Invited by the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), around sixty sustainability practitioners from over thirty countries discussed the deficits in implementing the 2030 Agenda worldwide. Meeting in Berlin from May 7 to 9 for the SDGclub, they agreed on a vigorous Call upon leaders to raise commitment, to strengthen the role of the United Nations’ High Level Political Forum (UN HLPF), and to advance multi-stakeholder approaches for sustainable development. SEKEM CEO Helmy Abouleish had been in Berlin and joined the call.
Participants built on the exchange of practical experiences in implementing the universal 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Based on this peer learning they drew conclusions and formulated recommendations concerning the effectiveness and sustainability of projects as well as the framework conditions for well-functioning multi-stakeholder bodies and initiatives at local, regional, and national level. Council Member and former Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul stressed the importance of multilateral action and transnational cooperation. “You are the living proof that it is by cooperation and action for sustainability – and not by building walls – that we will make this world a safer and more prosperous place” she highlighted.
The Open SDGclub.Berlin 2019 participants are part of national councils for sustainable development and of similar stakeholder bodies and initiatives, they come from a civil society organization or network, from business, academia, municipalities or national parliaments. Their common point is to be actively engaged in advancing sustainable development in their respective area of responsibility. Based on their respective practical experience and in their personal capacity, they have reiterated the importance of the 2030 Agenda document and have launched an urgent call for increased implementation efforts. They have called:
- For Heads of State to raise their level of awareness of and commitment to implementing and following up the 2030 Agenda
- For all parties to use the UN HLPF (High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development) as the one relevant global mechanism for coordinating and monitoring the 2030 Agenda.
- For all stakeholders to advance the multi-stakeholder and multi-level approaches to the 2030 Agenda, respecting the needs of future generations.
The full Call is available here.
Source: German Council for Sustainable Development
The Open SDGclub