Brief

Strengthening the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem

Needs assessment on a cross-sector collaboration space for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Geneva

This study undertakes a needs assessment for a cross-sector collaboration space in Geneva in which actors can share knowledge, resources, and activities for SDG implementation.

By Silvia Ecclesia, Alexandra Boethius, Eleonora Bonaccorsi on November 14, 2022
  • The #2030Agenda calls for collective action! This new brief by @IISD_News, @SDGLab and @ImpactHubGeneva asks how an open cross-collaboration space in Geneva could accelerate #SDG implementation.

  • Geneva, as the European headquarters of the UN, host to over 40 international org. and almost 700 NGOs has a unique ecosystem of actors working on #SDG implementation. How can we strengthen this ecosystem to the benefit of the SDGs globally? New brief by @IISD_news, @SDGLab and @ImpacthubGeneva

The global challenges we face today are complex interconnected issues that, to be solved, require collaboration across sectors and organizations to support the emergence of innovative solutions through collective thinking and increased efficiency by sharing resources. Geneva, as the host city of many international and non-governmental organizations, plays a key role in nurturing an ecosystem conducive to collaboration for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Geneva ecosystem contains clear strengths that make it a unique environment for collaboration. These include the density and expertise of international organizations and non-governmental organizations; the inclination toward global issues; the operational focus of international organizations in the city; neutrality; and existing efforts for collaboration and innovation on topics related to the SDGs, such as the convening of the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem. However, there are also challenges to effective collaboration. These include varying degrees of institutional culture for innovation and resources allocated to collaboration, onerous bureaucratic processes, and duplication of efforts. This study posits that the lack of publicly accessible collaborative spaces in the Nations area for actors in this diverse ecosystem represents a significant challenge to realizing the full potential of collaboration in Geneva. This study aims to test the assumption that a new, publicly accessible collaboration space in the Nations area would enhance collaboration among stakeholders.

Brief details

Topic
Sustainable Development Goals
Project
Geneva 2030 Ecosystem
Focus area
Act Together
Publisher
IISD
Copyright
IISD, 2022