Speech by Commissioner at the European Sustainable Development Network (ESDN) Conference 2024

Speech by Urpilainen at ESDN Conference 2024

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'm delighted to be with you here this evening.

With the UN Summit of the Future later this year and just after mid-term of the SDGs, 2024 is a pivotal year for the 2030 Agenda and multilateralism in general.

From the turmoil in the Middle East to Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine, and from climate disasters to the debt crisis…

The world is experiencing a level of tension and polarisation not seen since the end of the Cold War.

As international community, we must do everything to turn the tide.

Building on the outcomes of last year's SDG Summit, we must ensure the Summit of the Future is a success.

This evening I'd like to focus on the progress the EU has made to put the 2030 Agenda into practice over the past five years, and the work that lies ahead.

Beginning with a look back…

Since the von der Leyen Commission took office in 2019, the SDGs have been at the core of our priorities.

We seek a fairer, greener, and more sustainable future. Where People, Planet and Prosperity go hand in hand.

These objectives have inspired deeply transformative initiatives, such as the European Green Deal, the Climate Law, and the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Within the EU and our Member States, we made progress towards most of the SDGs.

But globally few SGDS are on track to be achieved.

Achieving a world that ‘leaves no one behind' thus requires stepping up action abroad.

This takes me to my work as Commissioner for International Partnerships.

From the start of my mandate, reducing global inequalities has been my top goal.

It is multi-dimensional issue, impacting virtually every aspect of sustainable development. And the EU has embarked on a multifaceted response.

For example, we launched the Gender Action Plan III to help ensure that all women and girls can participate fully and equally in public and private life.

By 2025, we anticipate that 85% of new EU actions will contribute positively to gender equality and women's empowerment.

The EU also continues to work both bilaterally and multilaterally to implement fair tax systems.

When everyone pays their fair share, countries have more capital to invest in quality education, well-functioning health systems and stronger social protection.

In addition, the EU and its Member States have begun pooling resources to increase our impact around the world – an approach we call Team Europe.

Today, Team Europe is the world's largest provider of official development assistance.

In 2022 alone, we provided EUR 28.5 billion in climate finance for developing countries.

Team Europe also responded quickly and decisively to the global food crisis, directing EUR 18 billion towards partner countries between 2020 and 2024.

And EU Member States have pledged to re-channel USD 28 billion of their Special Drawing Rights to vulnerable countries.

This brings me to our most ambitious effort so far: Global Gateway.

Given the scale of investment needs around the world to meet the SDGs, public funds alone are simply not enough. We need to tap the private sector.

This is the idea behind Global Gateway, which aims to mobilise EUR 300 billion in public and private investments by 2027 in infrastructure and human capital.

Two years since the launch of Global Gateway, we are collaborating with partner countries on an array of transformative projects.

In Africa, Team Europe has committed over EUR 20 billion to support the deployment of at least 50 GW of additional renewable energy generation capacity.

This should provide at least 100 million people with access to electricity by 2030.

In the Caribbean, Team Europe is working with partners to change sargassum algae from a threat to an economic opportunity – by transforming it into cosmetics, fertilizers, electricity, or biomass.

In the Pacific, we have brought together 15 Pacific Island countries in a Green-Blue Alliance to tackle climate, ocean, and energy challenges.

These are just a few examples of how Global Gateway is advancing a fairer, greener, and more sustainable future.

This brings me to the work ahead of us.

With 2030 fast approaching, we need results – and quickly.

To that end, last year the EU conducted the first-ever Voluntary Review of progress towards implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

My services also introduced the Inequality-Marker, an innovative tool that tracks and benchmarks the EU's impact on inequalities across all sectors.

Through concerted action, the EU and its Member States are delivering on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

I am particularly happy that we've made progress on promoting decent work, reducing poverty, and fostering inclusive societies.

Going forward, we aim to further increase our impact.

The EU fully supports the call by developing countries to revamp the global financial architecture and create fiscal space to get the 2030 Agenda back on track.

We saw in Paris last year that the momentum is there.

The next step is a successful Summit of the Future, one that reinvigorates multilateralism and makes the UN more fit for the future.

The EU has contributed to the Pact for the Future, which will be adopted at the Summit. And we will remain engaged over the coming months.

Dear Friends,

Today, as we take stock of our progress towards the 2030 Agenda, it will put our collective action to the test.

Whether it's ending poverty or eradicating hunger, conserving the oceans or fostering sustainable economic growth, I am confident we can succeed.

But it will take strong leadership, partnerships and courage to get us there.

I hope – and I believe – that Europe will lead the way.