Held from 10 July to 19 July, the 2023 forum brought together over 180 delegations, 130 speakers, and representatives from more than 800 major groups and NGOs around the theme of Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.
Across the two weeks of plenary discussions and side-events, delegates reviewed the progress of five SDGs: SDGs 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The European Union and thirty-eight countries also presented their Voluntary National Reviews.
Ipieca participation
Ipieca Deputy Executive Director Sophie Depraz and Ipieca Director for Sustainability and Social Performance Isabel Miranda attended and held bilateral meetings with key stakeholders including the UN Development Programme and the UN Environment Programme. Sophie participated as a panellist in the Business & Industry Major Group side event: ‘Synergies for stepped up SDG Implementation and Impact: Business Delivering for 2030 and Beyond’, highlighting how the oil and gas industry can contribute to all 17 SDGs and reporting on progress against the Ipieca-WBCSD SDG Roadmap.
Key insights for the oil, gas and alternative energy industry:
- Progress towards most of the SDGs is off track. A Report of the UN Secretary-General (special edition) published in May 2023 indicates that many of the Goals are moderately to severely off track. It offers five major recommendations to achieve the goals.
- Accelerated climate action and investments in climate will facilitate the achievement of all SDGs, as the climate is a ‘threat multiplier’.
- There is a growing demand for outcome-based investing – governments can provide incentives and an enabling environment whilst the private sector can be an ally, helping to accelerate progress.
- The private sector has a key role to play in achieving the SDGs, through driving industry leadership, innovation and investment, and fostering public/private partnerships. Collaboration between governments, civil society, the private sector and academia is essential.
Further details can be found on the UN website and the IISD website.
