Hamburg Sustainability Conference

12/08/2026

The most valuable infrastructure isn’t always physical.

Roads, ports, and power grids matter. But without people with the right skills, they cannot deliver their full potential.

At , Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)​​, SAP​, the World Bank Group​, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed a Joint Communiqué recognizing employment, skills development, and fair talent mobility as strategic foundations for resilient growth and long-term competitiveness.

In this clip, German Federal Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan​ explains why investing in people is also an investment in stability, prosperity, and economic success.

Watch the full session on our YouTube channel: hsc.link/hsc26-labor

05/08/2026

Cooperation will not get easier—but it remains our best path forward.

Opening , United Nations​ Deputy Secretary-General Amina J Mohammed​ reflected on what it will take to strengthen international cooperation at a time of growing geopolitical tensions.

She cautions against placing the burden of resilience on those already facing the greatest pressures—from countries across Africa to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which are among the most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing the least to it.

Her remarks also set the stage for one of the conference’s defining conversations: Bridges Not Barriers: UN80 and the Fight for the Future of Multilateral Cooperation, which explored how the UN80 Initiative can help strengthen the United Nations to deliver better development outcomes in a changing global context.

Watch both the High-Level Opening and the UN80 session on our YouTube channel: hsc.link/youtube

17/07/2026

Ideas don’t change the world on their own. People do—when they decide to build something together.

At , leaders from governments, development finance institutions, and the private sector came together to take the next step for SCALED. One year after its launch at , the initiative is already moving into implementation, with a jointly established public-private company developing its first investment solution.

This is what the Hamburg Sustainability Conference is designed for: giving initiatives the space to find partners, test ideas, and return with tangible progress.

Watch the full session on our YouTube Channel now: hsc.link/hsc26-scaled

Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) Niels Annen Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
KfW Bankengruppe
Canada’s Foreign Policy—Global Affairs Canada
Zurich
Allianz

16/07/2026

The next breakthrough in sustainable development may not be a new technology. It may be a better way to finance the ones we already have.

That is why the Hamburg Sustainability Conference brings together governments, development finance institutions, philanthropies, and private investors—to discuss new financing models, and more importantly, help shape and advance them together.

From Scaling Capital for Sustainable Development​ (SCALED) and Innovative Capital Mobilisation in Africa​ (ICAMA) to country platforms that connect national priorities with long-term investment, HSC serves as a platform where new approaches can move from concept to implementation.

Because solving global challenges requires more than good ideas. It requires the partnerships, trust, and financing to bring them to life.

10/07/2026

Where do breakthroughs really begin?

Not with an announcement. With people willing to build something together.

At , the Women’s Leadership Circle brought together a select group of women leaders from government, business, international organizations, philanthropy, and civil society to strengthen the relationships and partnerships needed to address today’s global challenges.

Initiated by HSC Council Vice Chair Isabel de Saint Malo, the Circle unfolded across a main program session, a dedicated side event, and an invitation-only dinner. Each format served a different purpose, moving from public discussion to collaborative exchange and the relationships that turn shared ambition into joint action.

What was built here last week doesn’t end in Hamburg.

03/07/2026

Better global decisions begin with shared leadership.

At , the German government launched the South-North Commission on Development, a new independent commission that brings together leaders from the Global South and North to shape the future of international cooperation.

Grounded in equal partnership, the Commission will bring together voices from governments, business, academia, international organizations, and civil society to jointly develop practical responses to shared global challenges. Through regional consultations and global dialogue, its work will generate actionable insights for governments and international institutions while helping shape the international development agenda beyond 2030.

The launch reflected a principle at the heart of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference: cooperation is strongest when diverse perspectives help shape both the agenda and the solutions.

Read more about the South-North Commission on Development in the official press release: hsc.link/sncd

Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)

03/07/2026

During his welcome address at the High-Level Opening of Day 2, Achim Steiner​ gave a name to something many had already experienced throughout the conference.

The is about rolling up our sleeves, bringing different perspectives to the same table, and staying in the room until progress becomes possible.

Thank you to everyone who shaped this year’s conference. We look forward to seeing the partnerships, initiatives, and ideas that began in Hamburg continue in your communities and regions around the world.

02/07/2026

02/07/2026

A conversation can end with applause. The important ones begin with a shared commitment.

At , the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)​, the Gates Foundation​, UNICEF​, World Bank Group​, and more than 30 partner organizations launched a joint Call to Action to make maternal and child nutrition a shared global priority.

The initiative reflects what the Hamburg Sustainability Conference is designed to do: bring together the partners needed to move from shared ambition to coordinated action.

Read the full Call to Action and learn more about the initiative: hsc.link/cta1000days26

30/06/2026

Sustainability is a practical task for cities. As co-initiator and host city of , the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg brings its own experience to the table: from local SDG implementation and sustainable urban mobility to new tools that help track progress more effectively.

Today, that role became visible in concrete conference outcomes. Hamburg presented an AI-based tool that can support SDG reporting by helping cities structure large volumes of information and connect them to the SDG framework. The city also launched a new Skills Partnership with St. Kitts and Nevis, creating opportunities for vocational training, knowledge exchange, and capacity building, with a first tailored training program planned in Hamburg.

As Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, put it: “The Hamburg Sustainability Conference serves as a platform for the international exchange of experiences, the presentation of new concepts, and the establishment of multilateral partnerships for the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

The same commitment also extends beyond the conference halls. Through the Hamburg Sustainability Week, the city opens space for residents, organizations, and local changemakers to engage with sustainability across Hamburg—from public events and cultural formats to hands-on exchanges on how sustainable development can take root in everyday urban life.

These are the kinds of exchanges the HSC was built for: cities learning from one another, testing practical solutions, and turning international cooperation into work that can be implemented.

Hamburger Senat