RIO DE JANEIRO - Governments, experts, and civil society representatives convened in Brazil this week for the Fifth Global Conference on Climate and SDG Synergy, aiming to tackle the urgent challenges posed by the climate crisis and the slow progress on sustainable development.

The UN-backed conference, held from 5th-6th September in Rio de Janeiro, came as commitments on climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain alarmingly off course.

In her opening address, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called for immediate action, emphasising that the climate emergency and the 1.5-degree Celsius target are “hanging by a thread.”

Compounding the challenge, the latest report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) revealed that only 17 percent of targets are on track, with progress in over one-third of goals having stalled or even regressed.

Despite these challenges, the Deputy Secretary-General stressed that the crisis also presents an unprecedented opportunity to reshape global systems. She called on countries to seize this moment not only to address climate change but to simultaneously boost economic prosperity and sustainable development.

She called for action on these issues, urging governments to follow through on their commitment for an SDG stimulus plan that will provide $500 billion annually to developing nations.

The Fifth Global Conference on Climate and SDG Synergy underscored the urgent need for coordinated global action to address the dual crises of climate change and sustainable development.