On 10 September 2014, CDKN is holding an event from 14:00-17:00 (UK time) to explore the linkages between climate change and the post-2015 development framework. CDKN's  The Sustainable Development Goals: Will they deliver climate compatible development for vulnerable countries? will be launched and discussed.

The event will bring together experts and practitioners in climate change and sustainable development to present and discuss the views of developing countries on this topic. The outcomes will be shared with the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General in advance of the Leaders’ Summit on climate change in New York in September. 

Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges the world faces today. It affects all aspects of the development agenda, from poverty eradication to healthcare, to economic growth and disaster risk reduction. Without concerted global efforts to address climate change, climate impacts are likely to undermine the success of future global development.

2015 is a crucial year for global action on climate change and sustainable development with an international agreement on climate change, the post-2015 development goals and a future framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) all set to be finalised. The Open Working Group has concluded its negotiations by producing a substantial, inclusive list containing 17 sustainable development goals. This initial list of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be presented at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York at the end of September, 2014. At the same time the UN Secretary General has organised a Climate Summit in order to catalyse action on climate change prior to the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in 2015.

The convergence of these agreements and events offers a unique opportunity to achieve coherence among international policies on climate change, sustainable development, and disaster preparedness. Handled well, strong linkages among these agreements will ensure that the post-2015 goals and disaster risk reduction efforts are climate smart and will recognise that mitigating against and building resilience toward climate change is pivotal to meeting development needs. Handled badly, there is a risk that these agreements fail to encompass the scope and ambition necessary to address the development of the poorest and most vulnerable in a changing climate.

The event

CDKN will be hosting an event at ODI  in London, on 10 September 2014 to bring together experts from across government, civil society, academia and the private sector to discuss the linkages between climate change and the post 2015 framework. The event will share the outcomes of developing country and regional dialogues hosted by CDKN in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia and to present the latest research from our partners at ODI and WWF.

The event participants will be asked to explore:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages for developing countries of integrating climate change in the SDGs and DRR framework?
• What are the challenges to ensuring an outcome which is mutually beneficial for climate change and development? And how can such challenges be overcome?
• What are the current prospects for these negotiation processes to deliver climate compatible development outcomes?
A number of leading practitioners and academics have been invited to present their ideas on this topic in order to facilitate more in-depth round table discussions among participants.

The full agenda, as well as speakers and panellists will be confirmed closer to the event date. For more details, consult this page.

The event will serve to make SDG and climate change linkages better understood, and help developing country voices to be heard. The key messages from the event will also be presented to the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General in advance of the Leaders’ Summit on climate change in New York in September.

To download the full Working Paper, visit: The Sustainable Development Goals: Will they deliver climate compatible development for vulnerable countries?
Image, courtesy of CIAT (Flickr).