The EMG launched its Nexus Dialogue series on 26–27 April 2017 to explore how integrated approaches and stronger collaboration across the UN system could support implementation of the environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Bringing together representatives from UN entities, governments, academia, civil society and the private sector, the inaugural dialogue introduced the nexus approach as a means of identifying interconnections, synergies and potential trade-offs between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Discussions examined how actions in one sector can influence outcomes in others, highlighting the importance of moving beyond sectoral approaches towards more coherent and coordinated policymaking.
Participants explored practical methodologies, tools and country experiences demonstrating how nexus thinking could strengthen planning and implementation. Examples included cross-sectoral cooperation through the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), national approaches to integrated environmental governance, and analytical tools for mapping interlinkages between SDG targets. Key challenges identified included limited knowledge-sharing, institutional fragmentation and insufficient incentives for collaboration.
The dialogue laid the foundation for the EMG Nexus Dialogue series, highlighting the importance of cross-sectoral partnerships, integrated policymaking and collaborative approaches to sustainable development. It helped identify priority themes for subsequent dialogues, including the connections between poverty and the environment, humanitarian action and environmental sustainability, and urban pollution and health, while reinforcing the EMG's role in fostering UN system-wide cooperation to advance the 2030 Agenda.