Feature

Solutions and innovations for a sustainable future at the SEI Science Forum 2018

On 24 April over 270 participants representing five continents attended SEI’s flagship conference, Innovating for a Sustainable Future. The participants and panelists represented a wide spectrum of expertise from the research, industrial and policy sectors.

Keith Begg / Published on 20 June 2018

Måns Nilsson, Executive Director at SEI welcomes guests at SEI Science Forum 2018 on 24 April. Photo: Anneli Sundin / SEI.

SEi Science Forum attracted over 270 participants from five continents. Photo: Anneli Sundin / SEI.

Together with expert SEI researchers from multiple fields, the forum explored what it takes to innovate solutions and motivate action to unlock delivery of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Innovative tools and technology were a big feature at SEI Science Forum 2018.

Nina Weitz, Research Fellow at SEI discusses Interactions between the SDG Goals. Photo: Anneli Sundin / SEI.

Lena Meintrup (SEI Research Fellow) demonstrated how tools such as trase.earth are instrumental in driving accountability in supply chains and reducing deforestation. Georgia Savvidou (SEI Research Associate) showed how the NDC-SDG Connections can assist decision makers to understand and visualize how climate action supports the SDGs. The presentation also discussed how the SDG interactions framework is being used to highlight the most critical SDG action areas facing governments and stakeholders.

Ebba Dohlman, Senior Advisor, Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development at OECD provides reflections on SEi’s panel Innovative Tools for visualizing, enabling and activating the Sustainable Development Goals. Photo: Anneli Sundin / SEI.

“The SEI annual forum was invaluable in providing exposure to real-life challenges in developed and developing countries, innovative solutions by the public and private sector, and potential for transformations by people everywhere” —Ebba Dohlman

Mårten Görnerup (centre), CEO of Hybrit, gave his perspective from the heavy industry sector and what they are hoping to achieve when it comes to fossil-free steel. Photo: Anneli Sundin / SEI.

External panelists joined SEI researchers to discuss how best to unlock innovation for a sustainable future to match the level of ambition of the SDGs and to discuss what type of business opportunities are presented by the SDGs. Green Finance was a focal point and how its applicability can be used to boost innovation and deployment, especially in developing countries.

May Thazin Aung, Research Associate at SEI Asia, presents the challenges and opportunities in transitioning from coal in Indonesia. Photo: Anneli Sundin / SEI.

“What was demonstrated so clearly at SEI Science Forum is the need to advance on Agenda 2030 globally on two fronts. Technological and business innovations, such as [fossil-free steel production] and data tracking of supply chains is crucial. At the same time, the catalysts that undermine sustainability which subsequently lead to violations of basic rights in many parts of the world needs to be recognized and addressed”, — Åsa Persson, Research Director at SEI.

SEI looks forward to next year’s Science Forum 2019 which be held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi where we will once again showcase SEI’s work to bridge science and policy for a sustainable future for all.