UMN SDG Initiative Webinar Series

The 2021-2022 UMN SDG webinar series focused on ways the UMN is "moving toward a more sustainable future" by highlighting ongoing research, partnerships and outreach work going on related to SDGs at the UMN.

Zero Hunger: Developing Sustainable Food Systems

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 12 - 1pm via Zoom

In this 9th webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of scholars and practitioners will discuss what they are doing to help sustainably feed the world's growing population— from developing new crops, to working hand-in-hand with farmers and students to exploring how climate affects food security across the globe. Panelists will offer examples and insights on where progress is being made and where more work is needed. Comments and discussion will focus on SDG #2 Zero Hunger targets.

In this 10th webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of scholars and practitioners will discuss what they are doing to combat climate change right here in Minnesota. From on the ground work to save Minnesota’s trees and forests, to community engagement in every corner of our state, to exciting new researcher/agency collaborations, our panelists will offer examples and insights on where progress is being made, where more work is needed and where we go from here. Comments and discussion will focus on SDG #13 Climate Action targets.

SDG Implementation: Global to local

Wed, Feb 16 2022, 12 - 1pm via Zoom

In this 11th webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, Irena Zubcevic from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) will discuss how global agreement on SDGs contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can be translated to local levels to implement SDGs at the community level, including some discussions she has had with the UMN SDG Initiative team on how to broaden and upscale our communities SDG work. Comments and discussion will focus on transformative change SDG implementation can bring to our societies and communities including in the sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to create more equal societies through nature-positive policies and actions.

Examining the Burnout Crisis in Health Care: A Healthcare Worker Panel Discussion

In this 12th webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals–which is hosted in collaboration with the University’s Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility–a panel of healthcare workers from M Fairview Health will discuss their experiences on the frontline of battling COVID-19. COVID-19 has laid bare a worldwide healthcare crisis not only related to preparedness and lack of healthcare workers and services but also the danger of misinformation, and the lack of support, particularly mental health support, faced by many healthcare workers. Comments and discussion will focus on SDG #3 Health and Well Being targets and how we can help reach global health goals by helping and supporting healthcare workers.

Ensuring safe, stable and sustainable housing presents an acute challenge for Minnesota communities and policymakers. COVID-19, the global movement for racial justice and the increasing natural disasters associated with climate change have laid bare the major barriers to sustainable development, equity and justice in the U.S. and globally. Housing is no exception, with a crisis of homelessness, housing instability and the need for sustainable housing design at the forefront. In this fourth webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of community engaged scholars and advocates will explore current challenges to fair, equitable and sustainable housing and discuss potential solutions from the perspective of different disciplines and approaches and then discuss how we all can work together across sectors and disciplines toward positive change.

Tremendous progress has been made nationally and globally in increasing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, however access to safe, potable water is still a challenge in some communities in the US and Minnesota. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the critical importance of sanitation, hygiene and adequate access to clean water for the prevention of diseases. Hand hygiene according to the World Health Organization, is one of the most effective actions that can be taken to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the COVID-19 virus. Yet access to clean and safe water is not available to all.

In this sixth webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of community-engaged scholars and practitioners representing a range of perspectives will offer examples and insights on where progress is being made and where more work is needed. The panel discussion will connect local Minnesota community efforts and the broader, global landscape to consider the interconnectedness of climate action across all levels.

In this 7th webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of scholars and practitioners will discuss how university partnerships and networks are advancing impactful work in communities and countries around the world. Looking at a variety of network models in several fields, panelists will offer examples and insights on where progress is being made and where more work is needed. Comments and discussion will focus on these SDG’s targets.

In this 8th webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of scholars and practitioners discuss how poverty plays an important role in the economic development of communities and the complete well-being of a person. Panelists offer examples and insights on where progress is being made and where more work is needed.

How can we align our work to the Sustainable Development Goals––a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all? Join us at the Joint Forum on SDGs co-hosted by UMN & the Minnesota SDG Roundtable to see how and to learn more about existing efforts.

Hosted by the University of Minnesota Sustainable Development Goal Initiative, this webinar discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and the more recent civil rights crisis that has affected every aspect of the food system—from farm to fork.

Food justice is a social movement that sees healthy, culturally appropriate food as a human right and addresses structural barriers to food through systems change at all levels of the food system. In Minnesota and in the US more broadly, two significant crises of systemic racism and COVID-19 further destabilize food systems and disproportionately affect communities of color, low-income and immigrant communities. Local communities are proactively working to ensure food access and food justice.

In the past few months, COVID-19 and the global movement for racial justice have laid bare inequities in the U.S. and globally, and shown how these inequities undermine the very foundations of our social, political and economic systems. In this third webinar of a series on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, a panel of publicly-engaged scholars explored how various forms of inequality in the United States threaten community resilience and sustainable change in their areas of work and then discuss how we all can work together across sectors and disciplines to undermine systemic inequities toward positive change.