The Global?Sustainable Development Journey: Tracking Progress and Mobilising Urgent Action
Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre
Bringing together theory and practice on sustainability and business in Africa.
Welcome to the July Edition of our Newsletter!
We are getting closer to the agreed attainment year of 2030 and little progress has been made on real achievement of the various targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across countries and continents. As UN member nations fall behind on the implementation of the SDGs, this year's Sustainable Development Report (SDR) prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network's?SDG Transformation Centre, gives a clear performance rating per nation, and beams its lights on the UN Summit of the Future slated for September 22-23, 2024. The Summit is a great opportunity to mobilise UN member nations and development partners across sectors to tackle the seemingly insurmountable challenges of the 21st century.
Focusing on the peculiar development agenda of the African Continent is the?New Africa Sustainable Development Report?by the African Union, African Development Bank Group, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The report covers progress on the Africa Agenda 2063 Goals as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and?highlights the need for Africa to accelerate progress on SDGs 1, 2 and 17, reverse the negative trend on climate action (Goal 13) and strengthen statistical systems to track performance, particularly on good governance (SDG 16), where data limitations abound and inhibit performance tracking. Overall, data gaps prevent a full picture of the continent’s performance.
July also presents all environment protectors with a unique opportunity to participate in a Plastic Free July via the?Plastic Free Challenge. This global movement encourages individuals, communities, and organisations to reduce their single-use plastic consumption and adopt sustainable production and consumption practices.?Plastic pollution is a pressing environmental issue, with millions of tonnes of waste polluting our oceans, rivers, and landfills each year. We encourage you to take the simple step of sorting waste at source by material category for recycling, as this?small daily change can significantly reduce plastic waste on the continent.
In this month’s edition, ?We focus on innovative financial strategies that are driving eco-friendly investments and supporting green business initiatives. From the rise of climate-focused funding to new business models prioritising sustainability, we highlight how these efforts are reshaping industries and contributing to a more resilient planet. Enjoy Your Read!
News from LBS
LBSSC gears up to host?a national platform for youths on next-gen sustainability contributions and opportunities, set to kick start 2024 engagement on August 12th - International Youth Day Webinar. Register to attend and learn more about Naija YSF Here.
LBSSC graduates 2024 class of the Ford Foundation supported Nonprofit Leadership and Management (NPLM) Youth Academy Programme. Learn more here
Tracking Sustainable Development?
The SDGs and the UN Summit of the Future - Sustainable Development Report 2024.?Learn more here
The 2024 Africa Sustainable Development Report on?the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 spotlights the need for the effective?delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions. Learn more here.
Stakeholders Advocate for Youth Empowerment to Drive Global Sustainability.?Learn more here
Climate Action
Urban greening in Africa will help to build climate resilience – planners and governments need to work with nature.?Learn more here
BURN reinforces pledge to ECOWAS climate objectives.?Learn more here
Africa’s Green Revolution: Championing Climate-Conscious Africans For A Sustainable Future.?Learn more here
SDGs and Non-profits
The SDG Taxation Framework (STF) Officially Launched in Seychelles.?Learn more here
Learn from past destructive floods, NGO tells FG.?Learn more here
NGO advocates sustainable digital health solutions.?Learn more here
Sustainable Finance, Investments and SMEs
SEC partners AfDB to boost Nigeria’s green finance leadership.?Learn more here
Italy’s National Promotional Institution CDP and African Development Bank to invest €400 million in Africa’s Private Sector Growth.?Learn more here
Smarter money’ is the key that will unlock the promise of Africa and the Caribbean.?Learn more here
British International Investment announces 2023 Annual Review with ￡1.31 billion of new sustainable development commitments.?Learn more here
Corporate Sustainability Trends
MTN Nigeria releases 2023 Sustainability Report in early adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards S1 and S2. Read the report here. Read the report here.
Fidelity Bank Nigeria showcase new Sustainability Report prepared in accordance with the IFRS S1 and S2 Standards.?Learn more here
Nigeria's NGX introduces Impact Board for Sustainable Instruments Listing. Learn more here
Research
Green Monetary Policy to Combat Climate Change.?Learn more here
Chinese Investment in Africa: A Double-Edged Sword for Low-carbon Industrialization. Learn more here
Upcoming Programmes and Events