Programme
High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Title: The #PassTheWater Campaign: One ball. One goal.
This SDG Media Zone conversation explores using sport’s universal appeal to accelerate SDG 6 action ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final and HLPF. The #PassTheWater campaign urges leaders to prioritize universal water and sanitation access, building momentum for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi this December. Speakers will discuss scaling proven solutions, investing in water, and utilizing cross-sector teamwork. Additionally, the SDG6 Synthesis Report 2026 will highlight how collaboration can turn commitments into winning goals.
Moderator:
- Stephanie Rambler, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, UNDESA
Speakers:
- Retno L. P. Marsudi (Speaker), UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Water|
- Dr. Mohamed C.B.C. Diatta (Speaker), Sherpa of the 2026 UN Water Conference, Republic of Senegal
- Agnes Fritz (Speaker), Viva con Agua ARTS gGmbH
AI and Energy Security in a Rapidly Changing World
As governments assess SDG7 progress, global crises are driving a shift toward domestic renewables, boosting solar trade across Asia and Africa. Meanwhile, AI and data centers are spiking power demand, yet 2,500 GW of renewable projects remain stalled in grid queues. Investing in modern grids and digital infrastructure offers a massive opportunity; AI alone could optimize transmission and save $110 billion annually.
The insights in this discussion draw from Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report and the SDG7 Policy Briefs for the HLPF, launching July 8.
Moderator:
- Cherisse Bovell, Consultant to the United Nation Foundation’s Our Future Agenda Programme
Speakers:
- Damilola Ogunbiyi, SRSG on Sustainable Energy for All
Building Impact-Driven Partnerships for Water and Sustainable Development at the 2026 UN Water Conference
This discussion focuses on information exchange, finance readiness, and inclusive governance, and highlights how private sector engagement can strengthen the 2026 UN Water Conference through impact-driven partnerships to accelerate SDG 6. True progress requires collaboration: the UN provides convening power and accountability, governments offer policy and investment priorities, and the private sector brings innovation, technology, and financing. Together, these actors combine their strengths to turn global water commitments into scalable, practical solutions for global prosperity.
Moderator:
- Joakim Harlin, Chief Manager of the UNEP-DHI Centre on Water and Environment
Speakers:
- H.E. Retno Marsudi, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Water
- Abdallah Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of Regional Bureau for Arab States
- Dolly Mirchandani, Partner, White and Case LLC, focusing on energy and infrastructure sectors
UNDRR - Risk to Resilience: Cities on the Frontline
As hazards become more frequent, complex and interconnected, cities face growing risks driven by climate change, rapid urbanization, population growth and development patterns that place people and assets in harm’s way. Extreme heat, flooding, earthquakes, technological disruptions and other hazards threaten lives, infrastructure and development gains. Ahead of the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction under the theme “Resilience Starts at Home”, this session poses an urgent question: are our cities built to protect people where they live? With SDGs 6, 9 and 11 under review, this discussion highlights why investing in resilient cities is essential to safeguard communities and sustain progress.
Moderator:
- Ms. Elaine Reyes, News Anchor, UN Insider & Americas Now (CGTN America)
Speakers:
- Mr. Kamal Kishore, SRSG for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR
- Dr. Esam Halawani, Decision Support Center Director, Al Madina Region Development Authority
Title: Sustainable Development for People and Planet: Over A Decade of Results
With fewer than five years remaining to achieve the SDGs, this panel discussion provides a candid assessment of our global trajectory based on The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026. Speakers will highlight the tangible gains achieved through purposeful global action, demonstrating that SDG implementation successfully transforms lives at scale. However, the core of the discussion will address the severe headwinds stalling systemic progress. Panelists will unpack how escalating conflicts, slowing economic growth, climate chaos, rising debt burdens, and declining aid have created deeply uneven and insufficient outcomes. The session will outline solutions on what is needed to help accelerate the SDGs before 2030.
Moderator:
- Chelsea Miller, Global strategist, advisor, and CEO of CPM Global
Speakers:
- Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for DESA
- Shantanu Mukherjee, Acting Director, UNSD
- Sarah Hendriks, UN Women Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division
Title: SDG Chat - Using AI to Empower Global Engagement on the SDGs
Since June 2024, UN DESA has partnered with the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology and Accenture to develop SDG Chat. As the first proposal approved by the UN Secretariat’s Cross-functional Working Group on Generative AI, this tool uses GenAI to provide a single, intuitive interface for UN DESA’s SDG resources. By making critical data easily accessible, SDG Chat fosters global engagement and serves as a prime example of how public-private partnerships can accelerate sustainable development.
Moderator:
- Maria Martha Barreneche, Youth Advocacy & Well-being International Specialist, UN Youth Office
Speakers:
- Ms. Bj?rg Sandkj?r, Assistant Secretary-General, UN DESA
- Ms. Lan Guan, Chief AI & Data Officer, Accenture
Women Leading the Energy Transition at HLPF 2026
Women are driving the energy transition from the frontlines of innovation, policy, investment, and community organizing. Aligned with the 2026 High-Level Political Forum’s theme of transformative, equitable action, this session convenes senior leaders from clean energy entrepreneurship, sustainable finance, and multilateral institutions to explore how diverse leadership accelerates progress on SDG7. Bridging grassroots networks and global institutions, the conversation will highlight the unique impact of women-led approaches, expose where structural barriers persist, and outline how the international community can champion inclusive leadership at every level. Join us to reshape the future of clean energy.
Moderator:
- Ms. Kathryn Clay, Lead Energy & Climate Analyst at Washington Post Intelligence
Speakers:
- Ms. Selen ?nal, Founder of EcoMuse and Member of the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET)
- Ms. Rana Ghoneim, Director, Division of Energy and Climate Action at UNIDO
Title: Youth at the Nexus: African Leadership on Water, Energy, and Climate
Africa’s development is increasingly shaped by the interconnected pressures of the climate-energy-water nexus. Escalating climate impacts, water scarcity, and uneven energy access threaten everything from food security to urban development. For a continent with the world’s largest and fastest-growing youth population, these challenges directly shape daily life and long-term sustainability. Aligned with the 2026 High-Level Political Forum’s (HLPF) theme of innovative, coordinated action, this dialogue spotlights how African youth are championing solutions and building cross-border networks. It offers a vital platform for young leaders to turn ideas into scalable regional impact, driving Africa toward a sustainable future.
Moderator:
- Ms. Eugenia Boateng, Founder and Executive Director of African Diaspora Youth Hub, FABA (For Africa, By Africa) Institute