The SDGs - making the change for 2030.

The SDG series hosted by UC and Lincoln University have been wonderful ending with the 4th Summit today bringing together a wide range of people online to share the positive actions that are happening & the discussions that arose from that. The team that brought it together had created an amazing face to face two day hui but due to Covid Delta lockdown they 'pivoted' so well to an online, interactive forum.

This is worth reading about how we're progressing toward the SDGs as a country https://oag.parliament.nz/2021/sdgs - there is much work to do.

We could sign the Declaration that came from the hui. It is shared below:

2021 AOTEAROA SDG SUMMIT DECLARATION

This Declaration was made at the third Aotearoa New Zealand Sustainable Development Goals Summit, 2 September 2021.

It is delivered on behalf of those organisations and individuals listed herein.

Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei – for us and our children after us.

We, the signatories to this declaration, declare the following:

1. We agree to abide by the following fundamentals:

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document for our nation, and it must underpin our actions.
Transformation of our economic and social systems is urgent if we are to achieve the SDGs and secure a future for our people and planet. Time is short and change is needed now.
No single organisation can achieve the SDGs on their own. Change requires us to work boldly within and across sectors: we will work collaboratively where possible and appropriate.
The SDGs are for all people in our country; no one is to be left behind and the most vulnerable communities must be supported to contribute to the development and implementation of SDG actions.

2 2020-2021 Summit Series Achievements

The 2020-2021 SDG Summit Series has elevated key concepts and enriched our collective understanding of the SDGs, signposting pathways for further work. It has done this by:
Supporting the development of the Aotearoa SDG Alliance
Developing discussion about the connections of tangata whenua, Te Tiriti and the SDGs
Bringing the voice of our Pacific neighbours to our thinking about the SDGs
Hearing from young people and learning from their concerns for the future and the actions they are taking
Learning more from the New Zealand research community (especially the Crown Research Institutes) about the work they are doing to support progress on the SDGs
Listening to ways in which the business community is working to achieve the SDGs
Building strong processes for the development of the SDG summits, for example by enhancing the role of the national Stakeholder Group.

3 Our Commitments

Noting the urgency with which change is required, we:

3.1 Commit to align with the SDGs in adopting sustainable practices in our organisation/s and the wider community.

3.2 Recognise the need for, and therefore commit to, collaborative action as an ongoing process.

3.3 Celebrate the creation of a national SDG Alliance to foster collaboration and support action towards the SDGs in Aotearoa New Zealand and see this as a primary platform for collaboration. We commit to the support of, and involvement in, this Alliance.

3.4 Commit to working with the SDG Alliance to publicly report on our progress prior to the next national SDG Summit.

Here are the goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Catch up on the Summits: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Z6ohpCGlHBTojnvQCP8TQ/playlists