HLPF side event
10 July 2018 1:15-2:30 PM
Conference Room 4

Connect4Climate's Senior Advisor Francis James Dobbs was part of a discussion on what a UN Alliance on Sustainable Fashion could look like and introduced the X-Ray Fashion VR experience as one of the ways that Connect4Climate could contribute to an ongoing coalition working to make the fashion industry more sustainable.

Francis James Dobbs, Senior Advisor, Connect4Climate, Global Engagement and Partnerships, World Bank Group. Photo Credit: Benjamin Steinlechner / Connect4Climate

Fashion is an environmental and social emergency. Nearly 20 percent of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry, which also emits about ten percent of the global carbon emissions - more than the emissions of all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Cotton farming is responsible for 24 percent of insecticides and 11 percent of pesticides despite using only 3 percent of the world’s arable land. In addition, the textiles industry has been identified in recent years as a major contributor to plastic entering the ocean, which is a growing concern because of the associated negative environmental and health implications. In addition, fast fashion is also linked to dangerous working conditions due to unsafe processes and hazardous substances used in production. High cost and time pressures are often imposed on all parts of the supply chain, leading to workers suffering from long working hours and low pay, with evidence, in some instances, of modern slavery and child labor.

The fashion industry is a $2.5 trillion-dollar industry that employs approximately 60 million people worldwide, most of them women. Fashion is, therefore, a key economic sector, which has an essential role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Photo Credit: Kaia Rose / Connect4Climate

Take a look at the photo album on Flickr

Despite several organizations’ initiatives, there is yet no coherent, coordinated approach taken by the United Nations to address issues related to the fashion industry. In order to change this, stakeholders from different UN organizations, civil society, and industry gathered at the panel event “Fashion and the SDGs: what role for the UN?,”which was organized in the context of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in the UNECE region. Stakeholders discussed how the UN could reach a more comprehensive approach toward the development of a sustainable fashion industry in order to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. Since most high-consuming countries are located in the UNECE region, the forum was considered as a good starting point for further action. The event was successful in establishing a clear link between the fashion industry and the SDGs, which will be brought to the attention of the UN High-Level Political Forum, in particular through SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production and SDG 15 on life on land.

Photo Credit: Kaia Rose / Connect4Climate

Recommendations discussed prior and during the event revealed the importance of exploring the establishment of a UN Partnership on Sustainable Fashion. Indeed, it is recognized by SDG 17 that the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will require different actors working together. In order to achieve this, distinguished panelists from different UN organizations were invited to this side event to explore the elements of what a UN Partnership on Sustainable Fashion could look like.

During this side event, it was announced that UN Environment would be taking on hosting responsibilities for the first year of the Alliance. Also, the ITC has agreed to host the event in the following year.

Co-hosting UN organisations:

           UN Economic Commission for Europe
           UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
           International Trade Centre
           UN Environment
           International Labour Organization
           UN Global Compact
           UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
           Connect4Climate - World Bank Group
           UN Office for Partnerships
           UN Conference on Trade and Development

Photo Credit: Kaia Rose / Connect4Climate

Program

  July 10, 2018 - 1:15-2:30 PM (EDT) - Opening Remarks - Side event at High Level Political Forum, Conference Room 4

           H.E. Marie Chatardová, President of ECOSOC

           Ms. Olga Algayerova, Executive-Secretary, UNECE

  Keynote speeches

           Mr. Paolo Naldini, Director, Cittadellarte, Fashion B.E.S.T.

           Ms. Laura Choi, President, Fashion for Conservation

           Ms. Ava J. Holmes, Co-Founder, Fashion for Conservation

  Discussion: Elements for a UN Partnership on Sustainable Fashion and how your organization can contribute

           Ms. Birgit Lia Altmann, Assistant Economic Affairs Officer, UNECE
           Ms. Amber Barth, Senior Program Officer, ILO Office for the United Nations in New York
           Ms. Chloé Mukai, Project and Communications Manager, Ethical Fashion Initiative, ITC
           Ms. Elisa Tonda, Head, Consumption and Production Unit, UN Environment
           Ms. Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, Global Climate Action Outreach Office, UNFCCC
           Ms. Lilian Liu, Manager of Partnerships, UN Global Compact
           Mr. Ola Goransson, Partnerships Coordinator, Divisions for Sustainable Development Goals, UNDESA
           Mr. Francis James Dobbs, Senior Advisor, Connect4Climate, Global Engagement and Partnerships, World Bank Group
           Ms. Karen Newman, Expert, United Nations
           Ms. Teresa Moreira, Head of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch, UNCTAD (presented by Ms. Leonie Meier, UNECE)

  Conclusions and next steps

          Ms. Monika Linn, Principal Advisor and Chief, Sustainable Development and Gender Unit, UNECE