Youth

Highlights for Monday, 27 May 2019 Delegates gather for the start of the first UN-Habitat Assembly On Monday, the inaugural UN-Habitat Assembly (UNHA 1) started its deliberations at the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON), Kenya. Delegates elected Martha Delgado Peralta, Mexico, as President of the Assembly, as well as regional Vice-Presidents, members of the Executive Board, and other officers, and adopted the meeting’s agenda and rules of procedure. In his opening address, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya, emphasized that the world “is currently ill-prepared to plan effectively for rapid urbanization,” urging for international cooperation to fulfill UN-Habitat’s mandate. Participants also listened to opening statements by, inter alia: UN Secretary-General António Guterres, via video; Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Acting Director-General, UNON, and UN-Habitat Executive Director; UN-Habitat Assembly President Delgado; Joyce Msuya, Acting Executive Director, UN Environment Programme; and Ridwan Kamil, Governor of West Java Province, Indonesia.The UN-Habitat Assembly heard reports from Fernando Coimbra, Brazil, Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, as well as from Executive Director Sharif on UN-Habitat activities, including on progress in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Throughout the day, several platforms were opened, including the Urban Solutions Expo, the City Stage, and the Youth Tent. Delegates also attended two special events, including a ministerial roundtable on infrastructure, cities and local action to mobilize commitments for the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, and a women’s event on promoting inter-generational leadership for sustainable urbanization.Twenty-two side events took place during the day focusing on, inter alia: planning for climate action, including modern, low carbon, and inclusive public transport; innovative financing and engagement strategies for urban development, as well as efforts to close the infrastructure gap; regional and national sustainable urban initiatives; integration of migrants in urban areas; community-driven data, local participation, and multi-stakeholder partnerships for innovative inclusive cities at the local, national and international levels; and promoting spatial equality and justice. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and also produced a summary report from the 1st Session of the UN-Habitat Assembly, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Opening Plenary View of the dais during the opening plenary Plenary opens with a number of musical performances UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif congratulates Martha Delgado Peralta, Mexico, on her election as the President of UNHA 1 UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif Martha Delgado Peralta, UNHA 1 President Shipra Narang-Suri, Urban Planning and Design Branch, UN-Habitat Joyce Msuya, Acting Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya Emma Stevens, Indigenous Youth Representative Ridwan Kamil, Governor of West Java Province, Indonesia Sona Jobarteh, UN-Habitat’s Goodwill Ambassador Moderator James Ohayo, UN-Habitat Delegates stand as plenary is filled to capacity Special Events Throughout the Day Susannah Price, Head of Communications Branch, UN-Habitat Secretariat; Martha Delgado Peralta, UNHA 1 President; and UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, speak during the UN-Habitat Assembly Opening Press Conference Young Women to Women - Promoting Inter-generational Leadership for Sustainable Urbanization Ministerial Roundtable on Infrastructure, Cities and Local Action: Mobilizing commitments for the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit 2019 Afternoon Plenary View of the dais during the afternoon plenary Fernando Coimbra, Chair, Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR), UN-Habitat Lori Dando, US Permanent Representative to the UN in Nairobi Delegates applaud the election of various officers Elias Guia Lopez, Spain Wallis Goelen, EU Celestine Ketcha Courtès, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Cameroon Russom Beyene, Eritrea, speaking on behalf of the African Group Vladimir Yakushev, Minister of Construction and Housing, Russian Federation Hazem Shabat, Palestine, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Abdou Karim Fofana, Minister of Urban Planning, Housing, and Public Health, Senegal Around the Venue Delegates speak informally before the start of plenary President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya, arrives at the venue President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya, visits various exhibitions around the venue UN Security around the venue UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif; Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji; and Martha Delgado Peralta, UNHA 1 President, during the Ministerial Roundtable Shipra Narang-Suri, Urban Planning and Design Branch, UN-Habitat (far right) helps delegates play a game of Minecraft to redesign green spaces around the UN Offices in Nairobi, demonstrating innovative ways of engaging people in urban design and planning The Urban Solutions Expo aimed at promoting innovative and sustainable solutions for the challenges faced by cities and communities Delegates discuss new ideas at one of the information booths

