CONCEPT NOTE FOR VIRTUAL SIDE EVENT AT FFD 4 PREPCOM
Topic: Pathways to Prosperity: Integrating Energy, Gender, Education, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Climate,Decent Work and SDG 14 for Sustainable Development through Somplified Financing Processes”
Introduction
The global community is at a pivotal moment in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While progress has been made, significant gaps remain in financing and implementing cross-sectoral solutions that address interconnected challenges such as energy access, gender equality, education, sustainable agriculture, infrastructure development, climate action, and the conservation of life below water (SDG 14). This side event, “Pathways to Prosperity,” seeks to explore innovative, integrated approaches to financing and implementing sustainable development initiatives that bridge these critical sectors.
By fostering dialogue among diverse stakeholders, this event will highlight the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, innovative financing mechanisms, and inclusive policies to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
Background
The Financing for Development (FfD) process has underscored the need for transformative approaches to mobilize resources and align financial flows with sustainable development priorities. However, challenges persist:
Siloed Approaches: Development efforts often operate in isolation, missing opportunities for synergies across sectors like energy, agriculture, and education.
Gender Gaps: Women and marginalized groups continue to face barriers in accessing resources, education, and decision-making roles, limiting their contributions to sustainable development.
Climate and Environmental Pressures: Climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation threaten progress across all SDGs, requiring urgent, integrated responses.
Infrastructure Deficits: Inadequate infrastructure in developing countries hampers access to energy, education, and agricultural markets, perpetuating inequalities.
Financing Gaps: Current financing mechanisms are often fragmented, short-term, and misaligned with long-term sustainability goals.
To address these challenges, this side event will focus on fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, leveraging innovative financing tools, and promoting inclusive policies that ensure no one is left behind.
Objectives :The “Pathways to Prosperity” side event aims to:
Promote Integrated Solutions: Highlight the interconnectedness of energy, gender, education, agriculture, infrastructure, climate action, and SDG 14, and explore strategies for integrated implementation.
Advance Gender-Responsive Financing: Showcase best practices for ensuring that financing mechanisms empower women and marginalized groups across all sectors.
Strengthen Climate Resilience: Discuss innovative approaches to align climate finance with sustainable development priorities, including ocean conservation and sustainable agriculture.
Enhance Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: Foster partnerships among governments, private sector actors, civil society, and international organizations to co-create solutions.
Leverage Technology and Innovation: Explore the role of digital tools, blockchain, and AI in improving transparency, efficiency, and impact in financing sustainable development.
Key Components: The side event will feature the following sessions:
- Energy and Gender: Powering Inclusive Development
.
Explore the role of clean energy access in empowering women and marginalized communities.
Discuss gender-responsive financing mechanisms for energy projects
- Education and Agriculture: Building Resilient Communities
Highlight the linkages between education, agricultural productivity, and food security.
Showcase innovative financing models for sustainable agriculture and rural education.
3)Infrastructure and Climate: Bridging the Gap for Sustainable Growth
Discuss the role of sustainable infrastructure in addressing climate change and promoting economic development.
Explore blended finance models for climate-resilient infrastructure projects.
- SDG 14 and Cross-Sectoral Synergies: Protecting Our Oceans:Examine the interconnections between ocean conservation, climate action, and sustainable development.
Highlight innovative financing mechanisms for marine conservation and sustainable fisheries.
- Innovative Financing for Integrated Solutions
Present case studies of successful cross-sectoral financing initiatives.
Discuss the role of technology in enhancing transparency and accountability in financing flows.
Panels
- Adebusuyi Olutayi Olunadewa – Founder & CEO
DoTheDream YDI, Alliance of Social Transformer for Sustainable Development
2)Dr Oreoluwa Finnih-Awokoya – Special Adviser on SDG to Lagos State Governor
3)Dr Renuka Thakore-Founder & CEO ,Global Sustainable Futures Network CIC
4)Modupe Oyeneyin- Executive Director, ABBAHQ Resources Nigeria Limited
- Lady B Bless – Co Chair & Co Founder, African & Caribbean Energy Network
- Arti ahluwalia- Ecosystems Thinker,CountryChair,India,for Ecocivilisation
- Rafiu Olaore- Founder Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Socety(YEDIS),West Africa and Central Africa Coordinator of World Bank Group IMF CSPF
- Olasubomi Sofowora – Development Consultant / Founder Woven Impact Network (Moderator)
- Ruth Chukwukezirim- CEO Gobel Energy
The “Pathways to Prosperity” side event will: Generate actionable insights and recommendations for integrating energy, gender, education, agriculture, infrastructure, climate, and SDG 14 into financing for development strategies.
