SEforALL activities during UNGA and Climate Week NYC 2020

This year marks the 75^th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Taking place from 15-30 September, the UN will mark its 75th anniversary with a special event on 21 September under the theme The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism. Climate Week NYC 2020 will also run in parallel to UNGA. 
 
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) will once again participate in key UNGA and Climate Week NYC moments to push for faster progress on a sustainable energy transition that leaves no one behind.  
 
This year there is an even greater need to reinforce the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) among governments, companies, civil society and other stakeholders participating in the many virtual convenings related to UNGA. Sustainable energy access is essential to fighting COVID-19 and helping countries Recover Better from the pandemic.
 
Here are the key engagements SEforALL is involved in during this years’ UNGA and Climate Week NYC:
 
21 September | UN Global Compact Private Sector Forum
 
Since 2008, the UN Secretary-General’s annual Private Sector Forum has gathered global leaders during the UN General Assembly week to address major global issues such as climate change, sustainable development and human rights.
 
A series of roundtables will follow the main speaker sessions at this year’s Forum, bringing UN and business leaders together to assess current and future commitments towards climate change and sustainability. As one of the UN Principals participating in the roundtables, SEforALL CEO Damilola Ogunbiyi will encourage business leaders to advance their commitment to sustainable energy access through partnership opportunities with the UN system. More information can be found here.
 
21 & 22 September | Climate Week NYC events
 
The focus for this year’s Climate Week NYC is how we rebuild after COVID-19 and exploring what lessons can be learned in the pursuit of a net-zero future through just transition.
 
SEforALL’s CEO will be speaking at a session called Chance of a Lifetime? How governments and businesses are achieving a green economic recovery, which is part of The Hub Live. Now in its third year, The Hub Live is a series of forums, discussions and workshops that bring together the expertise and influence of public and private sectors. Watch online Monday 21 September at 3:00 p.m. CET here.
 
On Tuesday 22 September at 6 p.m. CET, our CEO will also be a panellist at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy’s event Green Recovery from COVID-19: Perspectives From Across the Globe, where she will focus on the challenges that the post-COVID recovery creates for countries and communities already struggling to gain access to modern energy services. Other speakers include Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles and Chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, and Commissioner Kadri Simson, EU Commissioner for Energy, European Commission. Register to attend here.
 
23 September | UN Global Compact SDG Business Forum
 
Our CEO will be delivering a keynote address during a Forum breakout session on energy. This session will provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities in catalysing investment and finance for the achievement of SDG7.  More information on the event can be found here.
 
Discussions during the session are expected to inform preparatory processes towards a High-Level Dialogue on Energy the Secretary-General will be convening at a summit level during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021 in New York.
 
Next year’s High-Level Dialogue represents the first inclusive global gathering on energy under the auspices of the General Assembly since the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy held in Nairobi in 1981. It presents a historic opportunity to provide transformational action in the first years of the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs and support the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
 
The SEforALL CEO and her UN-Energy Co-Chair, Achim Steiner, have been designated as the Dialogue Co-Chairs to facilitate substantive content development, multi-stakeholder mobilization and inter-agency support. As the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, our CEO has also been designated as the High-Level Champion to drive global advocacy for the Dialogue.
 
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