UN DESA Monthly Newsletter for July and August 2026

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Monthly Newsletter: Vol 30, No. 7 – July 2026
Download this issue as a PDF: DESAVoiceJulyAugust2026.pdf


HLPF 2026: Where hope turns into action for a sustainable future

Our world is grappling with multiple persistent crises. Climate shocks, geopolitical tension, poverty, and growing economic uncertainty are all imposing burdens and impacting people’s everyday lives. With only four years until the 2030 deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the need for action is more urgent than ever.

Expert Voices

Delivering energy access: leaving no one in the dark

Despite notable progress over the past decade, millions of people still live without electricity. With 2030 fast approaching, we spoke with UN DESA’s energy data experts Leonardo Souza and Jessica Ying Chan about closing the energy divide for good with insights from Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026.

Things You Need To Know

Photo credit: © FAO/Giulio Napolitano

4 things you should know about the latest data on SDG progress

As world leaders gather at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to take stock of progress on the 17 SDGs, UN DESA’s Statistics Division is releasing The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 on 7 July 2026. Here is what the data show.

Animation highlighting latest global energy trends and the SDG 7 Tracking Report.

SDG Blog by y Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

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HLPF 2026 Special Events
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PH, Dutch NGO ink 5-year deal to rid Pasig River of plastic wastes

<p><strong>PASIG RIVER CLEANUP DEAL</strong>. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials and representatives from The Ocean Cleanup sign a five-year agreement to purge plastic waste from the Pasig River. In a news release on Thursday (June 4, 2026), DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the partnership aims to fulfill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of a clean, navigable, and vibrant Pasig River. <em>(Photo courtesy of DENR)</em></p>

 

The Ocean Cleanup’s work in Manila is being supported by Energies PH which views the collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup as part of a larger initiative: to help build sustainable communities by connecting clean energy, clean water, resilient infrastructure, and practical environmental stewardship.

The Interceptor is a technology, but the real project is larger. It is about restoring confidence that even our most difficult environmental problems can be addressed when science, government, enterprise, and community work together,” said Antonio Ver, chairman and chief executive of Energies PH.

Read more here: PH, Dutch NGO ink 5-year deal to rid Pasig River of plastic wastes | Philippine News Agency

Advancing BIMP-EAGA within ASEAN 2026

BIMP-EAGA brings together Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines around one simple idea: the communities closest to each other’s borders should also be closest in opportunity.

From food security to connectivity and regional growth, here’s why the conversation in Cebu matters, and why it affects real people, real livelihoods, and real opportunities across Southeast Asia.

Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office 

Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office 

 

 

Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office 

Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office 

Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office 

Photo c/o Presidential Communications Office 

 

Read more here: BIMP-EAGA at ASEAN2026

Rice at the Center of Feed The People PH

Rice is more than just food in the Philippines. It is part of daily life, family meals, and community survival. For many Filipino households, rice is the foundation of every meal and a basic need that helps families get through each day. This is why rice remains central to the mission of Feed The People PH: to help make essential food more accessible to communities.

Feed The People PH focuses on the practical work of connecting available food resources with people who need them. Through proper coordination, handling, and distribution, the initiative helps bring rice closer to families and communities. With rice as a basic Filipino staple, the purpose is clear and direct: support people by helping ensure that food reaches those who need it most.

UN DESA Monthly Newsletter for May 2026

Monthly Newsletter: Vol 30, No. 5 – May 2026

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DESAVoiceMay2026.pdf672.02 KB

Delivering on the promise of Sevilla 

In a world tormented by war, crises and an already fragile economy, financing challenges, including in response to shocks, continue to obstruct progress towards sustainable development. Many of the poorest and most vulnerable countries are experiencing a “financing squeeze”, suffering from historically high debt service burdens, unprecedented declines in aid, and structurally low tax revenue. A more fragmented world economy is undermining trade, investment and capital flows.

Expert Voices

Forests are running out of time. How can we save them?

Forests cover nearly one-third of our earth and sustain billions of lives. Yet, they’re disappearing rapidly, putting our natural world and economy at risk. The new Global Forest Goals Report 2026, launching this month, will reveal just how much ground we’ve lost and what it will take to turn the tide before 2030. We spoke with UN DESA’s expert Shyam Paudel about the report and what we can do to reverse course.

Things You Need To Know

7 things you should know about innovating for sustainable development

This month, young innovators, scientists, world-leading experts and entrepreneurs are coming together at the annual STI Forum with one purpose – to leverage their knowledge and solutions to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here are 7 things you should know about this annual event and efforts to innovate for a sustainable future.

SDG Blog by Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General

More from UN DESA

Coming Up

2026 STI Forum
UN Forum on Forests
International Day of Families
WESP 2026 midyear update
Read more here: https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/may-2026

UN DESA Monthly Newsletter for April 2026

Monthly Newsletter: Vol 30, No. 4 – April 2026

Download this issue as a PDF: DESAVoiceApril2026.pdf

Youth are innovating, uniting and transforming, shaping the road to 2030

From 14 to 16 April 2026, young people will take center stage at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the ECOSOC Youth Forum, considered the UN’s largest annual gathering of young people.

Expert Voices

Yumiko Kamiya in UN DESA’s Population Division

Population, technology and research: Advancing landmark population agenda in a changing world

The digital revolution was only just beginning, when the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was adopted in 1994. Today, rapid technological advances, from digital communication and data systems to artificial intelligence and biotechnology, are fundamentally reshaping societies and development pathways. We spoke with Yumiko Kamiya in UN DESA’s Population Division about the focus of this year’s Commission on Population and Development and why it matters.

Things You Need To Know
Scene at the FFD4 Conference in Sevilla

6 things you should know about the world’s commitment to realizing financing for sustainable development

Last year, the international community came together in Sevilla, Spain, uniting behind a landmark agreement to secure financing for sustainable development. This month, Member States will gather at UN Headquarters in New York for the inaugural Financing for Development Week to follow up on the commitments made. The 2026 edition of the Financing for Sustainable Development Report will also be launched. Here are 6 things you should know.

SDG Blog by Aluki Kotierk, Chair of the UNPFII
SDG 17 in numbers

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