Our Story

The SDSN began in 2012 soon after the Rio+20 Summit with ten thematic working groups on a range of environmental, social, and economic topics, which helped contribute to the adoption of the SDGs, particularly the inclusion of SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities). During this time, its Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) also helped to inform national climate policies and demonstrated in the lead-up to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) that a global commitment to deep decarbonization by mid-century was both necessary and feasible.

In 2014, the SDSN expanded its mission with the establishment of the SDG Academy to create and curate free Open Educational Resources (OERs) and guidance from the world’s leading experts on sustainable development. Since its launch, the Academy has produced more than 50 courses and reached over one million learners from more than 190 countries.

Over the past decade, the SDSN has introduced a myriad of new initiatives tackling critical areas of sustainable development from sustainable food and land-use systems, to sustainable finance, urban development, and the conservation of critical forest biomes. Key programs and initiatives include the Science Panels for the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and Borneo; the SDG Transformation Center; the ASEAN Green Future Project; SDGs Today; Mission 4.7, Global Schools, and the Ages of Globalization; the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition and Net Zero on Campus; and the FABLE Consortium and the FELD program. The SDSN has also produced several influential research products, such as the Sustainable Development Report and the World Happiness Report.

The SDSN also launched a global Networks Program, creating a membership-based alliance of leading knowledge institutions organized at national and regional levels. The SDSN comprises over 2,000 members across 57 networks and operates global offices in New York, Paris, and Kuala Lumpur.