Showcase innovative financing mechanisms and technologies that can be scaled up to support for financing.
Strengthen partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders to advance integrated solutions.
Contribute to the FfD 4 PrepCom discussions by highlighting the importance of cross-sectoral approaches in achieving the SDGs.
Regsitration:www.bit.ly/DTDFFD
Conclusion
The “Pathways to Prosperity” side event will serve as a platform for fostering dialogue, sharing best practices, and building partnerships to address the interconnected challenges of sustainable development. By integrating energy, gender, education, agriculture, infrastructure, climate action, and SDG 14 into a cohesive framework, we can unlock new opportunities for financing and implementing transformative solutions that benefit both current and future generations.
Concept Note
Bridge to the Future: Simplifying Global Financing for Sustainable Development
Introduction
The global community stands at a critical juncture. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 requires a paradigm shift in how we finance development. Current global financing networks are often complex, fragmented, and inefficient, hindering progress and failing to adequately address the urgent needs of both present and future generations. This concept note proposes the development of a simplified, inclusive, and future-oriented global financing network, “Bridge to the Future,” aimed at connecting posterity to sustainability.
Background
Financing for Development (FfD) remains a significant challenge. The existing landscape is characterized by:
- Complexity:Numerous actors, instruments, and processes create barriers to access and efficient allocation of resources.
- Fragmentation:Lack of coordination and alignment across different financing streams leads to duplication and waste.
- Short-term Focus:Financial decisions often prioritize immediate gains over long-term sustainability and intergenerational equity.
- Lack of Transparency and Accountability:Limited visibility into financial flows hinders effective monitoring and evaluation.
To address these challenges, we must move towards a system that prioritizes simplicity, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability. This is why establishment of a streamlined, transparent, and equitable global financing network that ensures sustainable development for current and future generations, fostering resilience, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship in actualizing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Objectives
The “Bridge to the Future” initiative aims to achieve the following objectives:
Simplify Financing Mechanisms:
- Reduce the complexity of global financing structures by streamlining processes, harmonizing standards, and developing user-friendly platforms.
- Promote the use of standardized financial instruments and reporting frameworks to enhance accessibility and efficiency.
Promote Intergenerational Equity:
- Integrate long-term sustainability and intergenerational considerations into financing decisions.
- Develop mechanisms to assess and mitigate the potential impacts of current financial flows on future generations.
- Incorporate the concept of natural capital accounting into financial decisions.
Leverage Technology:
Utilize digital platforms, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence to enhance transparency, accountability, and coordination
Develop open-source tools and platforms to facilitate information sharing and collaboration.
create secure and transparent methods of tracking funding.
Foster Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration:
Engage governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations in co-designing and implementing financing solutions.
Establish platforms for dialogue and knowledge sharing to promote collaboration and innovation.
Incorporate the knowledge of indigenous populations.
Align Financing with Sustainability Goals:
Direct financial flows towards projects that prioritize environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Develop and implement sustainability criteria and impact assessments for all financing activities.
Incentivise sustainable investment.
Key Components
The “Bridge to the Future” initiative will encompass the following key components:
- Digital Platform:A centralized digital platform for information sharing, collaboration, and transaction processing.
- Standardized Framework:A standardized framework for financial instruments, reporting, and impact assessment.
- Multi-Stakeholder Forum:A forum for ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
- Capacity Building:Programs to enhance the capacity of stakeholders to access and utilize the simplified financing network.
- Impact Monitoring and Evaluation:Systems to track progress and evaluate the impact of the initiative on sustainable development.
THE Panel
Adebusuyi Olutayo Olumadewa- Founder CEO DoTheDream YDI & PRAYZE PAY
Anita Thomas: Chair NGO Committee on Financing For Development
Greg Ijiwola – CEO Leading Light International
Dr Andrice Brass -CEO IPPDR New York
Aissata Camara – Mayors Office of International Affairs
Expected Outcomes
The successful implementation of the “Bridge to the Future” initiative will result in:
- Increased access to financing for sustainable development projects.
