Network News - December 2016
Advancing SDG implementation in Australia
On 7 September 2016, SDSN Australia/Pacific co-hosted the inaugural Australian SDGs Summit to advance national implementation of the SDGs.
The Summit generated significant energy and momentum to seize on the opportunities of the SDGs for Australia, and identified the key elements and priorities for continued action. We collated these ideas in an Outcomes Report, which can now be downloaded from our website.
Regional network news
New members
SDSN Australia/Pacific is delighted to welcome four new members to our network:
- Pacific Center for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD), University of the South Pacific
- The Pacific Community/Communaute du Pacifique (SPC)
- University of Western Australia
- Victoria University of Wellington
Our full list of members and details on how to join can be found on the SDSN Australia/Pacific website.
Season’s greetings!
On behalf of SDSN Australia/Pacific we wish you a joyful and safe Holiday Season and a very happy New Year. Our office will be closed from 22 December to 9 January for the holidays. We will see you next year!
SDSN Youth news
> National Youth Summit on the SDGs: More than 100 young Australian leaders from 60+ student associations and youth organisations gathered in Melbourne recently to discuss and collaborate on the implementation of the SDGs.
> Opportunity: Local Pathways Fellowship: Young people in our region are invited to apply for this global program empowering youth from 50 cities around the world to champion local pathways for sustainable development. This is a great opportunity for young people to engage with the UN’s New Urban Agenda and the SDGs. Applications close 31 December 2016.
Global SDSN news
> It’s not too late to enrol in the SDG Academy’s new free online course on Sustainable Cities. The course features 27 global thought leaders in urban sustainable development, who discuss the latest policy and practice for creating sustainable cities.
> SDSN recently co-hosted the Low-Emissions Solutions Conference at the UN Climate Change Conference in Morocco (COP22). This innovative event brought together global experts to share knowledge on the latest technological developments and brainstorm global pathways to a low emissions future. More information and presentations are available here.
Member news & events
> The call for abstracts for the Research for Development Impact (RDI) Network Conference 2017: Partnering for Impact on Sustainable Development is open until 30 January. The conference will take place on 13-14 June 2017 in Sydney. (Australian Council for International Development – ACFID)
> Submissions are invited for both the Academic Track and the City Practices Track of the Ecocity World Summit 2017 – Changing Cities: Resilience and Transformation, which will be held in Melbourne on 12-14 July 2017. The Summit is one of the most globally significant forums for addressing the complex challenges facing humanity in a rapidly urbanising world. (University of Melbourne)
> To gain a clearer picture of its strengths and to prioritise actions, the Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS has developed a tool to map its work in detail against the SDGs.
> Monash University has announced a new Environmental, Social and Governance Statement, which commits the university to heightened levels of environmental and social sustainability, including a commitment to the SDGs.
> The Canberra Urban and Regional Futures (CURF) participated in the UN Habitat conference in Quito, where the New Urban Agenda was unanimously adopted by member nations. CURF presented their leading practice at a workshop on Urban Resilience, which Australia’s UN Ambassador Gillian Bird attended.
