UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network

08/31/2026

🌐 This September, world leaders will gather in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (September 8–28, 2026) and Climate Week NYC (September 20–27, 2026) at a pivotal moment: A new UN Secretary-General is soon to be elected ahead of next year's final SDG Summit before the 2030 deadline, while the climate crisis and geopolitical tensions continue to escalate.

Against this backdrop, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) will host a series of high-impact events bringing together civil society, academics, policymakers, and youth to address today's rapidly evolving global challenges and identify solutions for sustainable development through 2030 and beyond.

👉 Explore the SDSN’s events: https://www.unsdsn.org/news/the-sdsn-at-the-81st-un-general-assembly-and-nyc-climate-week

08/28/2026

In June 2026, the global online launch of the Sustainable Development Report ( ) 2026 brought together key leaders in sustainable development to discuss the policies and partnerships needed to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals ( ).

As H.E. Ambassador Suela Janina, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, said:

“We need to focus on building resilience, investing in people, and ensuring that sustainable development remains at the heart of national and international policymaking.”

🎥 Watch the event recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wJz82WBRpg
📖 Read the report: https://sdgtransformationcenter.org/reports/sustainable-development-report-2026

08/27/2026

The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) is a Program Associate, GBA-ASEAN Initiative (G*I), Climate and Energy (C&E)!

This position will support the work of both SDSN’s GBA-ASEAN Initiative and Climate and Energy team, contributing to communications, events and meetings, stakeholder outreach, and program coordination across both teams.

Qualified candidates have strong writing, communications, organizational, and project management skills, with an interest in the Greater Bay Area, ASEAN, sustainability, climate, and energy. The position is remote within the United States, and applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Apply now: https://sdsn.hrpartner.io/jobs/program-associate--gba-asean-initiative--gai---climate---energy--c-e--zy7ze

08/26/2026

During the first week of the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties ( ) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the SDSN, the Global Schools Program, and the Youth Negotiators Academy (YNA) hosted an intergenerational dialogue at the UNA-Mongolia Friendship Pavilion.

The session featured Amanda Abrom, Director of the Global Schools Program; Barkat Matazaky, Young Negotiator for Madagascar and Researcher with CliMates International; Murunwa Mathoho, Young Negotiator for South Africa and Research Assistant with South African National Parks; and Shinetsetseg Erdenebayar, CEO of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Mongolia and representative of Eco-Schools Mongolia.

Barkat and Murunwa shared their educational and personal journeys, how their experiences led them to become environmental negotiators, and advice for other young people hoping to follow similar paths. Shinetsetseg highlighted the work of Eco-Schools Mongolia, sharing practical examples of how schools are helping young people reconnect with nature and take action in their communities.

The conversation then opened up to participants to share their own experiences and reflections, creating a meaningful dialogue on education, nature, and youth participation in environmental decision-making.

We look forward to continuing this conversation and strengthening collaboration across other COP conventions!

Visit the SDSN’s COP Resource Hub to learn more about UNCCD COP17 and other upcoming COPs: https://www.unsdsn.org/resources/cop-resource-hub/2026

08/26/2026

🌍 On September 9, join the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), SDSN Türkiye, and SDSN Australia, New Zealand, & the Pacific for “Accelerating Electrification and Renewable Energy,” the third session in our webinar series.

This discussion will feature insights from:
🔷 Hon. Lynda Tabuya, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Government of Fiji
🔷 Mr. Christian Mensah, Special Advisor to the COP31 Climate High-Level Champion
🔷 Dr. Jacqueline Cramer, Emeritus Professor in Sustainable Innovation, Utrecht University
🔷 Mr. Carlos Silva Filho, Former President of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) and Member of the UN Advisory Board on Zero Waste
🔷 Dr. Heinz Schandl, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
🔷 Ms. Yaprak Tepe, Board Member, TEPAR Textile
🔷 Prof. John Thwaites, Professor of Practice in Sustainability, Monash Business School, and Chair, SDSN Australia, New Zealand and Pacific (Moderator)

Speakers will explore emerging models, policy enablers, and the science underpinning a circular transition at scale ahead of Turkiyecop31.

