IAI joins Project Everyone Campaign to raise awareness of the UN Global Goals

Click here to see the video clips of IAI researchers

Montevideo, 23 September 2015

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has partnered with the global campaign Project Everyone to raise awareness of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted later this week at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit. As part of the UN-backed campaign led by filmmaker Richard Curtis, video messages from scientists involved in IAI projects will go live on the IAI homepage today.

The short video messages recorded in English, Spanish and Portuguese, echo important issues and concerns under several themes of the UN goals: sustainable communities and health, frontiers of development and health, social adaptation and knowledge for rural resilience under market and climate shocks, how to communicate science, water a cause for national and international cooperation, how societies should value ecosystems, and climate change and biodiversity.

The adaptation to Global Change is an important part of all development. To make development more sustainable and adapting it to the risks and opportunities that come from Global Changes, IAI science explores resource management, ecosystems, cities and human health with a view to guiding decisions. At the same time, proposals for adaptation and mitigation actions that address Global Change must consider development needs and the needs and aspirations of societies if they are to be accepted by politicians, nations and the private sector.

Agreed by the 193 Member States of the UN, the proposed Agenda consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals addressing three interconnected elements of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability. Parties to the agreement have committed to achieve these goals by 2030. Over 100 world leaders are expected to formally adopt those goals at the UN Summit held from 25 to 27 September at UN Headquarters in New York. The IAI is one of 200 organizations selected from 2000 applications for special accreditation to attend the Summit.

The Summit will convene Six Interactive Dialogues in parallel to the plenary meetings where UN delegates will discuss important questions such as:

• How can we put science, technology and innovation in the service of the poor and hungry?
• What actions should be taken and what resources will be required at the national level to achieve the SDG targets in the different areas?
• How can we ensure that all actions motivated by the SDGs contribute to realizing the long term goal of keeping the rise in global temperature below 2 degree Celsius?
• What business models, financial instruments or incentives have been effectively used to engage the private sector and communities in reversing ecosystem degradation, while delivering economic growth and community resilience?

Achieving such broad goals and mobilizing the support of people and nations requires new and innovative alliances. In one of the largest global campaigns ever launched, Project Everyone aims to reach 7 billion people over seven days. We encourage you to link to the IAI homepage to share the video messages as widely as possible within your networks.

UN Sustainable Development Summithttp://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/

Press questions

Ione Anderson
ianderson@dir.iai.int
+598 26039552
+1 305 215-9397

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 6 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10 Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development