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Development Studies student, Gianina Schwanecke represented GOOD Travel at the first Sustainable Development Goals Summit at Wellington’s Victoria University.
Over 300 civil servants, members of civil society small business owners and students gathered to discuss the potential outcomes of the SDGs on New Zealand and the world, and how to better respond to them.
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The event was hosted by Victoria University and had support from a wide range of sectors. Radio New Zealand’s award-winning journalist, Kim Hill, moderated the event, posing thoughtful questions to the many speakers and offering insightful commentary.
After opening with a video message from former New Zealand Prime Minister and former Head of the UNDP, Rt Hon Helen Clark, attendees were welcomed into a packed lecture theatre.
Andrea Carmen from the International Indian Treaty Council, touched on the importance of involving indigenous communities in the planning and implementation of the SDGs. She also highlighted the mixed positions of indigenous peoples on issues like genetic modification of crop species. This prompted Hill to raise questions about balancing respect for indigenous perspectives and the need to feed an ever-growing population.
“The aims may be inarguable but the means are,” Hill said.
Following the (speech?) by Andrea Carmen, a panel discussing how New Zealand (what type of) sectors were enacting the SDGs raised valid concerns and highlighted areas of improvement. Abbie Reynolds, representing the business sector highlighted the issue of “green hush” and the need for companies to vocalise their achievements. "There are concerns about being criticised for what’s not being done well", she said.
“There are concerns about being criticised for what’s not being done well"
There were many additional interesting and important insights from both panelists and speakers throughout the day, including Rob Zaagman (title/org?) who offered insights into the Dutch experience of implementing SDG policies. He emphasised the need for a higher level of engagement from the government sector. Representatives from the New Zealand Government discussed the role of the SDGs as a unifying political tool.
However, it was Kono Chief Executive Rachel Taulelei’s discussion about long term planning which reinforced the ongoing legacy that SDGs will have on communities. Rachel discussed how GOOD people, breed GOOD practice and GOOD practice breeds GOOD places. “Huea ki te pae tawhiti,” she said (in Maori?), which loosely translates in English to the idea of continuously moving the goal post and rising to meet the next challenge.
Between panels, GOOD Travel hosted an interactive action station and worked with participants to address the question, “How can sectors like tourism partner to achieve the SDG goals?”
I spoke with a range of guests from the public sector to large scale businesses. Participants worked first to identify what goals the tourism industry could help address and gaps where issues were falling through. Together, we proposed that the SDGs could be best implemented across the sector with a specific body established to measure, monitor and promote on SDG progress and the tourism sector’s impact. We recognized that the SDGs are strongest when they are truly interrelated and achievements toward one goal ultimately contribute to another. The group proposed the SDGs could be best implemented across the sector with a specific body established to measure, monitor and promote on SDG progress and the tourism sector’s impact.
Touching on lessons learnt from the morning sessions, participants emphasised communication across the sector and with other stakeholders, including indigenous groups, government agencies, civil society, youth and other relevant groups.
A clear theme emerged amongst action stations; maximising multi-stakeholder engagement and focusing on the implementation of the SDGs. The groups proposed better data collection methods to capture the impact of SDGs and highlight SDG focused practices and policies.
The final vote went to the SDG Results Matter campaign who suggested developing a chat-bot system to collect data and SDG success stories from around the country.
The group were presented with a $2,000 prize by Green Party Co-Leader and Minister for Climate Change and Statistics, James Shaw.
He closed remarking on the new Government’s first six-months in power by saying, “This government aims to be nothing less than transformational.”
The summit brought together many like-minded individuals, offering a range of perspectives and ideas about how to achieve the SDGs and it is clear that there is much work to be done before 2030.
The event was also a good opportunity to reflect on GOOD Travel’s own policies and how we can continue to contribute to achieving the SDGs. I left excited: GOOD Travel is committed and ready to meet the panel’s demand for an integrated environmental, social and economic approach to public policy!