COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon unprecedented challenges globally, where even a full year later is still resurging in several countries. Even those not hit hard by the health crisis have been badly hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic. This risk setting back progress towards many of the SDGs by years and the less developed countries face the hardest adjustments.
For the coming year and more, countries will be trying to vaccinate a large share of their populations and to recover from the COVID-induced global recession, to make up lost ground and, in the case of the SDGs, make up for lost time in achieving the goals by 2030. The UN and other international organisations are spearheading a collaborative multilateral effort to address the immediate crisis, and mobilise resources for countries, especially less developed ones, to ‘build back better’ – that is, to recover from the economic shock as quickly as possible and in consistent with achieving the SDGs as well as the Paris Agreement targets.
Aligning with the above, 2020/21 Sustainable Development Transformation Forum (SDTF 2020/21) focused on recovery pathways towards a just and sustainable economy, considering in depth how developing countries can seize the opportunities presented by COVID-19 and long-term decarbonization to launch or in some cases accelerate sustainable, low-carbon industrialization.
SDTF 2020/21 took place virtually from 22-26 February 2021, bringing together ~200 representatives and experts from governments, United Nations system, civil society and academic institutions. The 5-day event culminated in the publication on the 2020/21 Incheon Communiqué.
Missed the forum? You can now stream the recording sessions online. Find the recording links below!
Agenda & Recording Links
Day 1: Monday, 22 February 2021, 8-10pm (Korea Standard Time)
Building Back Better and Greener
Watch the recording of Day 1 on YouTube here.
Day 2: Tuesday, 23 February 2021, 8-10pm (Korea Standard Time)
Financing and Investing in Sustainable Infrastructure: Energy and Transport
Watch the recording of Day 2 on YouTube here.
Day 3: Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 8-10pm (Korea Standard Time)
Industrial, Technology and Labour Force Development Policies for Sustainable Industrial Development
Watch the recording of Day 3 on YouTube here.
Day 4: Thursday, 25 February 2021, 8-10pm (Korea Standard Time)
Building Local Sustainable, Low-Carbon Materials Industries
Watch the recording of Day 4 on YouTube here.
Day 5: Friday, 26 February 2021, 8-10pm (Korea Standard Time)
Moving to Zero-Waste, Circular Economies
Watch the recording of Day 5 on YouTube here.
For more information, please visit the UNOSD’s website: https://unosd.un.org/events/2021-21_SDTF
SDTF is hosted by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD). Since 2013, ASEF, via the ENVforum, has been regularly contributing to the SDTF as a knowledge partner, bringing experts on sustainable development and presenting outcomes of ENVforum research on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).