Achieving the climate goals under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development require massive investments in new technology and infrastructure and transformative reforms in governance and management to ensure that these agendas are just and equitable. In the face of shrinking resources during and after the pandemic, is it possible to coordinate and align these two huge efforts or must they compete for scarce resources?

International academics and sustainable development stakeholders will try to answer this question at the 'Evidence for Action: Aligning the Climate and SDG Agendas' online international research symposium, taking place on 20-22 July 2021. It is organised by the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) with support by the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development (CISD) at Utrecht University, the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS) at the University of Ghana, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the Rapid Transition Alliance (RTA), the Climate Change Research Program (PINCC) at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Southern Voice, and the Centre for Climate and Development (CCCD) at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AEFUNAI) of Nigeria.

Based around the themes of climate adaptation and the SDGs, climate and environmental justice, climate and health and the green recovery, this symposium aims to provide evidence on particular policies and measures that can achieve the climate goals and SDGs at the same time. Policy-focused outputs will target influential international audiences and events, including the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021 and the 50th anniversary of the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm+50) in 2022.

Professor Joseph Alcamo, Director of the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) and Co-Chair of the symposium says, “Seldom have we had to do so much, with so little. Amidst the shrinking resources of the Covid era, how can we cope with the climate emergency, produce enough food for the hungry, end extreme poverty, and protect biodiversity? Is it possible to save resources by aligning the two huge global agendas for climate and the SDGs, and do it in a just and equitable way? These are some of the big questions to be debated at the symposium.” 

See the draft programme which includes the following keynote speakers:

• Professor Frank Biermann - Professor of Global Sustainability Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University.
• Dr Francisco Estrada Porrúa - Coordinator of the Climate Change Research Program, National Autonomous University of Mexico.
• Professor Joyeeta Gupta - Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South, University of Amsterdam and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and Co-Chair of the Earth Commission.
• Professor Peter Newell – Professor of International Relations at the University of Sussex and Research Director, Rapid Transition Alliance.
• Professor Chukwumerije Okereke - Professor of Global Environmental and Climate Governance, and Director of the Centre for Climate and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Nigeria.
• Andrea Ordóñez - Director, Southern Voice and co-editor of 'Southern Perspectives on the Post-2015 International Development Agenda'.
• The Rt Hon. Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
• Dr Mizan R. Khan – Deputy Director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development, and Programme Director of the Least Developed Countries University Consortium on Climate Change.
• Dr Helena Molin-Valdes - Former Head of UN Climate and Clean Air Coalition Secretariat.
• Dr Clare Shakya - Director, Climate Change, International Institute for Environment and Development.
• Professor Joseph Alcamo – Former Chief Scientist of UNEP and currently Professor of Environmental Systems Science and Director of Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP), University of Sussex.

This virtual event is free and encourages participation from development professionals and researchers from all disciplines and geographies.

Register now for your place at the symposium.

The full programme will soon be shared on the 'Evidence for Action' symposium webpages. In the meantime, follow the symposium on Twitter for updates.

For any questions about the event, please email: evidenceforaction@sussex.ac.uk.