UNAA Victoria is strongly committed to working to support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 goals agreed to by the UN’s 194 member states in 2015 as the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable global future. They address the challenges everyone in the world faces – poverty, inequality, climate change, gender equality and justice.

Partnering to localise the SDGs 

UNAA Victoria is working in partnership with key organisations committed to increasing buy in and actions to progress the SDGs in Australia and our region.

In 2026, two key partners will be the City of Melbourne and Monash University. 

2026 CLIMATE & the SDGs 

In 2026, COP31 will be hosted in Türkiye, with Australia assuming the COP presidency for negotiations. This is a defining role for Australia and the Pacific to influence global climate discussions in the lead-up to, and at the conference.

In recognition of Australia’s position in the global climate agenda, UNAA Victoria and the City of Melbourne are partnering to deliver a series of seven events to highlight climate action and the localising of the United Nations’ 17 SDGs.

UNAA Victoria is dedicated to engaging local communities in advancing the SDGs, including those related to human rights and climate change. 

City of Melbourne is a global leader on climate action and sustainability, winning the 2024 UN-Habitat Shanghai Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities.

Melbourne was also the first Australian city to produce an SDGs Voluntary Local Review. Together, we play crucial roles in connecting the community to climate and sustainability action frameworks provided by the SDGs.

The fourth event in this series is being held on 16 July 2026 – click here for details.

 

 

Previous SDG Partnerships

Australian Neighbourhood Houses and Centres Association and Neighbourhood Houses Victoria – monthly webinar discussions around individual goals (2020-2021).

SENVIC – deliver conversation circles around the Goals and the vital role of social enterprises (2021).

Deakin University – year-long programs of events and activities (2018 and 2019). Click here to read the 17 SDGs in 2018 Report and the 17 SDGs in 2019 Report.

University of Melbourne Connected Cities Lab, Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, Banksia Foundation and Arup Sydney – project team for the 2020 SDGs Cities Challenge.

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action – we contributed to the CivVic Labs Challenge.

Led by the Global Compact Network Australia, we were also part of a coalition of more than 50 businesses, universities and organisations which called on the Australian Government to use the SDGs to guide Australia out of the pandemic.

Resources

The UN SDGs: An Australian Handbook

UNAA Victoria and Spark Strategy worked in partnership to produce an Australian guide for organisations seeking to align – or already aligning – the SDGs to their operations.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals – An Australian Handbook 

2021 UN & Australia Sustainable Partnerships Forum

UNAAV ran a two-day, international digital forum in April 2021.

Click here to access the Forum website

Read the post Forum report – Partnerships for the Goals Discussions and Resources.