Empowering Lawyers: 7 Years to a Sustainable Future
The Countdown Has Begun – the clock is ticking…
September 2023 marks the midpoint for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It’s a poignant moment – stakeholders worldwide have convened this September to applaud the strides made over the past 7 years, but also to confront head-on the challenges that lie ahead.
Recent years have tested the global community in every way from enduring the highest number of conflicts since World War II, to confronting escalating climate crises and the erosion of the rule of law worldwide. The reverberations of COVID-19 continue to be felt, with the number of people living in extreme poverty rising for the first time in a generation.
If we persist on this trajectory, by 2030 575 million people will remain in extreme poverty, and 84 million children will be out of school.). The UN’s clarion call this week for a swift ‘rescue’ effort is a stark reminder of the urgency that underscores our own mission to achieve sustainable development. We recognise that the significance of all 17 global objectives, 169 targets, and 232 indicators will be felt with increasing urgency across the globe over the next 7 years.
A4ID has been a fervent advocate for the SDGs, viewing them as our compass for collective action. For us this call was an open invitation to all stakeholders to unite, to move from rhetoric to action in order to galvanize change. Our work which is at the nexus of law and sustainable development, has so far mobilised countless hours of pro bono legal work supporting our expansive network of development organisations as well as supporting rule of law initiatives worldwide.
More recently, having worked together with some of our law firm and corporate partners, we launched our SDG Legal Initiative earlier this year. Its focus is to incentivise the global legal profession to work alongside us by contributing their unique talents, their legal knowledge, their problem-solving abilities as well as their ability to influence and to catalyse impactful change.
The SDG Legal Initiative fosters global legal collaboration by creating communities of practice, sharing indispensable tools and resources, and accelerates sustainability commitments paving the way for lawyers to take centre stage by becoming true agents of positive change.
We have built a Platform containing a rich repository of resources to exchange innovative ideas and global insights from the legal world and beyond. Our Platform contains Legal Guides about each of the sustainable development goals and case studies to showcase the work lawyers have been doing in achieving the SDGs.
Campaigns to unite the legal community will be launched for all legal professionals, regardless of their specialism or experience. Diverse opportunities, including bespoke training programmes and events will be on offer to lawyers and their firms to increase their knowledge and awareness of the sustainable agenda.
We firmly believe that by harnessing the power of partnerships, unleashing the expansive potential of legal services, and leveraging the specialized skills of legal professionals across the private, public, and non-profit sectors, we can make significant strides towards achieving the sustainable development goals which encompass all aspects of life: social, economic, and environmental. Whether you practice commercial law (SDG 9), real estate law (SDG 11), banking and taxation (SDG 8), medical negligence (SDG 3), constitutional law (SDG 16), human rights (SDG 10), or any other legal domain, lawyers from all jurisdictions and legal practice areas have a pivotal role to play in advancing progress.
Sustainable development is no longer an abstract vision but a client-driven imperative. Demanded by governments, the private sector, and the public; sustainable values now permeate supply chains, governance, reporting, risk management, due diligence, and legal accountability. As legal, regulatory, and policy landscapes evolve in line with sustainability commitments, the SDG Agenda, and global solidarity, we adhere to the core principle of ‘leave no one behind,’ promoting equity, fairness, and justice. For lawyers around the world, the SDG Legal Initiative offers a dynamic platform for action to engage with these changes, a reservoir of actionable information, and an opportunity to lead with innovative solutions.
To join us in shaping the future and making a tangible difference to the sustainable development agenda engage with the SDG Legal Initiative: the initiative for lawyers taking action.
- Download our Resources, including our flagship SDG Legal Guides, and explore the dynamic interplay of law and sustainability.
- Read Our Latest Insights to draw inspiration from the efforts of others and spark transformation within your own firm.
- Share Our Business Case explaining why sustainable development is paramount for legal professionals and for advancing your own legal practice.
If you want to know more or have something to share get in touch at [email protected]
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