SEforALL at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum 2020

The High-level Political Forum (HLPF) is the central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. CEO and SRSG Damilola Ogunbiyi will participate in several virtual events of the HLPF with this year's theme "Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development".

7 July: The Industry Net Zero Transition Day

Seven sectors of heavy industry are jointly responsible for 30 percent of global GHG emissions. To prevent this percentage from increasing rapidly, they must decarbonize through well-targeted policy, scaling and cost reductions. This high-level event, hosted and curated by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Mission Innovation and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), will explore how energy-intensive industrial sectors can reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Damilola Ogunbiyi will join the opening plenary that will set the scene for the day with high-level speakers from Government ministers and CEOs. She will discuss how public and private stakeholders can collaborate internationally to drive an industry transition by promoting technology innovation towards Net Zero, critically including technology transfer for developing countries.

7 July: Building a clean and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 crisis in support of the Climate and Sustainable Development Goals

This side event, organized by the United Kingdom in partnership with the World Resources Institute (WRI), will focus on concrete opportunities for policymakers, the public sector and civil society to use climate action to support rapid and inclusive recovery from COVID-19, framed around the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

As one of the panellists, Damilola Ogunbiyi will discuss how climate ambition can be raised in the lead-up to COP26 and accelerate progress towards the SDGs in the context of COVID-19 recovery.

"We have a unique, once in a generation opportunity to 'recover better' from COVID-19. However, this pandemic has also shown us very effectively the inequalities that exist within societies and across different countries and regions. To recover better, we must focus on a clean, sustainable energy transition for all."

Damilola Ogunbiyi 

8 July: Harnessing energy transformation for a sustainable recovery

This side event will discuss the contribution of energy transformation to better recovery while ensuring an inclusive and just transition in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. Following the release of IRENA's recent report The Post-COVID Recovery: An agenda for resilience, development and equality, several countries will share their experiences and initiatives on harnessing energy transformation for sustainable recovery.  

Damilola Ogunbiyi will be part of the opening session along with IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera to present key highlights from SEforALL's The Recover Better with Sustainable Energy Guide for African Countries.

Africa is a region full of promise and a growing economic powerhouse, yet this progress is stifled without access to sufficient, reliable and affordable energy. The pandemic risks setting progress even further behind. The guide shows how an ambitious 'recover better' strategy can deliver long term economic growth, new jobs, and universal energy access for countries across Africa.

8 July: Sustaining efforts to ensure access to sustainable energy

This event, organized by UN DESA, will be moderated by Damilola Ogunbiyi, focusing on "Building better after COVID-19 and acting where we will have the greatest impact on the SDGs."

Ogunbiyi will also announce the High-Level Dialogue on Energy at a summit level during the 76th session of the General Assembly in September 2021. This High-level Dialogue represents the first global gathering on energy under the auspices of the General Assembly in four decades.