Governments reached a historic agreement in Paris in 2015 to tackle the growing challenge of climate change. In the same year, the UN General Assembly adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with clear outcomes targeted for 2030. While governments will certainly work towards meeting their commitments both in respect of the Paris agreement and the SDGs, the urgency of taking adequate action requires grassroots initiatives involving all stakeholders. The World Sustainable Development Forum (WSDF) is attempting to create awareness; to spread information and knowledge; and to inspire action for meeting the challenge of climate change and implementing the 17 SDGs across the globe.

WSDF’s focus is on the articulation and formulation of policies which will help in the desired transformation of society. To be effective, the WSDF will create annual plans of action in which the direction of the Paris Agreement will serve as a source for continuous and regular strands of activities, while the focus of the SDGs would be riveted on a smaller subset, which may change from year to year.

With regard to the Paris Agreement, two sets of analyses will define the dialogue and information dissemination that the WSDF pursues:

1. The actual achievement of GHG emissions reduction will need to be compared on a dynamic basis with the IPCC’s RCP 2.6 scenario, which provides an assurance of limiting temperature increase to 2°C by the end of this century. (If, however, in due course the global community decides to lower this limit to 1.5°C, a new pathway or scenario would define the reference for comparison).
2. There will be a vital need to analyze and advocate policies by which infrastructure investments, technology choices and lifestyle changes can be made that affect the goals laid down in the Paris Agreement. To the extent possible, the analysis will also focus on specific success stories, since these real achievements will carry conviction with the audience to be addressed.

Specific actions at the local government level, by corporate organizations, civil society and youth in particular would be highlighted in the agenda of actions taken by the WSDF.