- Enhanced transparency and accountability in global financial flows.
- Improved alignment of financial flows with the SDGs.
- Greater intergenerational equity in financing decisions.
- Strengthened multi-stakeholder collaboration
The Girls in Energy Project is a transformative initiative by the DoTheDream Youth Development Initiative aimed at inspiring, educating, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in the energy sector. Through a dynamic combination of conferences, competitions, career mentorship, and camps, this project seeks to bridge the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, particularly in energy-related industries. By providing young girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in these fields, the project aims to create a pipeline of female leaders who will drive innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.
With the Objective to Ignite interest in energy-related careers among young girls through exposure to role models and real-world applications.
The Girls in Energy Project is a transformative initiative by the DoTheDream Youth Development Initiative aimed at inspiring, educating, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in the energy sector. Through a dynamic combination of conferences, competitions, career mentorship, and camps, this project seeks to bridge the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, particularly in energy-related industries. By providing young girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in these fields, the project aims to create a pipeline of female leaders who will drive innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.
With the Objective to Ignite interest in energy-related careers among young girls through exposure to role models and real-world applications.
Educate: Equip participants with technical knowledge and skills in energy systems, renewable energy, and sustainability
Empower: Build confidence and leadership skills to help girls overcome barriers and excel in male-dominated fields.
Road to Plastics Treaty INC-5.2 | Ensuring Inclusive Participation
In preparation the resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5.2), convening in Geneva, in August 2025, various sessions organized within the framework of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues are unpacking important aspects related to the negotiations.
This week, a new dialogue will provide guidance and increase clarity on why it is crucial to ensure the participation of civil society, rightsholders and other relevant observers in the INC and other Multilateral Environment Agreement Processes. Public participation in environmental governance is a cornerstone of democracy and human rights, ensuring that individuals and communities can engage in decision-making processes that impact their health and environment. However, in recent years, there has been a concerning trend of restricted participation in international environmental negotiations, limiting the input of civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, and other key stakeholders. Leading experts joining the panel of this event will discuss the legal bases for ensuring inclusive participation in environmental governance, the benefits and barriers to public participation and in international decision-making processes. They will also present case studies where civil society engagement has led to stronger, more effective policies and make recommendations. → Register on Webex to participate on Thursday 27 March 2025 from 15:00 CET.
Additional news on plastics include:
- Plastic Banks. Assessing European Retail Banks’ Attitude Towards Plastic Risk | Planet Tracker | 20 March 2025
- Invite-only meeting revives hope for a global plastic treaty | Luxembourg Times | 20 March 2025
- Indigenous Peoples fight to be heard at plastics treaty talks | Dialogue Earht | 20 March 2025
- Plastic’s dirty secret – it’s making climate change worse | Greenpeace | 19 March 2025
- Reinventing the meaning of plastic pollution is not the solution | Torbjørn Graff Hugo | Medium | 19 March 2025
- North Sea collision plastic pollution clean-up is a “race against time” | oceonographic | 19 March 2025
- Microplastic within humans now a health crisis: Interview with ‘Plastic People’ filmmakers | Liz Kimbrough | Mongabay | 19 Mar 2025
- Chewing gum is plastic pollution, not a litter problem | David Jones, School of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Portsmouth | The Conversation | 17 March 2025
- Participate in the biggest Swiss Plastic Count Campaign | Households of all types and sizes, schools, community groups and businesses are gaining new knowledge. How much plastic do we really throw away, and what happens to it? We’ll show the government that it’s time to make a commitment: reduce consumption of single-use plastics by 75% by 2040 by switching to reusable products. From 31 March to 6 April 2025, count your domestic plastic waste.
UPCOMING EVENTS -ECOSOC
As an Accredited Organisation to Economic and Social Council, the attached are the ECOSOC 2025 Event for participation by member states, CSOs ,Academia etc
UPCOMING EVENTS-UNEP
As an Accredited Organisation to the United Nations Environmental Programme UNEP, the attached are 2025 Event for participation by member states, CSOs ,Academia etc