Sustainable development and financing for development

Progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 deadline is off-track.  Myriad challenges, including persistent and widening inequalities, environmental degradation, climate change, protracted conflicts, and others, continue to threaten prospects for socially just, economically inclusive, and environmentally sustainable development. Multilateral responses must adapt to the changing times to meet the needs of present and future generations. Realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development may involve renewing our understanding of sustainable development and shifting towards more integrated, interdisciplinary, and holistic solutions. The financing gap for sustainable development, however, presents a major obstacle. Furthermore, some established financing mechanisms may even perpetuate historical imbalances. In the countdown to the Summit of the Future, it is necessary to revisit the global framework for financing development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda adopted at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development. 

This UNESCO Chairs Seminar on “Sustainable development and financing for development” provides a platform to engage in critical dialogue and knowledge exchange on the multidimensional and evolving concept of ‘sustainable development’.