ACCELERATING CLIMATE AND SDG SYNERGIESAS AN ENABLER FOR JUST TRANSITIONSide event at the UNFCCC Fifty-eighth session of the Subsidiary Body (SB58)
Bonn, Germany
Monday, 12 June 2023
13:15–14:30 (CEST)World Conference Center Bonn – Meeting Room Bonn

Concept Note

CONTEXT
Despite increasing efforts and commitments over the past few years, we are not on track to achieve the2030 Agenda and we are lagging behind on the Paris goals. Synergistic implementation of the Paris
Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can help close the ambition gap, deliver cobenefits, and help advance progress on both of these critical agendas simultaneously. For example, a lowcarbon future that prioritizes justice and equity can bring us closer to SDG targets by creating over 65
million new low-carbon jobs, advancing gender equality by closing the gender gap in the workforce, andempowering people and communities. Additionally, transitioning to a green economy has the potential toyield a direct economic gain of USD 26 trillion by 2030 and significantly contribute to meeting the goalsof the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. The successful implementation ofsynergistic approaches between these two agendas requires particular attention to how we deploy
technological advancements and manage financial mechanisms. These two elements are key means toaccelerate action and ensure a just transition towards a sustainable future.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Ensuring just transition and leaving no one behind must be a central element of integrated approaches topolicy, financing, planning and implementation on climate and SDGs synergies. This was one of the key
recommendations of the 3rd Global Conference on Climate and SDGs Synergies. Building on theserecommendations and to increase understanding and scale up practices of synergistic implementation of theSDGs and the NDCs, UNFCCC and UNDESA are developing the first-ever Global Synergies Report onClimate Action and the SDGs. This event will serve to present its scope of work and key preliminary
recommendations on how to faster achieve the two agendas while ensuring equity and just transitions.
Additionally, the event will showcase practical experiences on climate and SDGs synergies from aroundthe world to inform 2023 milestones, including preparations for the 4th Global Conference on Climate andSDG Synergies, as well as the High-Level Political Forum, the Secretary General’s Climate Ambition
Summit and the SDG Summit, and the UNFCCC Regional Climate Weeks and the Global Stocktake at theCOP28.
GUIDING QUESTIONS

1. Climate action and sustainable development governance should be better connected to maximize
the benefits and effectiveness in both areas. Share examples from your country, region, orinstitution on enhanced coordination and planning across various sectors.
2. What are some existing key policy and financial instruments that can be leveraged to forge bothclimate and SDGs co-benefits?
3. Can enhanced integration of climate action and the SDGs result in a more just and inclusivetransition towards net-zero? How do we build the evidence-base for that?
4. How do we better assess, track, and report back on joint-up action and synergistic implementationof the 2030 Agenda and the Paris goals?

PROGRAMME
Moderator Ms. Bahareh Seyedi, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, UNDESA

Opening
13:15 – 13:25

Mr. Daniele Violetti, Senior Director, Programmes Coordination, UNFCCC

Presentation
13:25 – 13:35

First Global Report on Climate and SDG Synergies
Mr. Luis Gomez Echeverri, Emeritus Research Scholar International Institutefor Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Ms. Heide Hackmann, Director, Future Africa, University of Pretoria (online)

Panel discussion
13:35 – 14:25

Accelerating Climate and SDG Synergies as an Enabler for Just Transition
Mr. Kaveh Guilanpour, Vice President for International Strategies, Center for
Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
Ms. Tolullah Oni, Clinical Director of Research, University of Cambridge &Founder, UrbanBetter (online)
Mr. Adis Dzebo, Senior Research Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute
Ms. Christy (Ka Ying) Wong, Hong Kong Youth Delegate, UNFCCC
Ms. Claire Fyson, Team Leader of the Mitigation Pathway Analysis and CoHead of the Climate Policy Team, Climate Analytics

Closing
14:25 – 14:30

UNFCCC and UN DESA