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Global Governance for Peace and the SDGs

By SDSN

The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) invites you to join us for the four-part webinar series, Global Governance for Peace and the SDGs, designed to make sense of today’s rapidly evolving global challenges, share best practices, and identify solutions for sustainable development beyond 2030.

Our world is grappling with more obstacles to sustainable development than ever before. Mounting pressures — rising climate change impacts, escalating global conflicts, intense power competition and technological races, persistent human rights violations, economic fragmentation, chronic underfinancing, and societal polarization. Together, these forces are reshaping the geopolitical landscape.

Against this backdrop are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal blueprint for addressing poverty, inequality, climate change, and the long-term viability of our planet. Adopted by all 193 UN Member States in 2015, the SDGs remain significantly off track, with fewer than 20% of targets expected to be achieved by 2030. In addition, the UN faces deep political, operational, and financial challenges, but remains critical for fostering cooperation, establishing global norms, and overcoming the complex geopolitical obstacles we face.

The UN is now entering a new era, with the appointment of a new Secretary-General this year and governments beginning to formally review the SDG agenda and define the post-2030 pathway. In this critical moment, the SDSN will convene a series of four global webinars examining the geopolitics of war and peace, the acceleration of SDG implementation, UN reform, and the post-2030 agenda.

Webinar Sessions

The Geopolitics of War and Peace

February 2, 2026, 9:00 AM EST / 2:00 PM UTC | Watch the Recording

Sustainable development depends on peace and cooperation. This opening session considered recent crises that are rapidly reshaping the geopolitical order. The discussion was moderated by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of the SDSN, and featured leading foreign policy experts, including:

  • H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia
  • H.E. Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa, President of Cities Alliance and Executive Director of Global Women Leaders for Change and Inclusion
  • H.E. Vuk Jeremić, Former President of the UN General Assembly

Accelerating the SDGs

March 10, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT • 1:00 PM UTC | Register

This webinar will explore strategies to accelerate SDG progress, including regional integration, reforms to the global financial architecture, and improved planning.

The Post-2030 Agenda

April 1, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT • 1:00 PM UTC | Register

This discussion will focus on the implementation of sustainable development beyond 2030, including setting goals and milestones for the mid-century.

Revisiting the UN Charter in a Changing Global Order

April 23, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT • 1:00 PM UTC | Register

The UN requires urgent updates, including potential revisions to the UN Charter. This session will follow up on the SDSN’s workshop last September on recommendations for Charter reform.