Highlights for Wednesday, 22 May 2019 Svenja Schulze, Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, Germany, opened the meeting saying ICCA2019 is an important milestone ahead of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit in September 2019. The International Conference on Climate Action 2019 began today in Heidelberg, Germany, providing a lively space for enhancing cooperation across government levels. In her opening remarks, Svenja Schulze, Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, Germany, said that ICCA2019 is an important milestone ahead of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit and for raising climate ambition through vertical collaboration. Winfried Kretschmann, Prime Minister, Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, called for a new culture of cooperation across administrative levels that fosters mutual trust, and pointed to the Under2 Coalition as a good example of transnational climate cooperation between regions. Eckart Würzner, Mayor of Heidelberg, Germany, highlighted that many solutions are already available, for example on renewable energy and sustainable mobility, and that national support is key for implementing local climate projects. Participants also heard speeches by Luis Alfonso de Alba, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, Shipra Narang Suri, UN Habitat, and Martin Frick, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and a panel discussion on collaborative climate action.A highlight of the morning was the intervention of members of the German Fridays for Future movement and participants in the Youth Climate Summit that convenes alongside ICCA2019. They called upon decision makers to move from lip service to effectively addressing youth demands, saying, in particular, that Germany needs to accelerate the closing of its coal power plants and become climate neutral significantly ahead of 2050. In closing, they mobilized the audience chanting “We are unstoppable, another world is possible!”Throughout the opening ceremony, participants engaged in interactive feedback dialogues with the moderator, notably reacting to questions on what impacts the conference should have and whether they were optimistic that progress on environmental justice will be made in 2019.The afternoon featured a workshop session with eight parallel workshops on topics such as energy, mobility, and resilience and adaptation. In the evening, participants were invited for a reception at the Heidelberg castle. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web udpates from ICCA2019 and a summary report, which is available in HTML and PDF.

Highlights for Wednesday, 15 May 2019 L-R: Elizabeth Thompson, STI Forum Co-Chair; Inga Rhonda King, ECOSOC President; and Marie Chatardová, STI Forum Co-Chair The second and final day of the Fourth Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) opened with a video message from A Min Tjoa, Chair of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD). He briefed the audience on the CSTD’s concurrent work in Geneva, Switzerland, at its 22nd session, noting that participants were highlighting the need to steer technological changes in ways that support inclusiveness and are consistent with the values and principles of the UN.Two panels convened that focused on specific stakeholders’ involvement in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): youth and indigenous peoples. A key message emerging from both discussions was the need to move beyond hearing and activating the voices of youth and indigenous peoples to implementing their ideas and making them decision-makers.Other panels focused on specific SDGs and STI, namely SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 10 (reducing inequalities), and SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions). On climate, participants underscored the synergies and tradeoffs that exist between climate mitigation options and other SDGs. On inclusive and equitable societies, panelists underscored the importance of collaboration – in research, technology development, and decision-making – to bridge divides and leave no one behind.During the lunch break, a roundtable on STI roadmaps for the SDGs discussed technical aspects of the proposed global pilot programme that will build capacity for creating these roadmaps at the national level.The day concluded with a session on the way forward for the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM), with calls for stronger science-business connection to drive implementation, collaboration between the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the TFM, and making the STI Forum a culmination of intersessional work.UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) President Inga Rhonda King declared the Forum closed at 6:00 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web updates from the STI Forum 2019. