This webinar will focus on the re-occurring challenges of realizing climate/SDGs synergies in practice. Trainers will speak to the implications of integrated Climate/SDGs action for national capacity, financing, and monitoring. They will offer tools, resources, and advice to help participants address each implementation challenge. Participants will be asked to share relevant examples and make forward-looking suggestions.

Guiding questions:

• What capacity or institutional constraints prevent countries or localities from integrating climate and SDG action? What strategies have been effective to overcome capacity gaps?
• What does an integrated climate/SDGs action mean for financing? Considering the COVID-19 Pandemic, how can countries identify financing for integrated climate/SDGs action?
• How can the synergies be monitored for transparency & accountability? What steps are countries taking to capture the impacts of policy multipliers, including across sectors?

Moderator:

Prof Mark Swilling, Co-Director, Stellenbosch Centre for Complex Systems in Transition, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Speakers:

• Baysa Naran, Senior Analyst, Climate Policy Initiative – Overview of the global climate finance landscape and opportunities for climate/SDG synergies.
• Héctor Arce Benavides, Ing., Director, National REDD+ Strategy, Costa Rica National Forestry Finance Fund (FONAFIFO) – Payments for ecosystem services (synergies between Forests & climate action).
• Shehnaz Moosa, PhD., Director, Climate Development & Knowledge Network – Capacity building challenges and opportunities for climate/SDG synergies in the Global South.
• Surabhi Rajagopal, Senior Program Manager, SustainPlus – Climate/SDG synergies: Overcoming challenges on means of implementation.

Closing of webinar series and next steps:

• Bahareh Seyedi, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, UNDESA
• Marco Suazo, Head of New York Office, UNITAR