In this Q&A, they share insights on gender issues, targets and indicators within the SDGs.

En esta sesión de preguntas y respuestas, Daniela Maestre y Juan Betancur comparten perspectivas de la conferencia sobre temas de género en los ODS, sus metas e indicadores. 

The NCQG should require simultaneous investment in global resilience building, alignment of funding with national plans, and support for locally led adaptation, in order to achieve effective adaptation.

For equitable adaptation that reaches the most vulnerable regions, countries and communities, the NCQG should continue to prioritize allocation of adaptation finance to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and aim to ensure funding reaches local levels.

Despite this pivotal step towards preventing forest degradation, the EUDR’s stringent requirements pose a risk for smallholders’ income in Southeast Asia and their position in the supply chain due to limited local resources for implementation.

In order to mitigate the challenges, it is essential for EU and local stakeholders to employ mechanisms, tools, resources and guidelines to support smallholders and ease the cost and burden of compliance. This support should extend beyond national borders, emphasizing collaborative effort and regional partnership.

This year’s theme, “Invest in #CleanAirNow,” calls for urgent action and stronger partnerships to combat air pollution – an investment that could save billions in healthcare costs. Celebrated annually on 7 September, the day reminds us of the critical need for cleaner air and a healthier planet.

However, it has become an anchor point for promoting very different economic and political interests. While some embrace the concept as a catalyst for transformative change, others use it narrowly to advance decarbonization without upholding principles of socio-economic justice, or even to entrench the political and economic status quo.

As South Africa embarks on the critical phase of just transition policy implementation, it faces the challenges of balancing top-down and bottom-up change, identifying impacts, and picking “winners” through on-the-ground just transition investments and projects.

Upholding procedural justice and transparent decision-making, particularly regarding resource allocation and project design, is essential to address imbalances in agency and influence and to gain broad-based local support.

While the concept of a just transition has gained widespread acceptance in South Africa, there are real risks that a narrow, environmentally unsustainable and socially conservative interpretation will dominate just transition efforts. This approach may not align with local priorities, threatening societal support for the transition.

It supports the development and scaling of green financial products that are aligned with countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and meet the needs of rural smallholders and climate-vulnerable populations, including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and those who are economically and socially excluded.

Grounded in a strong commitment to inclusion and equity, ICCAP promotes locally led solutions, strengthens private sector engagement, and supports climate-resilient, sustainable development across the Asia-Pacific region.