Month: February 2021

The fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) provides leadership, catalyzes, intergovernmental actions on the environment, and contributes to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The overall theme of UNEA-5 is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.

The theme calls for strengthened action to protect and restore nature and the nature-based solutions to achieve the SDGs in its three complementary dimensions (social, economic and environmental). UNEA-5 provides Member States and stakeholders with a plat-form for sharing and implementing successful approaches that contribute to the achievement of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, including the goals relation to the eradication of poverty and sustainable patterns of consumption and production. UNEA-5 will also provide an opportunity for Member States and Stakeholders to take ambitious steps towards building back better and greener by ensuring that investments in economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to sustainable development.

The Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Strategy launch will begin with a discussion between Pierre Gramegna, Minister of Finance, and Carole Dieschbourg, Minister of Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, moderated by Philipp von Restorff (Luxembourg for Finance). The Ministers will exchange their views on sustainable finance and the Luxembourg finance center.

Afterwards, Nicoletta Centofanti, Sustainability Adviser of the LSFI, will present the association and provide further insights on the Strategy and its goals.

A Q&A session will follow the presentation of the LSFI and the Strategy to provide the audience with the opportunity to learn more about the topic.

Due to the currently still critical situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference Forests in Women’s Hands will be held online. You will have the opportunity to participate online, to join in the discussion and to meet representatives from the forestry sector at home and abroad. Experts from government, research, education and forest owners will speak at the conference.

At the international conference Forests in Women’s Hands, connecting women in forestry is a central theme. Participants will meet members of existing women’s networks and have the opportunity to exchange best practice examples and discuss relevant activities and initiatives. Additionally, the conference will increase the visibility of women and their achievements in the forest sector.

How can we advance towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in times of COVID-19 response and recovery? The 2021 UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will uncover concrete policy actions to accelerate SDG progress and spur the efforts to build back better. The Regional Forum will offer seven days of SDG action with 12 virtual peer learning round tables taking place from 10-16 March 2021, followed by the Forum’s hybrid plenary sessions on 17-18 March 2021. The 2021 Regional Forum will also give space to a range of discussions in 20+ side events and various pre-meetings.

Building forward better: towards a resilient and green Africa to achieve the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063

The aim of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development is to advance integrated implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063, which are mutually reinforcing. To that end, the Regional Forum provides a multi-stakeholder platform for follow-up and review of progress and challenges in the implementation of the two Agendas, while strengthening learning and advocating effective policy measures and actions. The Regional Forum makes important contributions to bolstering multi-stakeholder engagement and synergies, and promoting concerted efforts to implement and achieve the development objectives of the two Agendas. Six sessions of the Forum have been held since 2015.

Sub-themes of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

The activities of the seventh session of the Regional Forum will be conducted on the basis of the following sub-themes, which have been crafted around the nine Sustainable Development Goals to be considered at the 2021 high-level political forum:

1. No poverty;
2. Zero hunger;
3. Good health and well-being;
4. Decent work and economic growth;
5. Reduced inequalities;
6. Responsible consumption and production;
7. Climate action;
8. Peace, justice and strong institutions;
9. Partnerships.

Fish and fish products are the most highly traded food commodity internationally. Therefore, the impact of COVID-19 on the fish supply chain and operations has been profound. Demand has also been affected negatively by interruptions to the supply chain.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – countries covered by the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia – have experienced impacts of the COVID-19 at various degrees. However, the pandemic’s consequences on their fisheries and aquaculture sector has not been documented well.

Therefore the FAO webinar provides a platform for governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society, and industry to share experience of responding to the COVID-19 crisis.