The “Summit of the Future” was first proposed in UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ 2021 report, Our Common Agenda, which explored the central question of how to fundamentally restructure the multilateral system to address some of the most entrenched global governance challenges of our time. This report was prepared at the request of UN Member States in the Declaration on the Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations, which was adopted in 2020 and called on the Secretary-General to develop recommendations for addressing current and future challenges.

In its 2022 resolution (A/RES/76/307), the UN General Assembly agreed to hold the Summit, with the theme “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow,” and noted the Summit has an important role to play in “reaffirming the Charter of the United Nations, reinvigorating multilateralism, boosting implementation of existing commitments, agreeing on concrete solutions to challenges and restoring trust among Member States.”

Recognizing that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is seriously off-track, the Summit further aimed to “turbocharge” implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other global commitments. It brought together leaders of UN Member States, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and youth.

In late August 2024, the Summit of the Future Co-Facilitators, Ambassador Neville M. Gertze (Namibia), and Ambassador Antje Leendertse (Germany), released the final negotiated drafts of the main outcome document,” the “Pact for the Future,” and its two annexes: the “Global Digital Compact” and the “Declaration on Future Generations.” In their letter, the Co-Facilitators highlighted progress made over the past year of negotiations and informal consultations, describing the 60 actions proposed in the draft Pact for the Future as “balanced, ambitious, action-oriented, and forward-looking.”

In preparation for the Summit, the UN published 11 thematic policy briefs that include an analysis of how proposed solutions will impact on SDG implementation, and with human rights and gender equality as cross-cutting themes. The Briefs cover such topics as:

• Advancing “the peace continuum, from prevention, conflict resolution and peacekeeping to peacebuilding and sustainable long-term development”;
• Beyond Gross Domestic Product measurement of wealth;
• Reforming the global financial architecture;
• Meeting the needs of future generations, including through more systematic participation of young people in decision-making processes at the global level;
• Achieving an “information ecosystem” that is inclusive and safe for all;
• The peaceful, secure, and sustainable use of outer space, to deliver on the SDGs and the Paris Agreement on climate change and address threats and emerging risks;
• Reimagining and accelerating progress on education; and
• Strengthening the capacities of the UN for the 21st century by building a UN 2.0.

On 20 and 21 September, the UN convened the Summit of the Future Action Days to generate additional opportunities for the engagement of all stakeholders. The Action Days included dedicated sessions on youth and future generations, as well as thematic sessions on three priority Summit topics: digitalization and technology; peace and security; and sustainable development and financing.

On 24 September, the annual SDG Moment convened from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. The SDG Moment serves to place an annual spotlight on the SDGs. Convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Moment provides world leaders with a platform to showcase the bold actions and solutions that are needed to set the world on course towards achieving the SDGs.

The Summit of the Future convened at UN Headquarters, New York, from 22-23 September 2024. 

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers who covered both the Summit of the Future and the SDG Moment were Wangu Mwangi; Laura Bullon-Cassis, Ph.D.; and Deborah Davenport, Ph.D. The Digital Editor was Diego Noguera. The Editor was Pam Chasek, Ph.D.