Strengthening the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem

The report identifies Geneva's high density of international expertise and neutrality as key strengths for SDG implementation, but notes that collaboration is hindered by bureaucratic processes, institutional silos, and a lack of accessible, informal gathering spaces. It recommends the establishment of a curated, inclusive, and inspiring physical space in the Nations area to facilitate networking, skills development, and the showcasing of innovations across the public, private, and academic sectors.

• Geneva possesses a unique environment for SDG collaboration characterized by a high density of international and non-governmental organizations, a focus on operational activities, and the neutrality of Switzerland, which facilitates open dialogue on sensitive global issues.
• Effective collaboration is currently obstructed by a lack of institutional culture and resources dedicated to innovation, as well as onerous bureaucratic processes, particularly within UN organizations, which make establishing formal collaboration agreements lengthy.
• There is a significant lack of publicly accessible and informal spaces in the Nations area of Geneva, which limits the ability of stakeholders to network and collaborate outside of formal work environments; 67% of survey respondents identified a missing informal networking space.
• Stakeholders expressed a strong desire for a curated collaboration space that is inclusive of youth and the private sector, as 72% of survey respondents indicated a wish to collaborate more with local entrepreneurs and the private sector.
• There is a demand for the proposed space to serve as a hub for learning and showcasing, specifically to avoid the duplication of efforts and to develop skills in innovative methodologies, sustainable finance, and digitalization.
• The report suggests three potential scenarios for the physical space: adapting an existing building in the Nations area (such as Villa les Feuillantines, Villa Rigot, or Villa Masaryk), constructing a new building, or partnering with existing spaces like the SDG Solution Space or Palais Wilson.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2022). Strengthening the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/strengthening-geneva-2030-ecosystem.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Strengthening the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem. 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/strengthening-geneva-2030-ecosystem.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Strengthening the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem |date=November 2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/strengthening-geneva-2030-ecosystem.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2022strengthening, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Strengthening the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/strengthening-geneva-2030-ecosystem.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }