UCD will host a UN General Assembly (UNGA 74) satellite side event on enabling research collaboration in agri-food between the UN and EU at the permanent representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels on Tuesday, September 24.
Organised by UCD’s Research and Innovation department, the forum will address two of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by exploring potential synergies between EU research policies and the UN SDGs.
According to a statement from UCD: “At the heart of Sustainable Development in Action (SDIA) is the circular bioeconomy which aims to maximise food production and processing cycles to optimise the value of resources and minimise environmental impact.
It also aims to deliver on the need for nutritious safe food and sustainable non-fossil based products for sustainability of the planet.
Speaking in advance of the forum, Triona McCormack, director of research, UCD, said: “It is now imperative that we engage with policy and decision-makers to examine how EU and UN cooperation can be aligned to deliver a sustainable global food system that positively impacts human health.
“We envisage that the outcome of this forum will be practical initiatives to support the implementation of the objectives advanced in the EU’s proposal for Horizon Europe, including alignment with the UN SDGs.”
- Develop a partnership model capable of a truly global response to global challenges;
- Discuss the practical approaches to developing solutions that address the global sustainability challenges for agri-food;
- Support a pathway through which delivery of these solutions can be achieved;
- Provide a networking forum for international partners;
- Explore alignment of funding streams such as Horizon Europe, Neighbourhood, Development and International Co-operation Instrument and global philanthropy to deliver on the SDGs.
Registration information for the event can be found here.