A Nigerian-born Scientist, Adedoyin Adeleke, and thirteen others, have been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to prepare the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR).
The announcement was made in New York on 19 September, during a UN event on sustainable development.
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“United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed a new group of independent scientists to draft the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR),” a statement published on the UN website said.
The GSDR is a United Nations publication aiming to strengthen the science-policy interface at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development.
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HLPF is the main United Nations platform providing political leadership and guidance on sustainable development issues at the international level, and the GSDR is one of the only two mandated reports to inform the decision-making process at the HLPF.
The newly appointed scientists have been tasked to develop and launch the 2027 GSDR in September of 2027 ahead of the High-Level Political Forum under the auspices of the UN General Assembly (SDG Summit).
This, the UN said, will provide scientific guidance on the state of global sustainable development, addressing emerging challenges, and offering actionable recommendations for governments and other stakeholders.
Nigerian Appointee
Mr Adeleke’s appointment reflects the recognition of Nigeria’s growing voice in sustainability leadership globally.
As a co-chair, he is expected to bring perspectives from Africa and the Global South into international debates on climate change, inequality, and sustainable growth.
“I am honoured to be the first African Co-Chair and the first Nigerian ever appointed to this distinguished group of 15 eminent scientists from across the world.
Together, we will deliver evidence-based insights to inform the 2027 SDG Summit and accelerate transformative action for people and the planet,” Mr Adeleke wrote in a post on LinkedIn.
According to the statement, Mr Adeleke, who is the Executive Director of the Green Growth Africa Sustainability Network, will co-lead the panel alongside Phoebe Koundouri, a professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece.
The list also includes Marianne Beisheim, a Senior Researcher at Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Germany; Vanesa Castan Broto, Professor of Climate Urbanism at the University of Sheffield in Spain; Yensi Flores-Bueso, a Postdoctoral Researcher at University College Cork in Honduras; and Sarah Cook, Professor at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China.
Additional individuals comprise Hussam Hussein, a Research Associate at the University of Oxford in Jordan; Mmaki Jantjies, Group Executive of Innovation and Transformation at Telkom South Africa; Sherif Kamel, Dean of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at the American University in Cairo; Milica V. Matijević, a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Comparative Law in Serbia;
Others are Steven Ratuva, Director of the Macmillan Brown Center for Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury; Fabio Veras Soares, a Researcher at the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Development in Brazil; Eliane Ubalijoro, Chief Executive Officer of The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), and Director General of ICRAF; and Taidong Zhou, Vice President of the Center for International Knowledge on Development in China.
The Scientists will work closely with a UN task team led by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), in collaboration with UNESCO, UNEP, UNDP, UNCTAD, and the World Bank. They are also expected to engage academia, civil society, and the private sector in the drafting process.
Legacy, Mandate
The Global Sustainable Development Report is published every four years to strengthen the link between science, policy, and society.
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The 2019 edition, titled “The Future is Now”, and the 2023 report – “Times of Crisis, Times of Change”, both played a crucial role in the advancement of international discussions on poverty eradication, inequality, and environmental protection.
The 2027 report will be the third in the series, and will be officially launched during the UN General Assembly high-level events in September 2027.
According to the UN, the report will serve as an evidence-based tool to support decision-makers in accelerating action toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
