UNGA 76th Session Features a Climate Focus

The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) is now well underway and is featuring significant discussion of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). As a part of the Decade of Action, a UN call to action initiated in 2020 to make reaching the Goals by 2030 a possibility, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened the second ever SDG Moment. The SDG Moment, which ran from 8 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST on September 20, featured a speech from Secretary-General Guterres, debate by UN officials on COVID-19, and a performance by BTS, a popular K-pop group.

Leading into the UNGA, Secretary-General Guterres aimed to strengthen multilateral efforts to achieve the SDGs by proposing a plan titled “Our Common Agenda.” This ‘Agenda’ includes making vaccine distribution more expansive and equitable, creating the conditions for sustainable recovery to help in the elimination of poverty, championing equal rights for women and girls, and committing to net zero emissions by 2050. In order to reach net-zero emissions, Mr. Guterres asked for member states to dedicate $100 billion to climate action, an amount that the UN estimates could cause a direct economic gain worth trillions of dollars.

Climate action remained the topic of discussion of discussion as world leaders addressed the assembly. Most notably, Zeljko Komsic, the chairman of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, announced to the other leaders that “the climate crisis is no longer a warning situation.” President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar echoed this sentiment, “call[ing] upon each state to act in an equitable fashion and commensurate with their polluting activities.”

General debate is schedule to run from September 21 to September 27, featuring over 100 Heads of State. High-level events that will accompany the general debate include the UN’s first Food Systems Summit on September 23, the High-Level Dialogue on Energy on September 24, and the High-Level Event on Jobs and Social Protection for Poverty Elimination on September 28. Each of these events will include a focus on how states can work to achieve the SDGs.

To watch the UNGA general debate, click here for the UN’s live feed.

UN General Assembly to Begin 76th Session

The 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will run from September 14 to September 30 of this year. High-level General Debate will begin on September 21.

The provisional agenda, released on July 16, indicates that the session will begin with a discussion of sustainable development, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established for 2030. With 2030 being less than a decade away, the discussion and active implementation of the SDGs is growing increasingly important. As per the agenda, the discussion of sustainable development will include questions on macroeconomic policy, resolutions for the advancement of women, and the introduction as “space as a driver of sustainable development.”

In addition to discussing sustainable development, UNGA will also cover the maintenance of international peace, development of Africa, promotion of human rights, coordination of humanitarian assistance, promotion of justice, disarmament, crime prevention, and administrative matters in the 16-day session. Several important elections will take place during the session, such as the election of non-permanent members of the Security Council, members of the Economic and Social Council, and a member of the International Court of Justice.

In acknowledgement of rapid developments in science and technology, a non-negligible amount of time will be spent discussing space. Space appears not only in the section on sustainable development, but also in the sections of international peace and disarmament.

While not included in the initial provisional agenda, proposed supplementary items for the agenda include justice for survivors of sexual violence, granting the International Solar Alliance observer status in the UNGA, and electing members to the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent.

Numerous events have been scheduled alongside the 76th session, all of which will transpire virtually due to COVID-19 precautions. Some major events include the Sustainable Development Impact Summit hosted by the World Economic Forum from September 20-23 and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s Civil Society Forum from September 22-24. Both of these events will focus on how to achieve the SDGs by 2030.  Another SDG based event will be held virtually on September 20 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, when the UN Secretary-General convenes the second SDG Moment of the Decade of Action. This event is meant to underscore the necessity and the urgency of the SDGs and will be open to the public.

To read more about what resolutions the UNGA will be discussing this session, click here.

To watch the SDG Moment on UN WebTV, click here.

Business and the SDGs

Event Highlights Business Role in SDGs During UN General Assembly

L-R: Gabriella Rigg Herzog (USCIB), Daniel Schwartz (Mastercard), Chris Gray (Pfizer), Shaun Mickus (J&J), Louise Kantrow (former Permanent Representative of the ICC to the UN)

As governments gathered in New York for the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) from September 24 – 28, convened under the Presidency of Ambassador María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés(Ecuador), USCIB members highlighted the contribution and practical experience of the American private sector in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

USCIB convened a side event, “Making, valuing and communicating SDG Impact: U.S. Business Signposts for the Next 5 Years.” The event was hosted by Deloitte on September 27th and gathered representatives from business, government and the UN system to share information and experiences in three areas critical to successful SDG action by businesses:

1. Embedding sustainability into the core of company’s business models

2. Measuring the impact of sustainability programs and initiatives

3. Communicating impact to target audiences and key stakeholders

In 2019, the UN will consider the first three years of experience and implementation with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and consider possible changes.  USICB’s event made clear that, three years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, substantial progress has been made thanks to the commitment and action of U.S. business, but also flagged areas where stronger links with business would enhance progress towards the SDGs.

Director of the Office of Global Change at the U.S. Department of State Thomas DeBass acknowledged that business will deliver most of the funding for the SDGs, so it follows that governments and the UN must do a better job communicating to business. “Only 10 percent of the financing to achieve the SDGs will come through official development aid and related government sources,” said DeBass. “The other 90 percent will come about through private-sector investment. But we are still trying to convince the 90 percent using the language of the 10 percent.  We need to reorient our sales pitch to speak the language of business.”

Meanwhile companies recognize the business case for embedding sustainability across their operations. In fact, Novozymes’ Head of Corporate Sustainability and Public Affairs Claus Stig Pedersen noted, “we don’t have a sustainability policy, we have a business system that adjusts to sustainable development.”

Chief Strategy Officer for International Development at Deloitte Wade Warren pointed out that, “achieving the SDGs could unlock an additional $12 trillion in business opportunities.”  Yet, while business enthusiasm for the SDGs and the business opportunities that the SDGs create, is growing, the full potential of collaboration between the private sector, governments and the UN system has not been unlocked.

Norine Kennedy, USCIB vice president for environment, energy and strategic international engagement, called for a practical approach to “inclusive multilateralism” that will animate business to further develop and deploy technologies, know-how and investment to advance the Global Goals.

On September 27, the UN also held the third high-level meeting on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), which was attended by USCIB Vice President for Product Policy and Innovation Mike Michener. The two previous high-level sessions on NCDs took place in 2011 and 2014. The meeting on September 27th served as a comprehensive review of the prevention and control of NCDs and focused on the theme of strengthening health systems and financing for the prevention and control of NCDs, on each country’s path towards achieving universal health care, including through sharing evidence-based best practices, scientific knowledge and lessons learned.” The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) UN Representative in New York Andrew Wilson represented the private sector. The outcome of this meeting was an adopted UN Declaration on NCDs. 

The UN General Assembly is the supreme governing body of the United Nations.  This year’s session that will continue throughout the year into spring 2019 will focuses on the theme, “Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibility for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.”

USCIB will continue to work with member companies, governments and the UN system, to share expertise and foster partnerships to continue to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through the Businessfor2030 web platform.

Read more here.