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  4. SDGs In Focus: SDGs 12, 13, 17 and Interlinkages Among Those Goals and With Other SDGs

SDGs in focus: SDGs 12, 13, 17 and interlinkages among those goals and with other SDGs

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste are three interlinked emergencies driven by human activities. Despite a temporary reprieve due to the pandemic, preliminary data shows that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continued to grow in 2020, and that 2015-2020 was the warmest six-year period on record. Domestic material consumption per capita and total global material footprint as well as food waste and e-waste all continue to rise around the world. Addressing these crises will require major structural transformations in the way people live, work, produce and consume.

Experts estimate that global emissions must fall by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 in order to limit global warming to 1.50C. At the same time, countries must take aggressive action to reduce resource use per unit of GDP, enhance the sustainable use of natural resources, and address all forms of pollution and waste in order to achieve the sustainable consumption and production (SCP) targets contained in SDG 12. This is also necessary to bend the development curve toward a version of society where people live in a more balanced and harmonious relationship with nature. Such efforts must include proactively managing novel pollutants, and resource demands associated with new products and materials.

The necessary transformations are deep and far-reaching, and they need to take place on an accelerated timeline. Many of these transformations are technically feasible but difficult to implement if left entirely to the market. The pandemic recovery period may provide an unprecedented opportunity to overcome inertia if governments respond with the requisite political will and direct recovery investments toward renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and green jobs, as well as international cooperation for a truly global impact. SDGs 12 and 13 can be achieved only with a strengthened global partnership (SDG 17), the private sector’s genuine commitment to shift to sustainable production practices, and changes in consumption patterns. The current session will address progress towards SDGs 12 and 13 and the interlinkages with other SDGs notably SDG 17. It will also discuss concrete policies and actions needed to make meaningful progress in sustainable consumption and production and in combatting climate change. It will explore the vital and interrelated roles of governments, business, communities, civil society and the multilateral system.

Proposed guiding questions:

  • What have been the trends on SDG 12 and 13?
  • What broad-based economic and social transformations are needed to make consumption and production systems more sustainable, to arrest climate change, reduce waste, and restore the relationship between human society and nature?
  • How can transformations towards carbon neutrality also promote sustainable consumption and production, including with new materials and products?
  • How can these transformations also promote gender equality and ensure that no one is left behind?
  • What are the opportunities to be realized (and pitfalls to be avoided) in the immediate and medium terms towards these ends? How can international cooperation support?

Chair:

  • H.E. Ms. Pascale Baeriswyl (Switzerland), Vice President of ECOSOC

Remarks:

  • H.E. Mr. Malik Aslam, Minster for Climate Change and Special Assistant to the Prime Minster of Pakistan

Highlights:

  • Presentation of the report of the Secretary-General on progress towards the SDGs - Goals 12, 13 and 17: Ms. Heather Page, Statistician, SDG Monitoring Section, Statistics Division of UNDESA
  • Video of children and youth climate activists

Interactive panel discussion

Moderator:

  • Ms. Jennifer Morris, CEO, The Nature Conservancy

Panellists/Resource persons:

  • Mr. Bruno Oberle, Director General of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  • Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
  • Ms. Olga Algayerova, Executive Secretary of ECE
  • Mr. Nikhil Hirdaramani, Director, Hirdaramani International Group, Sri Lanka

Lead discussants:

  • Ms. Ligia Noronha, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of UNEP New York Office
  • Ms. Louise Mabulo, Chef, Farmer, Entrepreneur, UN Young Champion of the Earth, Philippines
  • Mr. Kossivi Adessou, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR)’s West and Central Africa Regional Coordinator, Togo (Sendai Stakeholder Mechanism)

Respondents:

  • H.E. Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries
  • H.E. Ms. Annika Jacobson, State Secretary to Minister for Environment and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister Per Bolund of Sweden
  • H.E. Mr. Rodrigo Rodriguez Tornquist, Secretary of Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Innovation, Argentina Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, and Chair of the 10YFP Board
  • H.E. Mr. Alexandre Leitão, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal