EMG Nexus Dialogues on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) – a vehicle to address the triple planetary crisis and to promote a sustainable economic and social transformation
In December 2021, the UN General Assembly in the resolution “Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Agenda 21” (A/RES/76/202)[1], extended the mandate of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) to 2030, and encouraged its implementation to make fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume goods and services.
The subsequent, new Global Strategy on Sustainable Consumption and Production [2] aims to bring us on track to 2030, i.a. by empowering countries and stakeholders to mainstream and implement SCP.” Cooperation across UN entities is needed to provide coherent support to countries in the design, implementation and mainstreaming of SCP policies, practices and approaches.
In this context, the EMG, in close collaboration with UNEP and other UN entities, is organizing a series of Nexus Dialogues to explore ways for UN agencies to join forces for SCP/SDG12 implementation. The dialogues will reflect on how SCP can contribute to a green economic transformation and tackling the triple planetary crisis in the post-COVID context, focusing on high-impact systems and value chains (e.g. sustainable tourism; sustainable food systems-; sustainable built environment; sustainable procurement; sustainable lifestyles; and other thematic areas).
The Dialogues will lay the ground for the creation of a UN Alliance for SDG12 to accelerate the implementation of SDG 12 and the 10YFP.
[1] A/RES/76/202, Page 4/5, Paragraph 9
[2] E/HLS/2022/1
- Date: 11 September 2023
- Time: 14.00 – 17.00 CEST
- Venue: Room IX, UNESCO, 7 place de Fontenoy, Paris, France.
*This will be a hybrid dialogue. Online participation is possible.
Quick Links
- Concept note and agenda
- Meeting link (for remote participants)
The second dialogue will focus on Sustainable living and aspirational consumption as a solution to the triple planetary crisis and specifically on enabling policies, infrastructure and other tools. The overall objectives include:
- Provide and promote science-based evidence and best practices on sustainable lifestyles and aspirational consumption[1]
- Enhance coordination, coherence and upscale related UN wide offerings
- Unlock opportunities for cooperation, knowledge sharing and resource mobilization to identify joint interventions.
[1] IPPC reports emphasizes need for flexible, multi-sectoral, inclusive, long-term adaptation options that have co-benefits to many sectors and systems and notes that sustainable lifestyles, energy use, land use and land-use change, and consumption and production patterns are essential to address the global climate crisis.
- Date: 17 May 2023
- Time: 13.30 – 17.30 CEST followed by cocktail reception
- Venue: Room VII R2, International Labour Organization (ILO), Rte des Morillons 4, 1211 Genève, Switzerland
Quick Links
Digital technologies come with opportunities to unleash major structural economic and social transformation for resource efficiency driving the change to new circular business models. Digital technologies and improved design can help reduce natural resources and other materials used in products by 90% – through efficiency, tracking and tracing, e-waste and energy management. However, digital technologies also pose unprecedented challenges to equality, as evident by the growing digital divide.
It is critical to direct the trajectory of digital transformation to accelerate the shift towards circularity and sustainable development. This can provide opportunities to create green jobs for youth. Digitalisation can also be a nudge for behavioral changes and sustainable lifestyles.
The UN system is starting to conduct efforts to harness a digital transformation through multi-stakeholder coalitions. It is also conducting steps to address inequalities and promote decent and green employment that promotes new sustainable and prosperous economic models. This nexus dialogue will showcase existing inter-agency cooperation in this area of work, as well as explore how to strengthen partnerships and scale up joint implementation.
