Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM) 2024: Key Insights, Discussions & Strategies

The deadline for 2030 to achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is fast approaching. However, only less than a fifth of the SDG targets remain on track. According to The Sustainable Development Goals Report launched in June 2024, without investing massively and scaling action, achieving SDGs, which were introduced as a foundation of a prosperous world and a roadmap to navigate our current global crises, will remain a distant dream. The report also stated that while there has been the slightest or reasonable progress on half of the targets, some have halted and even reverted.

Factors such as peace, inequality, security, and climate change within and between countries are affecting the progress in achieving SDGs in time. In the northern hemisphere, Summer 2024 was the hottest on record whereas August was the 13th month out of 14 where the global average temperature crossed 1.5C over pre-industrial levels.

Along with the governments and civil bodies, the private sector must play a key role in restoring action to expedite sustainable development. In order to do the same, Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM) are currently being held to accelerate the progress on SDGs and address the challenges in achieving them. 

What is the Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM) 2024?

Convened during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the World Economic Forum (WEF) is hosting the Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM) 2024 from September 23 to September 27, 2024. 

SDIM 2024 aims to bring together global leaders in business, policy-making, innovation, entrepreneurship, and international and civil society organizations for a series of impact-driven global dialogues and exchange of ideas to create a more sustainable and equitable world. These alliances utilize SDIM 2024 to propel their work and make tangible progress on SDGs. 

SDIM 2024 will host more than 1,000 global leaders who will shed some light on the actions they are taking to form meaningful partnerships and drive action across various industries and sectors to hasten to achievement of SDGs while ensuring they leave no community behind.

Some of the key sessions that SDIM 2024 will focus on include:

1. Navigating volatile geopolitical landscapes

The present landscape of geopolitics is evolving at a fast pace and shifting the axis of global governance. Unpredictable political developments and security threats take place every day. In this context, global leaders are to discuss how can organizations adapt new strategies to maintain stability and stay resilient during disruption.

2. Putting Conference of the Parties (COP) pledges into practice

As our planet continues towards the risk of 3C warming with intense land degradation, and various species of flora and fauna at the brink of extinction, a coordinated approach towards net-zero and nature-positive transition becomes even more crucial. During SDIM 2024, global leaders will convene on three COPs — biodiversity, climate, and desertification.

3. The way ahead for digital inclusion

The positive impact of the EDISON Alliance on 1 billion people through promoting digital connectivity, scaling usability, and ensuring affordability is commendable. Regardless, one-third of the global population is unable to access the digital world. Global leaders will engage in dialogue on how recent successes can enable connectivity and how AI can help them accelerate this progress.

4. The path to sustainable growth

Income inequality is at its highest in three decades. However, long-term economic sustainability might have also been impacted due to the risk of political transformations in major economies. A discussion on how global leaders can maneuver such risks is to take place.

5. Promoting trade and climate goals

While world trade continues to grow, numerous challenges need to be addressed to ensure that such growth is at par with the climate goals and global nature. Amidst this, how should business and government leaders cooperate to create a framework that promotes trade while ensuring environmental sustainability?

SDIM 2024: Exploring Climate, Nature, and Energy

People across the world continue to vote and select leaders who struggle with an unexpected and unpredictable geopolitical landscape. Meanwhile, Earth continues to tip into new phases of equilibrium as 2024 is likely to beat 2023 as the hottest year on record. 

World leaders look to keep the momentum of achieving climate targets stable as numerous global disruptions cause mitigation efforts to slow down. At this stage, partnerships between the government, business leaders, philanthropic entities, and civic bodies are crucial as they come together, collaborate, and drive innovative and sustainable solutions.

Throughout SDIM 2024, global leaders will engage in meaningful dialogues and exchange ideas on the fundamental themes of sustainable development and financing and investing in natural capital, safeguarding nature, and addressing pollution.

SDIM 2024: Building Equitable Futures

Amidst tremendous economic, geopolitical, and societal shifts is emerging technological change and rapid innovation. Our actions in these pivotal moments will determine if we will widen gaps in an already fragmented world or manage to build sustainable and inclusive economies while mitigating risks. These choices will shape the discussions taking place at SDIM 2024 amongst global leaders.

The SDIM 2024 offers a chance to discuss future work required on commitments such as the Paris Agreement or the SDGs. SDIM 2024 will address emerging digital technologies and AI — their potential to accelerate SDGs, the challenges they present, and how can they contribute to bridging the digital divide — to maximize cooperation and ensure no community is left behind. Key commitments on building equitable futures at SDIM 2024 will entail youth and future generations, sustainable development and investments, revolutionizing global governance, international peace and security, and science, technology, and innovation for digital cooperation.

Certain reports are set to be launched underlining the significance of an equitable and inclusive world and global leaders will engage in dialogues on building equitable futures from opportunity and economic growth, connectivity, improving food systems, and attaining global health standards.

What are Sustainable Development Goals?

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call to action to the world to eliminate poverty, safeguard the planet, and enhance the lives of everyone on Earth, everywhere. 

SDGs were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 with a 15-year plan to achieve these goals and other related targets by 2030. There are 17 SDGs that are interconnected, applicable to all countries, and must be carried out by stakeholders including the private sector, government, and civic bodies jointly.

The following are the impacts of SDGs:

• Eradication of poverty in all its forms from everywhere.
• Ending hunger, achieving food security and better nutrition by promoting sustainable agriculture.
• Ensuring that everyone has a healthy life and promoting the well-being of every individual regardless of their age.
• Providing access to quality and inclusive education and advocating for a lifelong opportunity to learn for all.
• Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls across the globe.
• Ensure that water is available and sustainably managed along with sanitation facilities.
• Making renewable energy clean, reliable, sustainable, and affordable for everyone.
• Promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, productive employment opportunities, and decent living for all.
• Offer resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and encourage innovation.
• Minimizing inequalities within and amongst countries.
• Making human settlements and cities affordable, safe, and inclusive.
• Enforce sustainable production and consumption cycles.
• Taking prompt action to address climate change and its effects.
• Conserving and using the oceans, marine resources, and seas sustainably.
• Safeguard, restore, and encourage the sustainable use of forests and terrestrial ecosystems.
• Promote a society that is peaceful and inclusive.
• Strengthen the means of implementation and renew the global partnership for sustainable development.

SDIM aims to bring global changemakers together to push forward their actions towards a sustainable future.

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Prachi Bishnoi

Prachi, an accomplished Chief-Editor at The Sustainable Brands Journal, has 15+ years of experience in Europe, the Middle East, and India, managing 90+ global sustainable brands. She’s a prolific writer in sustainability, contributing to various publications. Prachi’s unwavering passion and expertise make her a recognized authority, driving positive change and inspiring a sustainable future.