The SDSN at the 81st UN General Assembly and Climate Week NYC
This September, world leaders will gather in New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (September 8–28, 2026) and Climate Week NYC (September 20–27, 2026) at a pivotal moment: A new UN Secretary-General is soon to be elected ahead of next year's final SDG Summit before the 2030 deadline, while the climate crisis and geopolitical tensions continue to escalate.
Against this backdrop, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) will host a series of high-impact events bringing together civil society, academics, policymakers, and youth to address today's rapidly evolving global challenges and identify solutions for sustainable development through 2030 and beyond.
Here’s what’s on the agenda:
Science Across Generations: From Regional to Global Connectivity
September 16, 2026, 10:15 to 11:45 AM EDT | Virtual | Register
The Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) and its Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) work to promote intergenerational dialogue and strengthen youth engagement in science-policy discussions related to the Amazon. As part of these efforts, the YAC launched the “Science Across Generations” dialogue series in 2025, bringing together SPA members and YAC representatives to discuss key findings from the Amazon Assessment Report 2021. Building on the success of these exchanges and as part of the Science Summit, this webinar will explore the first chapter of the Amazon Assessment Report 2025 - Connectivity of the Amazon for a Living Planet.
Simultaneous interpretation will be available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
The Science Panel for the Congo Basin: From Evidence to Global Action
September 22, 2026, 10:00 to 11:30 AM EDT | Online & New York, NY | Watch the Livestream
Recently published by Springer Nature, the Science Panel for the Congo Basin’s (SPCB) Assessment Report provides a robust scientific evidence base to inform policy, strengthen regional cooperation, guide strategic investments, and highlight the Congo Basin’s importance for the Earth system and sustainable development agendas. The event will feature keynote presentations from lead report authors, followed by a roundtable discussion exploring how independent scientific evidence can raise awareness of the global significance of the Congo Basin and inform investment, conservation, climate action, and sustainable development.
Nature as Critical Infrastructure: Amazon, Congo and Borneo
September 22, 2026 | 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EDT | Online & New York, NY | Watch the Livestream
This event will advance international dialogue on practical pathways to integrate natural systems into infrastructure governance, investment planning, and risk assessment, given their essential role in sustaining economic stability, development, and human well-being. The session will explore the scientific and economic case for this framework, highlighting converging evidence from the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and Borneo to demonstrate how tropical forests underpin regional and global water security, agricultural productivity, energy systems, and broader economic resilience.
Cross-Regional Cooperation for Tropical Forests: Fostering Science and Conservation Across the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Borneo
September 22, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM EDT | Online & New York, NY | Watch the Livestream
Bringing together leaders from the SDSN’s regional Science Panels and other key stakeholders, this event will examine how scientific knowledge can support responses to interconnected environmental and societal challenges. The discussion will explore risks associated with socio-ecological tipping points, as well as opportunities to strengthen ecosystem resilience, advance sustainable cities, and promote more equitable futures.
Building the Research We Need: Toward an Integrated Research Environment in the Amazon
September 23, 2026, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM EDT | Cure, 345 Park Avenue South, New York | Watch the Livestream
Marking the official launch of the Science Panel for the Amazon’s (SPA) White Paper, Beyond Funding: What Would It Take to Build an Integrated and Resilient Socio-Biodiversity Research Environment Across the Amazon?, this event will present the paper’s key findings and policy recommendations. The White Paper examines the structural conditions necessary for a thriving and resilient research environment in the Amazon—one that is more integrated across the basin, more inclusive of diverse knowledge systems, and better equipped to train the next generation of Amazonian research leaders. It argues that strengthening Amazonian science requires going beyond funding alone to address the organizational, epistemic, and institutional barriers that currently limit collaboration, knowledge exchange, and scientific authority within the region.
The Future of Multilateralism: Leadership for a Changing World
September 24, 2026, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT | Online & New York, NY
Featuring Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of the SDSN, this high-level discussion will bring together distinguished global leaders, former heads of state, senior UN officials, and other voices shaping the future of international cooperation to explore how multilateralism can evolve to better address twenty-first-century challenges.
The discussion will examine the leadership, partnerships, and governance approaches needed to renew international cooperation and respond to the growing complexity of global challenges. It will explore how science, innovation, and inclusive participation can contribute to a more effective and responsive multilateral system: one capable of advancing sustainable development, addressing climate and biodiversity crises, and delivering collective solutions for a resilient future. The dialogue will seek to identify areas where new global consensus is both most urgent and most difficult to achieve.
Scaling Tropical Forest Finance: Science and Finance in Dialogue for the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, and Borneo
September 24, 2026, 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EDT | Online & New York, NY
Tropical forests are indispensable to global climate stability, biodiversity conservation, water regulation, and sustainable development. Yet current financial flows are fragmented, short-term, and insufficient to support the long-term protection, restoration, and sustainable use of tropical forests. Against this backdrop, the SDSN will launch the brief, Scaling Tropical Forest Finance: Perspectives from the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin and Borneo. The brief synthesizes current evidence on the global ecosystem services provided by tropical forests, examines the limitations of traditional financing, and highlights emerging approaches to scaling tropical forest finance, while providing key recommendations for policymakers and the financial sector. The event will use the publication as a foundation for dialogue among scientists, financial sector representatives, and policymakers on accelerating the scale and effectiveness of tropical forest finance.