A UNU side event at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP29) in Baku discussed how a socio-ecological systems approach can support more coherent policies for climate action. Held at the SDG Pavilion on 15 November 2024, the event explored strategies to align policies across sustainable development agendas and ensure inclusion in the policymaking process. It was co-organized by UNU-IAS, the UNU Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), and the UNU Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT).
The event featured interactive discussion between speakers and the audience throughout, employing the “fishbowl” methodology. Participants highlighted the need to engage vulnerable and marginalized groups from the earliest stages of policymaking, and to transform perspectives on our relationship with nature. The language differences across policy agendas were recognized as a gap that must be bridged to enable effective stakeholder engagement.
Yasushi Katsuma (Academic Programme Advisor, UNU-IAS) underlined the importance of education in developing the next generation of leaders to advance policy coherence, and drew attention to recent progress in policy synergies between climate and health. Focusing on youth empowerment, Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS) emphasized the need to actively integrate the opinions of young people in policymaking processes. She highlighted innovative UNU-IAS initiatives supporting youth to contribute to the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16) and COP29.
