17 May 2023, 13:30 - 17:10
Digital technologies come with opportunities to unleash major structural economic and social transformation for resource efficiency driving the change to new circular business models. Digital technologies and improved design can help reduce natural resources and other materials used in products by 90% – through efficiency, tracking and tracing, e-waste and energy management. However, digital technologies also pose unprecedented challenges to equality, as evident by the growing digital divide.
It is critical to direct the trajectory of digital transformation to accelerate the shift towards circularity and sustainable development. This can provide opportunities to create green jobs for youth. Digitalisation can also be a nudge for behavioral changes and sustainable lifestyles.
The UN system is starting to conduct efforts to harness a digital transformation through multi-stakeholder coalitions. It is also conducting steps to address inequalities and promote decent and green employment that promotes new sustainable and prosperous economic models. This nexus dialogue will showcase existing inter-agency cooperation in this area of work, as well as explore how to strengthen partnerships and scale up joint implementation.
Addressing the triple planetary crisis to promote a sustainable economic and social transformation
The event is part of a series of Nexus Dialogues organized by the United Nations Environment Management Group, in close collaboration with UNEP and other UN entities to explore ways for UN agencies to join forces for SCP/SDG12 implementation.
The dialogues will reflect on how SCP can contribute to a green economic transformation and tackling the triple planetary crisis in the post-COVID context, focusing on high-impact systems and value chains (e.g. sustainable tourism; sustainable food systems-; sustainable built environment; sustainable procurement; sustainable lifestyles; and other thematic areas).
The Dialogues will lay the ground for the creation of a UN Alliance for SDG12 to accelerate the implementation of SDG 12 and the 10YFP.