First Hamburg Sustainability Conference to focus on goals

17 November 2023

Global North and South to meet in Hamburg from October 7-8, 2024

The First Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) gets underway from October 7-8, 2024 and will bring the Global North and Global South together to focus on social-ecological transformation. Government representatives and those of the private sector, academia, civil society and international organizations will develop joint solutions based on an agenda The guided by the HSC Circle, a Supervisory Board and an international Advisory Board. The conference has been initiated by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in co-operation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Michael Otto Foundation and the City of Hamburg. The venue is the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.

HSC follows U.N. summit

The HSC comes after the United Nations reviewed progress towards its 17 Sustainability Goals in September and will build thereon. "The world needs new momentum on its path toward the Sustainable Development Goals. And for that we also need new spaces in which we can jointly develop concrete ways of achieving a social-ecological transformation," said Svenja Schulze, Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development. Dr Peter Tschentscher, Mayor of Hamburg, remarked: “By hosting the international sustainability conference, Hamburg is making an important contribution to globally more sustainable development. As a city with an ambitious SDG strategy, the biggest seaport in Germany and some 100 consulates, we are well connected with all continents."

Bringing commerce and civil society on board

The conference will provide a space for querying the governance of international organizations and entrepreneurial approaches for sustainable development. Continuous cooperation with the U.N. system and financial organizations should ensure the development, distribution and placement of sustainable solutions. The goal is to develop joint roadmaps for conference topics that outline ways of advancing these issues together. Thus, the focus of the conference will be determined with partners from the Global South. Events in downtown Hamburg will give citizens an opportunity to take part in discussions during HSC.

Sustainability in Hamburg

Hamburg is making progress towards the sustainable transformation of the city. Local government, businesses and society are committed to more climate protection and to the energy and mobility transition. Hamburg recently tightened its climate targets in a bid to become climate neutral by 2045. Public transport is becoming environment-friendlier and renewable energies are being increased. The Hanseatic city is setting up infrastructure for hydrogen and aims to become a northern European hub of hydrogen in future. Many innovative and sustainable business ideas are emerging given the vibrant start-up scene focusing on even sustainability in future.

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