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

The CNMI Green Carpet Talent Competition, supported by Value Retail Management and ICE-Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies, will take place on 23rd September at the Scala Theater in Milan during the Fashion Week (which will be held from September 19th until the 25th). For the occasion, the historic theater will be transformed into a garden of artisans, a creative and dreamlike place where at the same time you can admire the rigorously sustainable creations of young designers from all over the world.

 

The competition, in its second edition, after its 2017 success, challenges young creative people to redefine the concept of sustainability in fashion, within/for the Italian production chain and highlights the commitment of large companies and small producers to sustainability, heritage and authenticity.

 

"I am happy to announce the return of this initiative. Humanity has a limited window of time within which it can attain global objectives for fundamental issues such as climate change, poverty reduction and social justice. Along the path to be taken towards achieving this challenge there are many opportunities to be seized. The National Chamber of Italian Fashion has been committed for years to the definition of ambitious sustainability guidelines, which are the result of the commitment of the CNMI Commission on sustainability. The Commission is led by Gucci and its members are Giorgio Armani, Prada, Valentino, Versace and the 'Work on Sustainability Roundtable' created by CNMI in 2011."

 

 

Carlo Capasa, President of CNMI

 

Capasa added: "Our brands are the first promoters of change in the supply chain and the entire fashion industry. Our production chain and our artisans are so flexible that they can easily embrace sustainable innovation and adopt production methods giving life to products that meet quality and sustainability criteria. The Italian production chain is full of unique entities, whose stories, skills and values ​​are fundamental to guide sustainable progress in this sector."

 

Handprint of Fashion is the theme chosen for this new edition.

 

"We often talk about the ecological footprint of the fashion products we produce, but a narrow view on the ecological issue does not take into account all the other facets that affect the creation of a truly sustainable supply chain. Speaking of fashion handprint we also need to include its social aspect, the sense of belonging and the cultural value that abounds in the Italian production chain anchored to a crafting model.“

 

 

Livia Firth, Founder and Creative Director of Eco-Age

 

"The Green Carpet Fashion Awards Italy is part of a broader strategy to promote Italian know-how that will continue in the next fashion week to make Milan the epicenter of ‘Made in Italy’,” commented Cristina Tajani, Councilor for Trade and Productive Activities, Fashion and Design of the City of Milan.

 

"We are excited to continue our collaboration with Eco-Age and CNMI,” stated Desirée Bollier, Chair of Value Retail Management, “the CNMI Green Carpet Talent Competition proves to be an important initiative that reflects the commitment of Value Retail in cultivating emerging talents and supporting the future of fashion. We are delighted to receive new ideas for this edition and welcome the next group of finalists into our annual mentorship program, a successful format tailored just for them."

Originally published in Italian on Vogue Italia

Banner and thumbnail photo credits to Max Thabiso Edkins / Connect4Climate