🗓️ Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 9:00 AM CEST (7:00 AM UTC)
🔗 Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__ldspNyeT4Cemevw86xczg

UN Climate Change

08/25/2026

In two weeks, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) will be in Singapore for AT ONE IMPACT WEEK 2026, hosted by TPC (Tsao Pao Chee) and the NO.17 Foundation.

Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of the SDSN, will join the session “Next Generation of Urban Solutions: Beyond Smart Cities: Designing Urban Systems for Energy Security and Human Flourishing” via livestream on September 10, from 9:30–10:45 AM SGT, alongside Guillaume Lafortune, Vice President of SDSN Asia.

🔗 Explore the session: https://programmes.impactweek.com/session/recvnTPsxiGxDd
👉 Learn more: https://impactweek.com/

08/24/2026

The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford are pleased to announce the inaugural GBA-ASEAN Happiness Report (GHR).

Building on the longstanding collaboration behind the World Happiness Report, the GHR will bring rigorous, evidence-based research on wellbeing to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and ASEAN, providing insights to help inform policies that put human wellbeing at the center of sustainable development.

The inaugural report will examine publicly available wellbeing data across China and ASEAN, exploring the key factors that shape happiness and wellbeing across the region.

The report will be presented at the GBA-ASEAN Conference in Shenzhen, China, in November 2026, the flagship gathering of the GBA-ASEAN Initiative (G*I), an SDSN-hosted program focused on strengthening connectivity and advancing collaboration between the two regions.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.unsdsn.org/news/the-sdsn-and-oxford-wellbeing-research-centre-to-produce-inaugural-gba-asean-happiness-report

08/21/2026

🌎 In June, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) hosted the global online launch of the Sustainable Development Report ( ) 2026.

The discussion emphasized the need to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals ( ) ahead of 2030.

As Shirin Malekpour, Associate Professor of Sustainability Governance, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, outlined:

“The task for the post-2030 agenda should be to protect the gains that we have had, amplify maybe those gains, while still being able to address the weaknesses through more effective measures for implementation and monitoring.”

🎥 Watch the event recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wJz82WBRpg
📖 Read the report: https://sdgtransformationcenter.org/reports/sustainable-development-report-2026

08/20/2026

⭐ Just Transition Initiative Spotlight — South Africa: Equipping the Workforce for a Just Transition in the Automotive Sector.

In March 2026, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) launched a global search for initiatives demonstrating that a transition to a low-carbon economy can be both effective and equitable.

We’re excited to showcase the third of the four selected initiatives, led by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Anchored in academic research from South African universities, the initiative brings together government, industry, labour representatives, and education providers through province-level social dialogue to co-design skills development programmes. It demonstrates how inclusive decision-making helps ensure the benefits of industrial transformation are shared more equitably.

🎥 Watch the project video: https://youtu.be/4XQGHsJoBvY?si=bHpmSYDB4Ohxa4DX

🔗 Learn more about the other initiatives: https://www.unsdsn.org/news/the-sdsn-showcases-four-inspirational-just-transition-initiatives-during-the-2026-high-level-political-forum-2026/

In March 2026, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SD...

08/20/2026

🚨 Happening today: “Education for Land: Synergizing the Rio Conventions - Lessons Learned and Inspiring Strategies.”

As part of the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), this event will explore the importance of Environmental Education (EE) in advancing land protection initiatives.

Hear from Amanda Abrom, Director of the Global Schools Program, on the successes, challenges, and emerging innovations in deploying EE from primary school to adult education.

🗓️ August 20, 2026
⏰ 2:30 pm GMT+8
📍 Action Dome, UNCCD COP17 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
📽️ Watch the livestream: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1i/k1i2h30whj

Visit the SDSN’s COP Resource Hub for more information about the UNCCD COP17 and other upcoming COPs: https://www.unsdsn.org/resources/cop-resource-hub/2026

G20 Global Land Initiative