Impact of Environmental Sciences on the United Nations 2030 Agenda: challenges and advances from the experience of forming thematic clusters

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda serve as a significant tool for advancing the sustainability cause at different levels, from local to global. The Environmental Sciences Area of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) has facilitated dialogues on the subject and has been building initiatives to measure the contribution of Brazilian graduate education to the achievement of the SDGs. This technical report aimed to present the results of the 2nd Academic Meeting “Impact of Environmental Sciences on the 2030 Agenda”, held on June 8 and 9, 2022, at the Institute of Advanced Studies of the University of São Paulo, and to reflect on actions for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Environmental Sciences in Brazil. The event aimed to discuss the incorporation of the SDGs into teaching, research, and extension activities, and to initiate the formation of thematic clusters (TCs), collective spaces that stimulate interinstitutional and interdisciplinary connections. According to the evaluation conducted among the participants, the event was considered successful, with broad participation and presentation of the advancements made by all TCs, enabling the identification of strategies to expand networking opportunities and collaborations. The discussions indicate that there are challenges, such as the effective participation of programs, the compilation and dissemination of information on impact, and working with students and alumni. Suggestions include holding the event annually and in different locations, appointing and engaging assistant coordinators in the TCs, and including a moment for the development of proposals that underpin public policies.