December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
The Major Groups Programme of the Division for Sustainable Development and the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service are working to ensure broad and inclusive participation of major groups and other stakeholders in the post-2015 negotiations in a number of ways, including by setting up Stakeholder Steering Committees. Registration deadlines for the following will expire in the coming days:
A closing ceremony to mark the conclusion of the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will take place from 3 - 6 pm on Monday, 26 January 2015, in the Trusteeship Council at UN Headquarters in New York.
The event will feature a video with highlights of the year, and a panel discussion on the SIDS in the post 2015 development agenda. It is also expected to include remarks by the President of the General Assembly, Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo, the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, and the Champions of the International Year of SIDS.
The International Year highlighted both the challenges that this group of countries face but also the solutions that they bring to the table to address pressing global issues, as well as celebrating the rich culture and heritage of these countries.
Discussions, workshops, an exhibition, tweetathon, google hangout, photo competition, cultural celebrations and other activities were organized in the course of the year. The vibrant and distinct cultures of these islands, and their diversity and heritage, were important elements throughout.
One of the highlights of the year was the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, which took place from 1-4 September in Apia, Samoa. At the Conference, nearly 300 partnerships between governments, businesses and civil society organizations from all over the world were registered to support small island developing states, bringing the total value of these commitments to over USD $1.9 billion. The Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action – SAMOA Pathway – in which countries recognize the need to support and invest in these nations so they can achieve sustainable development, was also adopted at the Conference. A dedicated exhibition to highlight the International Year, was organized at the Samoa Conference with photos of the world heritage sites based in small island developing states, Magnum photos depicting people and lives of small island States, as well as literature by authors from small islands developing States.
The UN-Water International Zaragoza Conference will focus on how to bring the post-2015 agenda for water into action. It is a practical event on tools for implementation (financing, technology, capacity development) and governance frameworks, for initiating the post-2015 agenda for water and sanitation.
The UN-Water Annual Zaragoza Conferences serve UN-Water to prepare for World Water Day. This conference is part of the road map for World Water Day 2015, which will focus on ‘water and sustainable development’.
More than 300 participants from United Nations Agencies and programmes, experts, representatives of the business community, governmental and non-governmental organizations will meet from 15 to 17 January in Zaragoza, Spain, to draw conclusions based on existing practice and the exchange of views between governments and stakeholders. This is also the last year of the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ so it is especially important for taking stock of and learning from achievements as well as planning the next steps.
Freshwater is central to all development. Challenges are growing, spreading, multiplying across the world – from urbanization and over-consumption, underinvestment and lack of capacity, poor management and waste and the demands of agriculture, energy and food production. Freshwater is not being used sustainably according to needs and demands.
Yet many water problems are economic, social and political in nature and could be addressed through intelligent and effective governance to optimize use between sectors and ecosystems and balance current and future needs. We need governments, the private sector and civil society to work more harmoniously and to make water integration intrinsic in decision-making.
The Zaragoza Conference is a space for dialogue. The Conference will focus on a practical examination of the necessary transformations and how institutional change, technology, capacity development and financing can help develop joint responses. It will draw from practical experience of Member States and stakeholder groups.
The 2015 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference will be facilitated by the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC). Sessions will be convened by UN-Water members, partners, programmes and other partner organizations.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s synthesis report on the post-2015 development agenda, titled ‘The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet', can now be accessed in all six official UN languages.
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