The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) is now well underway and is featuring significant discussion of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). As a part of the Decade of Action, a UN call to action initiated in 2020 to make reaching the Goals by 2030 a possibility, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened the second ever SDG Moment. The SDG Moment, which ran from 8 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST on September 20, featured a speech from Secretary-General Guterres, debate by UN officials on COVID-19, and a performance by BTS, a popular K-pop group.
Leading into the UNGA, Secretary-General Guterres aimed to strengthen multilateral efforts to achieve the SDGs by proposing a plan titled “Our Common Agenda.” This ‘Agenda’ includes making vaccine distribution more expansive and equitable, creating the conditions for sustainable recovery to help in the elimination of poverty, championing equal rights for women and girls, and committing to net zero emissions by 2050. In order to reach net-zero emissions, Mr. Guterres asked for member states to dedicate $100 billion to climate action, an amount that the UN estimates could cause a direct economic gain worth trillions of dollars.
Climate action remained the topic of discussion of discussion as world leaders addressed the assembly. Most notably, Zeljko Komsic, the chairman of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, announced to the other leaders that “the climate crisis is no longer a warning situation.” President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar echoed this sentiment, “call[ing] upon each state to act in an equitable fashion and commensurate with their polluting activities.”
General debate is schedule to run from September 21 to September 27, featuring over 100 Heads of State. High-level events that will accompany the general debate include the UN’s first Food Systems Summit on September 23, the High-Level Dialogue on Energy on September 24, and the High-Level Event on Jobs and Social Protection for Poverty Elimination on September 28. Each of these events will include a focus on how states can work to achieve the SDGs.
To watch the UNGA general debate, click here for the UN’s live feed.