There is a clear lack of implementation of the United Nations’ sustainability goals. A new sustainability conference in Hamburg with around 1,600 participants from more than 100 countries wants to change that.
The United Nations has set 17 goals for sustainable development on an economic, social and ecological level. They apply worldwide – the goals include an end to poverty and hunger, clean water and clean energy, but also decent work, high-quality education, climate protection and peace. The problem: Almost nine years after the goals came into force, there is still a lack of implementation – a circumstance that the new international sustainability conference in Hamburg wants to specifically address. In addition to the Federal Development Ministry, the initiators are the UN development program UNDP, the city of Hamburg and the Michael Otto Foundation.
Around 1,600 participants from more than 100 countries
Around 1,600 participants from more than 100 countries traveled to the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC). They want to discuss until Tuesday how the goals set by 2030 can at least be approximately achieved. Several heads of state and government, especially from the Global South, also traveled to the conference. According to the organizers’ ideas, the conference could be the counterpart to the Munich Security Conference in the area of sustainability. At least three such conferences are already planned to take place annually, it said.
It is good that the HSC sees itself as a multi-year process, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at the opening in Hamburg City Hall. “To strengthen the mutual trust of the global community again and at the same time to show that global challenges can be mastered with strong international partners – that is the goal of this conference.” It makes an important contribution to achieving the sustainability goals because it enables alliances between states and alliances of business, civil society and science.
Climate-neutral shipping, battery production and financial architecture at the center
According to the organizers, the focus of the first conference will be, among other things, answers to questions about climate-neutral shipping, sustainable battery production and a similar financial architecture. The President of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, also came to Hamburg primarily because of financial issues. It is also about the enormous potential of the private sector and civil society actors for sustainable development.
The conference deals with three core questions, said Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD). How could investments in sustainable development become more secure and scalable? How could the international financial architecture become fairer and more effective in terms of sustainability? And how could the potential of the major transformation processes be used for the switch to renewable energies and digitalization in the interests of sustainability?
Head of the UN Development Program: Meeting in itself a success
For the head of the UN development program UNDP, Achim Steiner, the meeting in itself is a success. The world is characterized by crises, conflicts and wars. The fact that we were able to find such a format in less than a year is remarkable. The conference sets a “countersign”. Cooperation is generating interest – business is also getting involved. “Of course, just bringing people together is not enough,” admitted Steiner, but left it open what specific results he expected.
The Hamburg honorary citizen and entrepreneur Michael Otto criticized the fact that the implementation of the UN sustainability goals was not being pursued with enough emphasis. This puts a strain on multilateral cooperation and destroys opportunities for future generations. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Otto Group also said that companies are often the cause that stand in the way of achieving goals. He referred to the economy’s consumption of resources and inadequate working conditions in the supply chains. On the other hand, said Otto, companies often also offer solutions. Chamber of Commerce President Norbert Aust emphasized: “The HSC puts Hamburg in the global spotlight and makes it clear that we can be an economic pioneer.”
Tschentscher: Hamburg ready to develop a sustainable future
Tschentscher emphasized that more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, consumes 80 percent of the world’s energy and is responsible for 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Urban areas are also global centers of social and technological progress, combining economic strength, scientific excellence and innovative strength. That is why global cities have a special responsibility and at the same time have the potential to develop solutions for a sustainable future. “Hamburg is ready for this,” said Tschentscher.
