Tatiana Valovaya Shares UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
Geneva, October 21, 2020: The American International Club (AIC) hosted its 800th speaking event since its inception in 1951, featuring Mrs. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations in Geneva. Mrs. Valovaya discussed the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone,
everywhere. The SDG consists of 17 goals were adopted by all UN Member States as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Mrs. Valovaya discussed SDG issues within the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that the very rapid transmission of COVID-19 in today’s globally interconnected world. She observed that the COVID-related economic shutdown and confinement in the spring led to an immediate improvement of our environment. But unfortunately, this positive environmental impact was short-lived. Thirdly, she remarked that COVID has accelerated the “digital divide”, as
46% of the world’s population is without internet access in an increasingly digital global economy.
To combat these issues, Mrs. Valovaya stressed the need for global governance and multilateralism. The COVID-19 global pandemic transcends national borders, and needs to be addressed by global organizations in a coordinated fashion. Climate control for a sustainable world needs all states and citizens to be represented, both big and small. For example, small island states
on the forefront of climate change need to be heard and respected for everyone’s benefit.
Mrs. Valovaya is working to develop public-private partnerships, where businesses provide resources to achieve the SDGs of the UN. This will require a change of mindset, as well as resources, in order to achieve these 2030 sustainability goals.
Mrs. Valovaya’s presentation was followed by a lively Q&A session with the audience, with several engaging questions such as how to institute broader economic measures beyond GDP that capture pollution-reduction benefits.
AIC President, Ed Schneider, closed-out the event by thanking Mrs. Valovaya, and presenting her with a lifetime AIC membership certificate and a bottle of wine.