG financing; (2) peace and security; (3) governance of cutting-edge science, technology, and innovation; (4) youth and future generations; and (5) the future of multilateralism and global governance.
Financing Sustainable Development and International Capital Markets: Experience and Perspectives for Sovereign Issuers
Date and Time: September 20, 2024 | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm EDT
Host(s): Government of Benin
Location: TBC
In July 2021, Benin launched its first international bond issuance dedicated to financing projects with a high impact on the SDGs, amounting to €500 million. A second SDG loan operation was carried out in 2023 with the Partial Credit Guarantee of the African Development Fund. Furthermore, to support its internal monitoring system, since 2023 Benin has partnered with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to leverage the network's scientific expertise in monitoring its SDG performance. The organization of this event aims primarily to share successful thematic financing experiences by sovereign issuers through practical cases of projects and impacts on beneficiary populations. It will also explore new opportunities offered by the sustainable finance market, particularly for developing countries.
The Future of the Amazon: Launch of the SPA Youth Advisory Committee
Date and Time: September 20, 2024 | 5:00 - 7:00 pm EDT
Host(s): The Science Panel for the Amazon
Location: In-person at the Scandinavia House and online
Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-future-of-the-amazon-launch-of-the-spa-youth-advisory-committee-tickets-996562353827?aff=oddtdtcreator
The Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) is excited to host a special side event during the UN Summit of the Future entitled “The Future of the Amazon: Launch of the SPA Youth Advisory Committee.” This significant event will gather the inaugural members of the SPA Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), young scientists and leaders selected from nearly 300 applicants, to discuss and promote the conservation of the Amazon through the voices and experiences of the next generation. The event will feature inspiring messages from the SPA leadership and distinguished guests, and the official launch of the Committee. The discussions will emphasize the importance of youth engagement in addressing the challenges facing the Amazon, including deforestation, climate change, and the protection of Indigenous rights.
Mission 4.7 Partnership Forum: “Connection, Appreciation, and Action”
Date and Time: September 20, 2024 | 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Host(s): The SDG Academy
Location: In-person *This event is invite-only*
Mission 4.7 will host a Global Partnership Forum alongside the Summit of the Future to share learning, practice, and offer a space for enhanced collaboration in education. The Partnership Forum will focus on the power of Global Collectives. Mission 4.7 partners, or collectives, are organizations and thought leaders who have helped to find ways to make meaning out of SDG Target 4.7 in practical ways. The theme for the event is Global Connection, Appreciation and Action.
Catalyse Sustainable Financing Through Capital Markets: Sharing Perspectives of Benin's Climate Financing Framework
Date and Time: September 20, 2024 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Host(s): Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Benin, Sustainable Development Solutions Network; Overseas Development Institute
Location: Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016
Attend: Register for the in-person event or join online via Zoom.
Join distinguished speakers as they exchange best practices in innovative climate financing in line with country development, capital market development and new financing opportunities, particularly for low- and middle-income countries. More specifically, this event includes sharing the experiences of sovereign issuers, in particular case studies of projects financed and their impact on final beneficiaries; exploring the prospects of capital markets for sustainable climate financing in a context of reform of the global financial architecture; and discussing the challenges and responsibilities of the main players in ensuring that international financing is more favorable to developing economies.
Summit of the Future Action Day Side Event: Peace Not War
Date and Time: September 21, 2024 | 11:15 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Host(s): SDSN, Missions of Ireland and Colombia, UNESCO, IFLA, UN DGC, Dag Hammarskjöld UN Library
Location: UN Headquarters, CR 11
At this side-event alongside the UN Summit of the Future, under the theme "A Peaceful Future for All," distinguished speakers will explore how concrete actions in peace, justice, and inclusion can advance the Sustainable Development Goals. They will emphasize the need for integrating collaborative approaches into the broader framework of international cooperation, as outlined in the Pact for the Future. Additionally, the discussion will include a multi stakeholder perspective, focusing on the crucial role of women, children, information integrity, and education in achieving a peaceful future. This event aims to inspire and drive action towards a future where peace, not war, defines our global community. Learn more: https://sdgacademy.org/un-action-day-2024-official-side-event-peace-not-war/
Global and Local Perspectives on a Just Energy Transition
Date and Time: September 23, 2024 | 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
Host(s): Pratt Institute’s MS in Sustainable Environmental Systems Program
Location: Online
Registration link: https://pratt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUud-2srj4pGtJVdY3Hp_7noYkG2nzSi6JW#/registration
Join Pratt Institute’s MS in Sustainable Environmental Systems program for an exciting Climate Week NYC 2024 panel on important energy justice topics. Panelists working on local and global energy issues will come together to discuss systemic and historic barriers in realizing a true Just Transition. This timely discussion will happen during the UN General Assembly, where key climate and energy transition issues will be at the center of next steps for the sustainable development goals. SDSN's Head of Climate & Energy, Elena Crete, will join as one of the panelists.
ENERGYNOW SDG7 Action Forum 2024
Date and Time: September 25, 2024 | Sessions throughout the day
Host(s): UN DESA
Location: *This event is invite only*
Registration link: https://www.un.org/en/energy
As global crises have impacted energy issues, progress on SDG7 - ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all - has slowed. Energy is an essential ingredient for getting the world on track towards meeting the SDGs and the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The ENERGYNOW SDG7 Action Forum 2024 will showcase Energy Compacts, present success stories and best practices, and strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogue in support of accelerated SDG7 action. A member of the CEET will be presenting at this forum.