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has publish a briefing note, which is available in HTML and PDF. Session 5: A Brighter Future – Youth, Innovation Ecosystems, and Development L-R: Tia Hodges, Senior Program Officer, Citi Foundation; Amollo Ambole, Policy Fellow, Africa Climate Change Leadership Program (AfriCLP), University of Nairobi, Kenya; Khalisah Zulkefli, Biochemist, University of Melbourne, Australia; Elizabeth Thompson, STI Forum Co-Chair; Secretary; and Moderator Heide Hackmann, CEO, International Science Council (and 10-Member Group) Fakhira Najib, Pakistan, presents ‘Broad Class - Listen to Learn’. Anne K Rweyora, Uganda, pitches her innovation, ‘A roof, A skill and A market for Women’. Prince Agbata, Ghana, speaks about his innovation, Coliba Recycling Elizabeth Thompson, STI Forum Co-Chair Khalisah Zulkefli, Biochemist, University of Melbourne, Australia Moderator Heide Hackmann, CEO, International Science Council (and 10-Member Group) Amollo Ambole, AfriCLP, University of Nairobi, Kenya Tia Hodges, Senior Program Officer, Citi Foundation Panelists pose for a picture Session 6: STI for Inclusive and Equitable Societies (SDG 10 and SDG 16) L-R: Elizabeth Thompson, STI Forum Co-Chair; Elizabeth Lockwood, Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities; Bonian Golmohammadi, Secretary-General, 16+ Forum, Sweden; Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, World Bank; Marie Chatardová, STI Forum Co-Chair; Secretary; Moderator Huadong Guo, Chairman of Academic Committee, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences (and 10-Member Group); and Wilbert Muruke, on behalf of Khadija Malima, Chief Research Officer, Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology Elizabeth Lockwood, Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities Marie Chatardová, STI Forum Co-Chair Funkola Odeleye, Nigeria, describes her innovation submission, DIYlaw. Nina Tushev, US, speaks about using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to map, monitor and protect indigenous territories. Wilbert Muruke, on behalf of Khadija Malima, Chief Research Officer, Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology Moderator Huadong Guo, Chairman of Academic Committee, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences (and 10-Member Group) Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, World Bank Bonian Golmohammadi, Secretary-General, 16+ Forum, Sweden Special Event 2: Roundtable on STI Roadmaps for SDGs - The Technical Perspective L-R: Kenji Suzuki, Senior General Manager, African Division, Toyota Tsusho, Japan; Paulo Correa, Manager, Firm Capability and Innovation Global Unit of the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice, World Bank; and Dirk Fransaer, Director General, VITO, Belgium Moderator Michiharu Nakamura, Counselor to the President and Advisor for Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency (and 10-Member Group), and Motoko Kotani, Executive Member, Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Prime Minister Cabinet Office, Japan Roundtable participants Session 7: STI for Taking Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts (SDG 13) Matthew Goldberg, US, pitches BioLite HomeStove. Padmanaban Anantha Gopalan, India, calls for No Food Waste. Mikiko Kainuma, Senior Research Advisor, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan Moderator Agnes Lawrence Kijazi, Director General, Tanzania Meteorological Agency (and 10-Member Group Co-Chair) Seth Schultz, Special Advisor to Global Covenant of Mayors on Science & Innovation, and Founder/CEO, Urban Breakthroughs, New York, US Signe Ratso, Deputy Director General, Directorate-General Research and Innovation (DG RTD), European Commission Innovators gather for a photo. L-R: Padmanaban Anantha Gopalan, No Food Waste, India; Christina Dahl Jensen, It’s our forest too, Denmark; and Matthew Goldberg, BioLite HomeStove, US Session 8: Linking STI of Indigenous Peoples, Culture and Traditional Knowledge, and the Achievement of the SDGs Minnie Degawan, Director of Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program, Conservation International Chandra Roy-Henriksen, Chief, Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Freddy Mamani, Aymara architect, Bolivia Moderator José Ramón López-Portillo Romano, Chairman, Q Element Ltd., Mexico (and 10-Member Group) Session 9: Supporting the Implementation of the TFM – The Way Forward for Joint Action L-R: Lynn St. Amour, Chair, Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF); Macharia Kamau, Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya; Elizabeth Thompson, STI Forum Co-Chair; Marie Chatardová, STI Forum Co-Chair; Secretary; Vaughan Turekian, Executive Director, Policy and Global Affairs, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, US (and 10-Member Group Co-Chair); and Joshua Phoho Setipa, Managing Director, Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Lynn St. Amour, Chair, Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group to the IGF Joshua Phoho Setipa, Managing Director, Technology Bank for LDCs Macharia Kamau, Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya Vaughan Turekian, Executive Director, Policy and Global Affairs, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, US (and 10-Member Group Co-Chair) Closing Remarks ECOSOC President Inga Rhonda King delivers closing remarks L-R: Elizabeth Thompson, STI Forum Co-Chair; Marie Chatardová, STI Forum Co-Chair; and Inga Rhonda King, ECOSOC President Around the Venue

Highlights for Wednesday, 15 May 2019 At the opening ceremony, actors from the Theatre Breaking Through Barriers troupe present a dramatization of the Sendai Framework targets, highlighting the importance of Target E on developing national and local strategies for disaster risk reduction (DRR). After two days of preparatory events, the 2019 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) opened on Wednesday on the theme, “Resilience Dividend: Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Societies.”At the welcome plenary in the morning and the opening ceremony at mid-day, speakers from the UN, the World Bank, the host country, and civil society urged attendants to match the stakes of the conference with adequate levels of ambition, which, they noted, takes place at a pivotal historic moment in the fight against climate change.The UN Office for DRR (UNDRR) launched the 2019 Global Assessment Report (GAR). Speakers warned that the increasing intensity of extreme weather events is causing displacement, migration, and conflict. They called for joint action and a focus on the most vulnerable, so as to gain a sustainable “resilience dividend.”Two high-level dialogues, a ministerial roundtable, and various working sessions took place during the day. At the High-Level Dialogue on progress on implementing the Sendai Framework, speakers referred to outcomes from the five regional platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) that took place in 2018. They highlighted statistics on the scope of global risk, with some 265 million individuals having been displaced by disasters since 2008, more than three times as many as displacements caused by conflict. Others discussed the need to further engage with the risks presented by new technologies, and drew attention to the systemic and cascading impacts of risk.In the afternoon, many sessions were packed to capacity. At a Special Session on Women’s Leadership in DRR, panelists discussed the disproportionate impact of disasters on women. At a working session on progress towards the Sendai Framework Implementation, panelists and the audience engaged in a lively discussion on various reporting tools available to track progress on DRR, and on what makes for valid and inclusive data. Other sessions showcased the findings of the GAR 2019, and the actions taken by national and local authorities to promote adoption of DRR strategies that are tailored to realities on the ground. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary report from GP2019, which is available in HTML and PDF. For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Welcome session (L-R): Shaila Shahid, UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism; Laura Tuck, Vice-President for Sustainable Development, World Bank Group (WBG); Manuel Bessler, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for DRR; Petteri Taalas, SG, World Meteorological Organization (WMO); Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Participants respond to speakers’ remarks at the Welcome Session. (L-R): Mami Mizutori, SRSG for DRR; Petteri Taalas, SG, WMO; and Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, UN-OHRLLS High-Level Dialogues View of the room during the High-Level Dialogue on progress made in implementing the Sendai Framework Malini Mehra, GLOBE International Eduardo José González Angulo, National Disaster Recovery Unit, Colombia Ulziisaikhan Enkhtuvshin, Deputy Prime Minister, Mongolia Panelists at the High-Level Dialogue on progress made in implementing the Sendai Framework Beatrice Marshall, Kenya, and Walid Doudech, Permanent Representative of Tunisia in Geneva Panelists at the High-Level Dialogue on advances in national and local DRR strategies (L-R): Chandran Nair, moderator; Asako Okai, Assistant Secretary General, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Anna Giacometti, Mayor of Bregaglia, Switzerland; Akihiro Nakamura, Vice Minister for Disaster Management, Japan; Ronald Jackson, Executive Director of Caribbean Disaster and Emergency, Management Agency Barbados; and Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of the Regional Council of Nouakchott, Mauritania Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Indonesia Chandran Nair, moderator Opening Ceremony and Report Launch (L-R): Kirsi Madi, Director, UNDRR; Michael Møller, Director, UN Office at Geneva; Mami Mizutori, SRSG for DRR; Manuel Sage, Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation; Jayathma Wickramanayake, UNSG Special Envoy on Youth; and Manuel Bessler, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Mami Mizutori, SRSG for DRR Manuel Sage, Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation Michael Møller, Director, UN Office at Geneva Jayathma Wickramanayake, UNSG Special Envoy on Youth Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji; Mami Mizutori, SRSG for DRR; and Aromar Revi, Director, Indian Institute for Human Settlements Special Session: Women Leadership in DRR (L-R): Saber Hossain, Member of Parliament, Bangladesh; Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank; Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland; Mami Mizutori, SRSG for DRR; Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs, African Union; and Dolores Devesi, OXFAM, Solomon Islands Participants in the Special Session consider ways to promote women’s leadership in DRR. Working Sessions Panelists at the Working Session on the Global Assessment Report 2019 (L-R): Juan Pablo Sarmiento, Florida International University; Mandisa Kalako-Williams, former SG, South African Red Cross; Kamal Kishore, National Disaster Management Agency, India; Roger Pulwarty, Director of the National Integrated Drought Information System, United States; and Jacqueline McGlade, University College London and Maasai Mara University, Kenya Panelists at the Working Session on Sendai Framework implementation (L-R): Maria Veronica Bastias, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction; Marcie Roth, Chief Executive Officer, Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies; Kamal Kishore, NDMA, India; Martha Herrera Gonzalez, Global Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, CEMEX; and Mohamed Hassaan Felfel Abdelsameaa, Information and Decision Support Center, Egypt Ministerial Roundtable Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland (center) Ministerial Roundtable participants discuss DRR, climate change, and the SDGs