Connecting Media to the SDGs’ Data and Stories
Amid serious threats to multilateralism broadly and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development particularly, this event seeks to raise media literacy and coverage of the role the Sustainable Development Goals play in community well-being, while also providing tools and resources to help journalists connect national SDG reporting to the daily news cycle.
In the decade since the SDGs were adopted by 193 countries, a rich ecosystem of data, reports, and stories has been built to track progress and backsliding on reaching the Global Goals. While data gaps remain, there has never been more information available on how cities, regions, and countries are working and struggling to build a more sustainable, just world.
However, it is not always easy to navigate this ecosystem—or to connect global efforts on the SDGs with the accelerating daily news cycle. This webinar is especially designed for journalists (but open to all) to help them leverage available data to ground their stories in national and international sustainable development trends. The one-hour session:
- offered insights for engaging with leaders and organizations within the UN system
- mapped the SDGs data ecosystem and give reporters resources to inform their daily stories
- discussed the Voluntary National Review (VNR) process and its potential to increase transparency and accountability of national policymakers
Panel
- Pamela Falk, Correspondent, US News & World Report
- Martina Donlon, Climate Communications Lead, UN Department of Global Communications
- Heather Page, Statistician, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Wangu Mwangi, Team Leader and Writer, Earth Negotiations Bulletin
- Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor for Special Coverage, Devex / Advisor, Solutions Journalism Network
Resources
We have collected links to a number of tools and resources referenced during the webinar. Please note IISD is not responsible for content posted on external sites.
HLPF 2025
- Official HLPF 2025 website
- ENB coverage of HLPF 2025
- Voluntary National Reviews delivered at HLPF 2025
- The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025
- UN Web TV (livestream and session recordings)
Organizational Links
- Solutions Journalism Network
- Solutions Insights Lab
- SDG Media Compact
- Act Now
- Devex
- Earth Negotiations Bulletin
- SDG Knowledge Hub
Additional Reports and Data Tools
Upcoming events
Session 1 | Financing a Transition Away From Fossil Fuels: Building an implementation network for Santa Marta workstream 2
Tailored to Asia-Pacific, Africa, and European regions, this webinar will drawing on existing initiatives and useful precedents for the transition away from fossil fuels with the goal of building a network to support country-led implementation.
Counting What Counts: Implementing beyond GDP metrics
This hybrid event will explore practical pathways for implementing Beyond GDP metrics at the national level.
From Evidence to Investment: The systemic challenges facing nature-based infrastructure
Evidence from 45 assessments in 29 countries shows that nature-based infrastructure delivers strong financial returns and social and environmental gains.
IGF 22nd Annual General Meeting
The 22nd IGF AGM will be held under the theme of Trust in an Interdependent World: Advancing inclusion and resilience in mineral value chains.