Open Working Group on Sustainable Development – Second Session

As reported in the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, the Second Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) took place on 17-19 April 2013 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

In addition to the OWG members, other member states, observers, representatives from the UN system and of Major Groups participated in the meeting that was devoted to conceptualizing the SDGs and the SDG process, and to poverty eradication.

On the first day, an interactive exchange of views on conceptualizing the SDGs and the SDG process took place, followed by a moderated panel discussion. Delegates continued discussions on conceptualizing the SDGs and SDG process on the second day with a keynote presentation on poverty eradication being delivered in the afternoon, followed by a moderated panel discussion on poverty eradication. On the third morning discussion continued on poverty eradication with the afternoon being devoted to discussion of the Programme of Work for 2013-2014 and the programmes for the third and fourth sessions.

The Third Session will be held at the United Nations in New York, 22-24 May 2013 and the main topics for consideration will be Food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, desertification, land degradation (2 days); and Measurement and assessment of progress in achieving sustainable development (1 day).

The Fourth Session will be held in New York from 17-19 June 2013. The topics for consideration will b Integrating water into sustainable development (1.5 days); Sanitation (0.5 day); and health and population (1 day).