Welcome to the United Nations
(Key Messages from the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report. Learning from STI Forum, promoting partnerships on STI for transformation for the SDGs)
At the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we are not on track to achieve the SDGs. Scientific evidence suggests that these goals are still attainable, but only through rapid and drastic action. Science, technology, and innovation (STI) can play a critical role in overcoming business-as-usual practices and to achieve these goals. This session will examine scientific evidence, strategies, and case studies to advance sustainability based on the findings of the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR); the 8th Multistakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI Forum); and other UN initiatives to promote partnerships in STI.
The Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) was requested by UN member states to inform the high-level political forum, and to strengthen the science-policy interface and provide a strong evidence-based instrument to support policymakers in promoting poverty eradication and sustainable development. The STI Forum was requested by the General Assembly to take place once a year to discuss science, technology and innovation cooperation around thematic areas for the implementation of the SDGs. Based on these and other recent and emerging research, experts will discuss key opportunities and challenges for accelerating the pace of sustainability transformation through policy, practice, and behaviour change.
Proposed guiding questions:
- Faced with multiple interlinking crises (pandemic, climate, economic instability, human conflict, etc.), what role can science play in addressing the high level of uncertainty about the future? What can be done to address distrust in science?
- How can we harness the power of science, technology, and innovation to accelerate the pace of change for rapid transformation, rather than incremental advancement? What are some examples of transformative change, and what opportunities are there?
- From an STI perspective, what are some of the key lessons learned on what worked and what did not work, to meet the targets related to SDG 6 on water, SDG 7 on energy, SDG 9 on industry, and SDG 11 on sustainable cities? Taking into consideration the strategies that did not work to meet the SDG targets, how can we overcome barriers in the future?
- How can international cooperation be further strengthened, including North-South and South-South cooperation, to accelerate recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic? What are key opportunities to advance innovations created by and for the Global South?
- How can the scientific community better incorporate the perspectives and knowledge of underrepresented groups, including women and girls, indigenous and local communities, young people, and populations in vulnerable situations?
Chair:
- H.E. Ms. Paula Narváez, Vice President of ECOSOC (Chile)
Keynote/Presentation:
- H.E. Mr. Thomas Woodroffe, Co-Chair of the 2023 STI Forum, United Kingdom Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council (Messages from the STI Forum)
Interactive panel discussion
Moderator:
- H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini, Co-Chair of the 2023 STI Forum, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations
Panelists:
- Mr. José Ramón López-Portillo Romano, Chairman of Q Element Ltd., Member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s 10 Member Group for the Technology Facilitation Mechanism
- Ms. Ana Cristina Amoroso das Neves, Chair of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development
- Mr. Peter Gluckman, President of the International Science Council
Lead Discussants:
- Ms. Pamela Matson,Goldman Professor of Environmental Studies in the Department of Earth System Science and Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University (MGoS)
- Ms. Carolina Rojas, E4CFellows Program Coordinator, youth speaker
Interventions of Ministers and other participants (3 minutes each)
