Now in its fifth year, this annual event brings together policymakers, government representatives, UN officials and leading global scientists to discuss and advance the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Science for a Sustainable Future 2024
To mark Earth Month 2024, three panels were held on topics in need of further investigation and which complement the focus of the UN Summit for the Future.
We invite you to find out more: Watch the recordings, download the policy briefs, and do check out our visual summaries:
Adapting Health Systems to Climate Change
Human health cannot be considered in isolation: it must be reviewed in the context of planetary health if we are to achieve SDGs 3 and 13. This session looked at the connection between human, planet and animal health. What can civil society and governments learn from science?
Beyond GDP: finding the right measure for progress
Is GDP the right supra metric for measuring progress towards the SDGs? Never designed as a metric for welfare, its continued use conflicts with metrics more relevant to well-being and social progress. How can new metrics be developed in an inclusive way?
Migration: the missing link and global implications
Migration is a topic dominating newsrooms from a political perspective, yet the real implications of global migration are closely connected to biodiversity, food systems, climate and more. This session asked how we can effectively measure, predict and respond to migration.
Insights and inspiration from experts
The three fascinating sessions in this year’s Science for a Sustainable Future event focused on issues that need to be considered and addressed in greater depth and that are crucial to achieving the SDGs by 2030.
Listening to the speakers – each a passionate and committed expert in their field with a broad understanding of the issues at hand and their place in the broader sustainability and development landscape – was inspiring. Despite the very real challenges to achieving the SDGs and a sustainable future for all, these sessions are empowering and encouraging.
Read the blog post for impressions from each of the sessions and the central themes that were touched upon.
Reflections from our panellists
Following ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× and UN SDSN’s Science for a Sustainable Future 2024 event series, we spoke to the panellists from each of the three sessions about the messages and points that stood out to them the most.
The experts - who discussed the connection between human, animal and planetary health, migration and impact metrics beyond GDP - also shared a message for those attending the UN’s Summit of the Future in September.
About SDSN
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was established in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.
SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society.
Delivering Clean, Affordable Energy For All
In 2023 we hosted three webinars on topics such as energy and science communication, energy and social justice, as well as energy and the transition to net zero.
Watch the webinars on-demand below and hear from the panellists as they reflect on their key takeaways from each session.
Discover the key policy recommendations needed to achieve SDG7 that were identified during the series, by downloading our .
Lessons from COVID-19 for Climate Change
The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that the world is capable of acting with urgency to tackle crises on a global scale. It demonstrated that the focused and coordinated efforts of global experts can lead to rapid and radical changes to address an emerging threat – for example in global mobility, ways of working, and medical advances.
It also highlighted the crucial importance of tackling misinformation, demonstrated that individual behaviors can benefit society collectively, and showed how structural inequalities predetermine who is most affected and how - all issues that have clear parallels to the climate crisis.
This white paper explores the development of strategies through an interdisciplinary approach to motivate behaviour change, tackle misinformation and address inequality in times of crises.
Download the white paper
Learning from Crises - from COVID to Climate
In 2021, ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) brought experts together from across industries and disciplines for a virtual event to coincide with climate conference COP26.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that the world can act with urgency to tackle the biggest crises; it has demonstrated that the focused and coordinated efforts of global experts can lead to radical changes in global mobility, economies, and entirely new vaccines. It has also highlighted the crucial importance of tackling misinformation and motivated ignorance, encouraging individual behaviours that benefit society collectively, and shown how structural inequalities dictate who is most affected - issues with clear parallels to the climate crisis. How can the lessons from the covid-19 global emergency inform climate action?
Watch the recording
Harnessing Science for a Sustainable Future
Watch the recordings and download the white paper
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about mass global disruption and presented a significant setback to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, it paved the way for more science-informed decision-making, enabling the research, scientific, and policy communities to join together like never before, and proving the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to combating crisis, developing effective policies, and accelerating innovation.
In May 2021, on the sidelines of the UN Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation, ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) hosted a virtual debate on how to bridge the divide between the research and policy communities to accelerate innovation on the SDGs and build resiliency post COVID-19. The debate also drew on insights from a white paper (available for download to the right) on how to foster greater collaboration and inclusive problem-solving between these communities.
You can tune into the event below.
1st Annual Science for a Sustainable Future Conference – October 2020 – Watch the recordings
You can tune into each of the individual sessions below.
2nd Annual Science for a Sustainable Future Conference - October 2021 - Watch the recordings
You can watch the recordings below.
