Press Release
July 25, 2025
- Global Environment
Outcome of the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF2025)
1. From July 14 to 23, 2025, the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development (HLPF 2025) was convened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The forum reviewed progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) led by the UN.
2. On July 22, 2025, DOI Kentaro, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment of Japan participated in the Special Event "Strengthening Climate and SDG Synergies for Accelerated Momentum Toward 2030", and at the high-level opening session, he reaffirmed Japan’s determination to lead the world while advancing various initiatives in line with the “Resolution on Promoting Synergies” which was proposed by Japan at the Sixth Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in March last year and adopted.
2. On July 22, 2025, DOI Kentaro, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment of Japan participated in the Special Event "Strengthening Climate and SDG Synergies for Accelerated Momentum Toward 2030", and at the high-level opening session, he reaffirmed Japan’s determination to lead the world while advancing various initiatives in line with the “Resolution on Promoting Synergies” which was proposed by Japan at the Sixth Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in March last year and adopted.
■ Overview of the outcome of HLPF2025
(1) Date: July 14 to 23, 2025
Ministerial segment held July 21-23, 2025
(2) Venue: United Nations Headquarters (New York, US)
(3) Theme:
“Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable
Development Goals for leaving no one behind”
(4) Overview
In the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015, the HLPF is positioned as a forum for global
review of implementation of the Agenda, and every year the status of implementation is followed up by selecting multiple areas among the
17 goals of the SDGs. In this HLPF 2025, SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 5 (Gender equality), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth),
SDG 14 (Life below water), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the goals) were reviewed. In addition, Japan presented its Voluntary National Review
(VNR) for the third time and first in four years. On the last day of the forum, a Ministerial Declaration was adopted.
Please see the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fur ther details on HLPF.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/sdgs/effort/index.html#hlpf
Ministerial segment held July 21-23, 2025
(2) Venue: United Nations Headquarters (New York, US)
(3) Theme:
“Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable
Development Goals for leaving no one behind”
(4) Overview
In the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015, the HLPF is positioned as a forum for global
review of implementation of the Agenda, and every year the status of implementation is followed up by selecting multiple areas among the
17 goals of the SDGs. In this HLPF 2025, SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 5 (Gender equality), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth),
SDG 14 (Life below water), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the goals) were reviewed. In addition, Japan presented its Voluntary National Review
(VNR) for the third time and first in four years. On the last day of the forum, a Ministerial Declaration was adopted.
Please see the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fur ther details on HLPF.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/sdgs/effort/index.html#hlpf
■ HLPF2025 Special Event ー Strengthening Climate and SDG Synergies for Accelerated Momentum Toward 2030 ー
(1) Date and time: July 22, 2025, 10:00-13:00 (local time)
(2) Venue: UN Headquarters, Conference Room 11
(3) Organizers: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(4) Speaker from the Government of Japan:
DOI Kentaro, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment
(5) Outline of the special event
Since 2019, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) have led efforts to promote synergies between climate and SDGs in order to address various global challenges, including by holding
Global Conferences on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As part of these
efforts, the Third Global Report on Climate and SDG Synergies by the Expert Group is expected to be released in September. Prior to that, three thematic
supplementary reports were released at this special event, reflecting results of the Sixth Global Climate and SDG Synergies Conference (*1) held in May
this year.
Vice-Minister DOI introduced the “Resolution on Promoting Synergies” proposed by Japan at the Sixth Session of the United Nations
Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) (*2) in March last year, where it was adopted, and made it clear that Japan will continue to lead efforts to
strengthen synergies.
He also introduced an example of Japan's environmental technology, the Fukuoka Method (*3), and expressed Japan’s intention to actively promote
cooperation with many countries and organizations to collect and share good practices related to synergies, as well as to convey them at the seventh
session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in December this year and through the "Asia-Pacific Synergy Report" (*4).
