Najam Moderates UN Meeting on SDG Integration
Adil Najam, Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, served as the moderator for a July 19-20, 2018 expert group meeting on promoting integrated approaches to sustainable development hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development.
During the meeting, representatives of Governments, nongovernmental organizations and the UN system explored integrated approaches to sustainable development, with specific focus on the crosscutting environmental dimension, at two levels: 1) across all the SDGs, taking into account the complex web of interactions among the SDGs in a systemic manner; and 2) within each SDG, considering the implications of taking action in one dimension on other dimensions.
In #NYC at #UN: Enjoying facilitating a meeting for @UNEP & #UNOSD on #SDG integration. Excellent group of senior policymakers & officials with lots & lots of exciting experience. Morning focus on institutional design. A day we learn new things is a good day. Today, a good day. pic.twitter.com/VEp3UOt3Ow
— Adil Najam عادل نجم (@AdilNajam) July 19, 2018
Another intense & fulfilling day with much learning on challenges of #SDGsIntegration at @UNEP + #UNOSD experts group meeting on #SDGs I am facilitating.
Integrating policy for #SustainableDevelopment not easy. Without national coherence, don’t expect it at international level. pic.twitter.com/i4rYNna4cH
— Adil Najam عادل نجم (@AdilNajam) July 20, 2018
Participants develop a practical understanding of integrated approaches to sustainable development, based on enhanced knowledge of the system of interlinkages
and interactions among and within the SDGs with specific focus on the environment. This understanding is expected to enable participants to develop more effective and resource efficient policy planning, implementation and monitoring processes for the SDGs. The EGM will result in a summary of the discussion with concrete take-away messages for participants.
Adil Najam is the inaugural dean of the Pardee School and a professor of international relations and also of earth and environment at Boston University. He was a co-author for the Third and Fourth Assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); work for which the IPCC was awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize for advancing the public understanding of climate change science.