UNIDO at the Ministerial-level Thematic Forums

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will convene the High-level Dialogue on Energy at a summit level during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021 in New York, to accelerate action on SDG 7 for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The High-level Dialogue on Energy in 2021 represents the first global gathering on energy under the auspices of the General Assembly since the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy held in Nairobi in 1981. It presents a historic opportunity to provide transformational action in the first years of the SDG Decade of Action.

As part of the preparation towards the Dialogue, the Ministerial Thematic Forums will be organized virtually from 21-25 June 2021. The Forums will focus on the five topics of the Dialogue:

Energy access;
Energy transition;
Enabling SDGs through inclusive, just energy transitions;
Innovation, technology and data;
Finance and investment.

Reports detailing recommendations for action needed on each of the five priority themes will be officially launched at each Forum by the Technical Working Group (TWG) co-lead organizations. Together, these five reports will comprise a global roadmap for achieving affordable and clean energy for all by 2030, on the road to net-zero emissions by 2050.

UNIDO, together with FAO and UN-Habitat, is co-leading the TWG on Innovation, Technology and Data. Together, the co-leads will launch their report on 22 June 2021 at 3:20 PM CET. The livestream of the Forum's ministerial segment (including the launch of the reports) is available on UN TV.

About the Report Launch
Energy Compacts
Agenda and Participation

The Thematic Report on Innovation, Technology and Data was developed by the multi-stakeholder Thematic Working Group on Innovation, Technology and Data under the leadership of the Co-lead organizations UNIDO, FAO and UN-Habitat.

The TWG on Innovation, Technology and Data focuses on how to align international action on energy innovation, technology development and deployment, and data collection and use with the achievement of SDG 7 by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. It provides an overview of the present status of energy innovation; proposes actionable recommendations with priority results and action areas; and it assesses the catalytic impacts that such actions can have.
Ministers from national governments and leaders from business, cities, civil society and youth organizations and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to showcase solutions and partnerships on each priority theme and present their Energy Compacts setting out their voluntary commitments and actions. SDG7 Action Zones will provide space for side events where Energy Compacts can be featured, bringing together interested partners.
The following high-level speakers will participate in our Interactive panel (Davos-style) on 22 June 2021:
- Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) (TBC)
- Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programmed (UN-Habitat) (TBC)
- Li Yong, Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (TBC)
The Report of the TWG on Innovation, Technology and Data will be launched at 3:20 PM CET.

Access to the Forums requires on-line registration for all participants. Representatives of Member States and other stakeholders including business, CSOs, local governments, youth, academia and others, who are interested in participating in the Forums are requested to register online via this form.