Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH’s Post

Two leading figures in the field of sustainability policy and research, Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director at Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge, Director of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), discuss the critical challenges in achieving the 2030 Agenda targets in our interview below. Despite the complexities, they share a clear vision of the path forward and remain optimistic about the future. As we approach the conference days, this is our final newsletter before the event, and we warmly invite you once more to have a look at our wide range of public events as well as our curated livestream, accessible via our website. We hope to see you at one of the many exciting discussions, screenings, workshops, panels, and more! To read the full interview and find out more information please follow this link: https://bit.ly/hsc_nl3

One of the main focuses of this year's #ClimateWeekNYC #NYCW2024 was a call for concrete and bolder action. Helen Clarkson put it quite rightly at the beginning of the week: “It's time for a reality check. We can't keep making ambitious commitments but then only half implement them.” On my return from New York, these personal impressions echo:   1) With the newly adopted #GlobalDigitalCompact, we should increasingly target the #TwinTransition. Innovative #digitalsolutions and #AI have the potential to reduce carbon emissions. At the same time, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s recent report highlights the ecological footprint of the digital revolution. Data from 2020 show that the ICT sector is responsible for 3,2% of global emissions alone – as much as maritime transport. Also, an Issue Note from UN Environment Programme outlines AI life cycle’s environmental footprint, emphasizing the need for standardized methods to measure and mitigate these impacts. In any case, strengthened partnerships between governments, international organizations, and the private sector, are needed to catalyze the adoption of digital technologies that drive sustainable development. #Digital4Sustainability 2) Getting to net-zero and maintaining 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach, requires an acceleration of action at the level of cities, municipalities and local governments. An event organized by Urban Partners and C40 Cities not only underlined the necessity to strengthen action at the level of cities, but especially addressed the question how we could mobilize the financing that is needed from the private and public sector. Together with Anacláudia Rossbach, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE and Mark Watts, I dived into new approaches to create neighbourhood-scale impact – and how GIZ through its work on the ground is leveraging multilateral and private funding for a climate resilient and friendly infrastructure in cities. Thank you for this enlightening discussion! European Investment Bank (EIB) C40 Cities Finance Facility #CCFGapFund 3) How can we accelerate the energy transition agenda? The The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) Leadership Council is creating exactly that momentum for scaled and bolder action, gathering key actors and partners around the table. A warm welcome to Woochong Um in his new role as CEO GEAPP. GIZ, operating in 35 countries on #energyaccess and with a standing energy portfolio in Africa of around 800 Mio EUR is ready to shape and implement joint technical assistance towards the so called #Mission300 goal. #JustTransition #GreenSkills #GreenJobs. With all these fruitful discussions in our minds, we are now eagerly looking ahead to #COP29 in Baku! Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH

Metro classrooms and even underground schools are now operating due to the constant air strikes in the city of Kharkiv. In August 2024 alone, Russia used about 350-400 Shahed drones to attack the city. These massive strikes targeted critical infrastructure and residential areas. Despite this, on September 1, 2024, four more school classes opened at one of Kharkiv’s metro stations. Around 1,000 students from grades 1 to 10 from five city lyceums will study there. The classrooms, rest areas, educational equipment, and medical room were all provided by the project "Strengthening Urban Resilience in Ukraine (SUR)". In addition to desks, chairs, and furniture, all the classrooms are equipped with interactive school boards, which were not available in regular schools before. "As a teacher, this board is like a magic wand for me because it allows for interactive work with the children. In fact, students can use it too. You can display presentations, textbooks, notebooks, and even animated characters," says Taisia Galkova, a primary school teacher at Kharkiv Lyceum №14. "First graders especially enjoy it, and it helps them grasp the material better. This format of learning is closer to them." The "Strengthening Urban Resilience in Ukraine (SUR)" project also fully equipped an metro school's play area with soft furniture, board games, and everything necessary. All students use it after their 35-minute lessons. The local Department of Education representative explains that the demand for offline learning is constantly growing in the city. The local authorities are expanding the number of metro schools to allow more students to attend in person. Parents also prefer in-person education, and there has been no return to online learning since the metro schools began. This activity was realized by the project "Strengthening Urban Resilience in the Areas of Supply Infrastructure and Housing in Ukraine (SUR)" which is a part of the German transitional development assistance, commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ Ukraine. #GIZ

UN member countries adopted the landmark Pact for the Future on Sunday. The agreement will pave the way for greater international cooperation for #OurCommonFuture. “We have unlocked the door. Now it is our common responsibility to walk through it,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. https://lnkd.in/dr3kGwpc