When the global community adopted the 2030 Agenda in September 2015, they committed to “Transforming our World” for people, planet and prosperity. Despite impressive engagement around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world is far off track. Much more effort, investment and systemic change are required. The COVID-19 pandemic, rising conflicts and a global cost-of-living crisis have compounded the already relentless and inequitable effects of climate change, and undermined the pledge to leave no one behind. The 2023 UN Global Sustainable Development Report helps to shine new light on transformative processes and practices that can help move the world from commitment to action, and from declaration to delivery. In the public event the co-chair of the scientific panel writing the report, Professor Imme Scholz, will present its main findings and in conversation with a distinguished panel of experts and policy-makers outline opportunities for critical social science to help achieve the SDGs.

18.00 Welcome Address

18.15 Keynote: Times of Crisis, Times of Change: Science for Accelerating Transformations to Sustainable Development. Lessons from the Global Sustainable Development Report 2023

Imme Scholz, President of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung (Berlin), and Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists 2023, responsible for the Global Sustainable Development Report 2023

19.00 – Panel discussion: Political priorities for achieving the SDGs until 2030

Panelists:

Imme Scholz, President of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung (Berlin) (confirmed)

Sigrid Stagl, Professor and Head of the Institute for Ecological Economics, WU Wien (confirmed)

Gerd Müller, Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (tbc)

Moderation: Werner Raza (ÖFSE)

20:00 – End of conference/wine reception

Organizers: Institute for Ecological Economics (WU), ÖFSE, Heinrich Böll Stiftung

https://www.wu.ac.at/fileadmin/wu/d/i/ecolecon/PDF/DevelopmentlectureNr23-23012024.pdf