In the second half of 2024, the UN will look to a brighter future, with a major summit devoted to forward thinking in September, and the fight against climate change in November:
July:
Is a second-half comeback possible?
2023 marked the midway point for the?Sustainable Development Goals. The half-time score showed that the world is falling behind on all of the 17 Goals and will struggle to achieve any of them by 2030.
The High-Level Political Forum () – the big mid-year event at UN Headquarters to evaluate progress on the SDGs, held from 8 to 17 July – will be an opportunity to evaluate how much political will there is to turn them into a reality.
Expect a focus on hunger and poverty, climate change, and sustainable development.
August:?
Honouring humanitarians
Humanitarian workers are recognized annually on??on 19 August for their contribution to the survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by crises around the world.
The commemoration was established 21 years ago, after the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, was bombed and 22 aid workers, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, were killed.
The day which also focuses on the safety of humanitarians will recognize all those, including a record number in Gaza, who have lost their lives serving others.
The Taliban in Afghanistan
August will mark three years since the?de facto?Taliban authorities seized power in Afghanistan. The UN continues to provide humanitarian relief and crucially to?, especially those of women and girls.
September:
Look to the future
Look out for the?Summit of the Future?on 22 and 23 September, which aims to “forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better??present and safeguard the future”.
A “pact for the future” will be adopted, in the hope that it will lead to the international community effectively tackling current challenges, as well as those that have emerged in recent years or may yet be over the horizon.
The summit will be the centrepiece of the General Assembly high-level week.
All in moderation
We will never be able to live in harmony with the planet, without taking a close look at the way we produce and consume.
The?, which includes UN agencies, governments, NGOs, and academic institutions, aims to inspire a global movement for sustainable consumption and production, by sharing knowledge and encouraging action for change.
After holding its initial Forum in Stockholm in 2022, the second edition will take place on 12 September and will identify fresh solutions, tools, and strategies for a sustainable future.
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