By RCE middle Albania
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has fostered a global community of young science diplomats. While it is difficult to define the boundaries of science diplomacy, the strong engagement of young people in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the past seven years may have empowered them to act as such.
With the principle that every contribution toward the SDGs is valuable, global efforts have been inclusive. Although complex and challenging for many organizations, the SDGs have been more easily embraced by younger generations, fostering a sense of responsibility and commitment. Through various initiatives and SDG funds, youth have been involved in numerous activities, such as raising awareness, collecting and utilizing data, grassroots and national initiatives, monitoring and accountability efforts, and shadow reporting on progress.
The Pact for the Future, adopted at the Summit of the Future in September 2024, marks a significant milestone in global cooperation. It emphasizes the urgent need for a unified approach to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, including accelerating progress on the SDGs. This represents a unique opportunity to advance the 2030 Agenda at a time when multilateralism faces significant challenges.
There are high expectations that Chapter 4 of the Pact for the Future, which focuses on youth and future generations, along with the Declaration on Future Generations, will boost the involvement of young people in the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. It is anticipated that this will recognize the role of young sustainability science diplomats in tackling global challenges.
For more information, please refer to the publication on IISD.https://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/generation-2030/can-summit-of-the-future-support-sustainability-science-diplomats/