Mandate

The General Assembly, through resolution 74/225, invited the Secretary-General, with the support of the relevant United Nations system entities, to convene a high-level dialogue in 2021 to promote the implementation of the energy-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in support of the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (2014–2024), including the global plan of action for the Decade, and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

The High-level Dialogue on Energy in 2021 was the first global gathering on energy under the auspices of the General Assembly since the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy held in Nairobi in 1981. It presented a historic opportunity to provide transformational action in the first years of the SDG Decade of Action and support the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

 

Objectives

The overarching goal of the High-level Dialogue on Energy was to promote the implementation of the energy-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Dialogue aimed to raise ambition and accelerate action towards the achievement of the SDG7 targets by catalysing innovative solutions, investments, voluntary commitments and multi-stakeholder partnerships in support of the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Additional objectives included:

 

  • Strengthening political commitment to the achievement of SDG7.
  • Promoting green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through sustainable, decarbonised energy solutions.
  • Leveraging energy action for advancing other SDGs.
  • Catalyse finance, investment, innovation, new technologies, capacity building and quality data for SDG 7 acceleration, including maximizing its contribution to combatting climate change.
  • Strengthening synergies with major intergovernmental processes, including on transport, ocean, biodiversity, gender equality, food systems and climate change.
  • Accelerating delivery of United Nations support and services for Member States on energy-related issues at all levels.