In Brief
One Year Many Accomplishments
It has been an exciting first year for the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment. We thank our partners for pioneering this unique solutions-based initiative and fast-growing platform, and our contributors and friends for their support.
Since its launch in December 2017, the Forum has established the foundations for important work-streams that are well aligned with the United Nations’ work on the SDGs and that bring together diverse communities and contributions to inform policy-making and enrich understanding and collaboration.
In May the Governing Consortium’s Meeting in New York set the stage for important discussions around Technology and innovation that now top the agenda of the UN Environment Assembly and contribute to the theme around ‘innovative solutions and sustainable consumption and production’.
In September, the Forum was invited to inform the consultations of the Bureau of the UN Environment Assembly around the theme of innovation – joining hands with the Presidency of UNEA to lead a one day “Earth Innovation Forum” with Ministers and Members of the Assembly Bureau. We thank the Presidency and the Bureau for this amazing opportunity.
In October, the Forum organized an Extraordinary Session entitled “Laying the Foundations for a Global Digital Platform for Planetary Data using Frontier Technologies”, in cooperation with the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the French Alliance for Environmental Research (AllEnvi) and the Group on Earth Observations.
Recommendations from this session on big data and frontier technologies is guiding the work of Environment Live and the UN Environment Situation Room. An international Working Group will be launched at the Second Global Session of the Forum to oversee this work.
In 2017, we were proud to witness the first-ever global Citizen Science Alliance at the Forum’s inaugural session in Nairobi. In 2018, we were proud to see the Alliance gain strength and we look forward to joining hands to support the establishment of the first digital platform for citizen science. We congratulate our Citizen Science pioneers on their perseverance and vision.
In 2019, we will resume our work with the convening of the Second Global Session of the Forum, which will witness the launch of the first UN backed Green Technology Startup initiative as a first step towards supporting the establishment of a global Green Technology Start-up alliance to support the growth of innovative solutions for the environment at a global scale.
Timeline
Big Data and Frontier Tech: Powering the Transition to a Sustainable Future
Official Opening Event
Pre-session: Youth Environment Assembly – UN-SPBF Joint Session
Working Group on Big Data and Digital Ecosystems for the Planet
In November 2019, the Forum’s Working Group on Big Data and Digital Ecosystems for the Planet brought together participants from across sectors in Canberra during GEO Week 2019 to review and map the future direction of global sustainable digital ecosystems. More
Scoping Meeting of the Governing Consortium
In November 2019, the Forum organised the convening of it’s Governing Consortium in Canberra to review the work programme and activities of the Forum for 2020-2022, including strengthening its contribution to the work of UNEA, as well as discussing the convening of the Forum’s Third Global Session in September 2020. More
Second Global Session of the UN SPBF
In March 2019, the Second Global Session of the Forum organised in Nairobi witnessed the launch of the first UN backed Green Technology Startup initiative as a first step towards supporting the establishment of a global Green Technology Start-up alliance to support the growth of innovative solutions for the environment at a global scale. More
Planetary Data Meeting
In October 2018, the Forum organized an Extraordinary Session entitled “Laying the Foundations for a Global Digital Platform for Planetary Data using Frontier Technologies” in Paris, in cooperation with the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the French Alliance for Environmental Research (AllEnvi) and the Group on Earth Observations. Recommendations from this session on big data and frontier technologies is guiding the work of Environment Live and the UN Environment Situation Room. An international Working Group will be launched at the Second Global Session of the Forum to oversee this work. More
Earth Innovation Forum
In September 2018, the Forum was invited to inform the consultations of the Bureau of the UN Environment Assembly around the theme of innovation – joining hands with the Presidency of UNEA to lead a one day “Earth Innovation Forum” with Ministers and Members of the Assembly Bureau. The Event was held in Tallinn, Estonia. We thank the Presidency and the Bureau for this amazing opportunity. More
First Governing Consortium Meeting
In May 2018 the Governing Consortium’s Meeting in New York set the stage for important discussions around Technology and innovation that now top the agenda of the UN Environment Assembly and contribute to the theme around ‘innovative solutions and sustainable consumption and production’. More
First Global Session of the UN-SPBF
In 2017, we were proud to witness the first-ever global Citizen Science Alliance at the Forum’s inaugural session in Nairobi. More