(2) Venue: UN Headquarters, Conference Room 11
(3) Organizers: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(4) Speaker from the Government of Japan:
DOI Kentaro, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment
(5) Outline of the special event
Since 2019, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) have led efforts to promote synergies between climate and SDGs in order to address various global challenges, including by holding
Global Conferences on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As part of these
efforts, the Third Global Report on Climate and SDG Synergies by the Expert Group is expected to be released in September. Prior to that, three thematic
supplementary reports were released at this special event, reflecting results of the Sixth Global Climate and SDG Synergies Conference (*1) held in May
this year.
Vice-Minister DOI introduced the “Resolution on Promoting Synergies” proposed by Japan at the Sixth Session of the United Nations
Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) (*2) in March last year, where it was adopted, and made it clear that Japan will continue to lead efforts to
strengthen synergies.
He also introduced an example of Japan's environmental technology, the Fukuoka Method (*3), and expressed Japan’s intention to actively promote
cooperation with many countries and organizations to collect and share good practices related to synergies, as well as to convey them at the seventh
session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in December this year and through the "Asia-Pacific Synergy Report" (*4).
■ Exchange of views with national governments, international organizations, and research institutes
Vice-Minister DOI had meetings with relevant personnel and ministers of UNDESA, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Sultanate of Oman, and Israel, and confirmed cooperation with each, including strengthening cooperation to promote synergies. He also participated in the "Informal Roundtable on Beyond SDGs" hosted by Keio STAR of Keio University, to which the Ministry of the Environment is providing funds for environmental research promotion and collaborating with, and introduced "Cool Biz" measures as a lever and tool for social change to achieve the SDGs.
(Reference *1)
Results of the Sixth Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
(Ministry of the Environment press release on June 3, 2025)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_04217.html
(Reference *2)
Results of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), item 2: Resolution on promoting synergies, cooperation or collaboration for national implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and other relevant environmental instruments (co-sponsored by the Republic of Fiji, Canada, the Republic of Chile, the Swiss Confederation, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Republic of Peru)
(Ministry of the Environment press release on March 4, 2024)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_02507.html
(Reference *3) Fukuoka method (semi-aerobic landfill)
A semi-aerobic landfill technology known as the "Fukuoka method" was jointly developed in the 1970s by Fukuoka City and Fukuoka University and put into practical use. It is a method for waste disposal sites with low environmental impact that suppresses the generation of bad odors and methane gas, which has a high global warming effect, and enables early stabilization of landfills by laying pipes at the bottom of landfills to collect and discharge leachate and take in outside air.
(Reference *4) Asia-Pacific Synergy Report
Minister ASAO announced plans to create and launch this report at a side event of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held in 2024.
Development of the report officially kicked off at a side event of the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) in 2025, and preparations are underway in cooperation with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and others. The report is scheduled to be launched at the 2026 ESCAP Committee on Environment and Development, and also shared at related meetings such as HLPF next year.
(Reference *1)
Results of the Sixth Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
(Ministry of the Environment press release on June 3, 2025)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_04217.html
(Reference *2)
Results of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), item 2: Resolution on promoting synergies, cooperation or collaboration for national implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and other relevant environmental instruments (co-sponsored by the Republic of Fiji, Canada, the Republic of Chile, the Swiss Confederation, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Republic of Peru)
(Ministry of the Environment press release on March 4, 2024)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_02507.html
(Reference *3) Fukuoka method (semi-aerobic landfill)
A semi-aerobic landfill technology known as the "Fukuoka method" was jointly developed in the 1970s by Fukuoka City and Fukuoka University and put into practical use. It is a method for waste disposal sites with low environmental impact that suppresses the generation of bad odors and methane gas, which has a high global warming effect, and enables early stabilization of landfills by laying pipes at the bottom of landfills to collect and discharge leachate and take in outside air.
(Reference *4) Asia-Pacific Synergy Report
Minister ASAO announced plans to create and launch this report at a side event of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held in 2024.
Development of the report officially kicked off at a side event of the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) in 2025, and preparations are underway in cooperation with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and others. The report is scheduled to be launched at the 2026 ESCAP Committee on Environment and Development, and also shared at related meetings such as HLPF next year.