Table Talk “Resilience pays off”
Brigitte Knopf, Director, Zukunft KlimaSozial, noted the need to consider both “hard” resilience, which relates to infrastructure such as energy and transportation, and “soft” resilience, which aims at ensuring no one is left behind in the sustainability transformation and fostering democratic support. She also emphasized the importance of not only designing socially-just climate policy but also fostering climate resilience in areas such as the health care system. Going forward, she urged combining infrastructure development, socially tiered funding schemes, regulation, and compensation measures, underscoring the importance of transparency regarding the use of revenue generated through carbon pricing.
Carolin Boßmeyer, Heidelberg Materials AG, described the magnitude of the challenge to decarbonize the cement industry, emphasizing that this requires decisive action by all decision makers. Underscoring challenging market conditions for a global industry, she especially highlighted the need for governments to adopt a supportive industry policy to reduce transition risks and foster lead markets for sustainable materials. She called for a reform of the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) to ensure reliable price signals and dedicated procurement standards. Acknowledging that it is tempting to avoid difficult decisions, she emphasized that courageous action by some pioneers can have positive ripple effects across the industry as well as neighboring industries.
Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary, BMUKN, emphasized that enhanced resilience is not only an environmental necessity, but also makes economic sense. She highlighted the potential of circular economy approaches to reducing dependencies and lauded forward-looking urban planning, such as the design of sponge cities, to adapt to climate impacts. She said the SDGs are an important compass for action in times of crises and that developed countries have an obligation to further promote the 2030 Agenda and showcase that the transformation is possible.
On what is needed to speed up progress towards the SDGs, Knopf called for bolder policy making, including by adopting measures that may bear fruit only on longer time scales, and emphasized risks associated with policy rollback. Noting that transformation is possible, Boßmeyer underscored the need for clear policy signals, noting that industry actors have a long-term planning horizon and are dependent on one another. Stressing that financial resources are limited, Schwarzelühr-Sutter said it requires courage to embark on the transformation needed and that the rule of law is a key foundation for such courage. She emphasized the need to act at the EU-level, including regarding the ETS 2, a separate cap and trade system covering buildings, road transportation, and other sectors scheduled to start in 2027.
The ensuing discussion covered: rollbacks at EU-level; transparency about who influences political decision-making, including through lobby registries; fostering circularity in the agricultural sector; international repercussions of measures such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM); and the need to empower municipalities, which are suffering from increasing budget constraints.
World Café on the SDGs in focus at HLPF 2026
After a gallery walk during which participants observed snapshot presentations on the SDGs that will in focus at HLPF and the preparation of the Global Sustainable Development Report, discussions continued in a World Café format.
SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation): Participants highlighted that the third UN Water Conference will take place in 2026, making it a crucial year to foster progress on water, which participants identified as “the strategic resource of the 21st century.” BMZ noted that water will become an even greater focus of German development cooperation, building on existing work, such as the Urban Water Catalyst Initiative. The discussion touched upon interlinkages with other SDGs, such as SDG 2 (food security), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 11 (sustainable cities), and SDG 15 (life on land). Some noted the need to better leverage existing data, for example through artificial intelligence (AI), while others cautioned against the extensive water needs associated with AI use. They highlighted challenges related to, among others, chemical pollution, lack of transparency on water usage, and privatization. Several participants also noted that hydroelectricity compromises biodiversity conservation and can exacerbate geopolitical tensions in transboundary river systems. BMUKN pointed to the ongoing consultation process aimed at informing the national water strategy, noting that Germany, too, is increasingly confronted with water scarcity.
SDG 7 (clean and affordable energy): Participants emphasized that the ongoing transition to renewable energy is a key success story for the 2030 Agenda, underscoring Germany’s leadership in this regard. They highlighted that renewables are now the cheapest form of energy, making it attractive even in fiscally constrained contexts, such as countries suffering from high cost of capital. They stressed the need to develop grid and storage infrastructure, including in a decentralized manner, and address energy-heat interlinkages. Many underscored the development benefits of increased energy access as well as co-benefits of clean cooking and solar-powered water pumps for improved health and gender equality. Discussions emphasized that renewables contribute to resilience, with participants noting the need to address supply chain issues related to rare earths. Some suggested Germany draw inspiration from other countries on simplifying approval processes for renewable energy development. Others underscored infrastructure development at the regional level, both within Europe and in partner countries in the Global South.
SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure): Participants highlighted the crucial link with SDG 7 on energy and reflected on challenges and opportunities associated with industry decarbonization and enhanced circularity. They underscored the key role of political backing to support the needed transformation while maintaining competitiveness and employment opportunities. Participants urged minimizing first mover disadvantage und better synchronizing investment levers. Some noted the importance of education and skills training to support innovation and infrastructure development. Discussions highlighted Germany’s role in supporting green industrialization in partner countries, with participants calling for strengthening such partnerships. They also considered the potential contribution of AI in enhancing efficiency in industry processes, cautioning against risks to digital sovereignty and control over critical infrastructure.
SDG 11 (sustainable cities): The discussion highlighted that all SDGs matter in urban contexts, which is challenging for cities, who often do not have the regulatory powers or financial resources necessary to implement the measures most needed on the ground. In this regard, participants emphasized the need to enhance multi-level governance to provide cities with more leeway for action, including through public procurement. Regarding the German context, BMUKN pointed to support for municipal climate managers, noting constitutional limits to the extent the federal government can directly support local action. On international cooperation, the discussion highlighted that infrastructure development in informal settlements and data constraints remain key challenges.
Participants also emphasized the importance of participation and including vulnerable groups, to enhance effectiveness and legitimacy. Many lauded the importance of peer learning at eye level through transnational city partnerships and informal discussions at events such as the HLPF. They also underscored the value of such partnerships to communicate with cities in countries where national support for sustainable development is waning.
