un consultations

The Basel Institute of Commons and Economics since 2015 has been included in various consultations within the United Nations. The last consultation was delivered on August 24 2023 and is featured here.

In May 2023, the Expert Group on Climate and SDG Synergy was established by UNDESA and UNFCCC Secretariat, comprising 14 renowned experts from diverse backgrounds. Their pivotal task is to develop the First Global Report on Climate and SDG Synergies – to be launched in September 2023.

To collect valuable insights from stakeholders for the purpose of refining and enhancing the intended outcomes, the consultation is now open to Member States, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, youth groups, and other interested stakeholders.

Question:

According to the UN Secretary-General, „Climate action is the 21st century’s greatest opportunity to drive forward all the Sustainable Development Goals.“ What evidence exists to substantiate this statement? Please share your insights (e.g. concrete data, sectoral policies, practices, etc.).

Answer:

No, Climate action with estimated costs of around $ 500 billion per year is confronted with an opportunity cost of $ three trillion per year invested by public budgets in military and sanctions against all the 17 SDGs. So the 21st century’s greatest opportunity is to support SDG 16 by switching the governmental budgets to civil measures of which Climate action is a part. See our UN IATT study:

https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/B22%20-%20Dill%20-%20Science%20shift%20to%20supporting%20the%20SDGs.pdf

Question:

The latest findings of the IPCC as well as progress reports on the SDGs clearly demonstrate that we are falling short of sustainable development and climate goals. Can synergistic and joint-up approaches to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda help raise ambition on both fronts while ensuring just and inclusive net-zero transitions? What are some key enables that can help achieve this?

Answer:

The missing knowledge within the governments of the major UN donor countries that since 2015 refuse to read and support the studies made on the interaction, distribution, and allocation of the 17 SDGs. Instead, they practice ineffective and useless Goal-picking such as with Health in 2020 and 2021 and Climate action today.

We published an overview of the biased allocation of the 17 Goals in 2021:

https://www.sustainabilityexchange.ac.uk/six_years_of_sdgs_a_report_by_dr_alexander_dill

Question:

In your perspective, what are the primary obstacles hindering the accelerated implementation of climate action and the SDGs in synergy?

Answer:

According to our study published in the UN IATT in May 2023, the countries invest up to 65 percent of their public research budget in the military.
It would therefore be promising to invest much more in civil alternatives and green technologies:

https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/B22%20-%20Dill%20-%20Science%20shift%20to%20supporting%20the%20SDGs.pdf

The UN should make clear, that any money spent on the military is missing from the 2030 Agenda. Instead of supporting the destructive Goal-picking UN Conferences, the UN should support the entire 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Update August 29th: According to an international study published on August 24th, 2023 that assessed 26 REED projects in four countries, the private trade of Carbon certificates entirely failed to reduce Carbon emissions:

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade3535

In fact, public funds that are currently misallocated for military and sanctions are the major source for all Climate measures.

UN contributions of the Basel Institute of Commons and Economics published in the UN:

UN High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism (2023/24)

http://commons.ch/2023/11/how-to-accelerate-effective-multilateralism/

United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

https://hlpf.un.org/inputs/world-social-capital-monitor

UN IATF on Financing for Development

https://financing.desa.un.org/document/basel-institute-commons-or-economics-position-paper

https://financing.desa.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/Opportunity_costs_the_hidden_source_to_financing_sustainable_development.pdf

https://financing.desa.un.org/sites/default/files/Financing_the_UN_Goals_under_Corona_Policy_Paper_to_the_UN_IATF_on_FfD.pdf

https://financing.desa.un.org/sites/default/files/28_New_Funds_To_Financing_Development.pdf