Some sixty climate and development experts are in Tokyo this week for a meeting to assess the progress being made on the climate action targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The meeting, which is taking place from 4 to 6 March, is welcoming experts from think tanks, academia, NGOs, the private sector and governments, as well as from the UN and other international organisations, to both assess progress made to date and to strategise recommendations to accelerate action.
The meeting comes ahead of an annual assessment on ‘where we stand’ in terms of implementing the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, which is due to take place at the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July of this year.
Topics for discussion
Experts will evaluate various topics, including enhancing resilience to climate disasters, realigning financial flows to support climate action and a just transition, especially in developing nations, and integrating climate concerns into national policies and planning comprehensively.
Additionally, they will explore methods to enhance education and public awareness regarding emissions reduction and adaptation to evolving climate conditions.
‘Aligned with recent decisions by governments at COP28 to work towards a just and inclusive transition towards net-zero and climate-compatible pathways, experts at the Tokyo meetings will also examine how the Sustainable Development Goal targets can be better integrated into each country’s updated commitments (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement; how to support the climate-related needs of indigenous peoples, women, youth and other vulnerable groups; and how to promote capacity for climate action in least developed countries and small island nations,’ the United Nations said in a statement.
Public event
A public event, which will take place both in-person and virtually, is being organised for 6 March to coincide with the meeting, and will address climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, as well as ‘looking at synergistic approaches to addressing this triple planetary crisis’. More information on that can be found here.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has previously stated that “climate action is the 21st century’s greatest opportunity to drive forward all the Sustainable Development Goals.”
For more information on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, click here.
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