Global Collaboration in Action: United Nations Association x Environment Institute

Mr Jay Jethwa, Vice President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, was recently a guest of the Environment Institute.

 Jay is actively involved in the development of collaborations between the United Nations System and university affiliations globally, particularly as it relates to Sustainable Development Goals.

 His visit allowed the Environment Institute and more broadly the University of Adelaide, to start developing a partnership with the United Nations Associations.

Through these interactions, it has deepened our understanding of how to best engage with the UN, and how our work can be translated through, and support, UN objectives.

The United Nations Association of South Australia, together with the Environment Institute and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also hosted a special keynote event ‘Biodiversity Matters’.

The event was opened with an impassioned speech by Dr Susan Close MP, Deputy Premier of South Australia, Minister for Climate Environment and Water and State Member for Port Adelaide, on the importance of protecting and restoring nature and using a science base.

A keynote speech was also delivered by Jay Jethwa. His poetic delivery outlined the need for hope and for us globally to deliver key actions, including: developing shared goals around nature and rendering these to become to national targets. He also emphasised the importance of identifying and supporting enablers in community, enabling indigenous stewardship, and scoping the scale of investment required for economic decision making.

A panel discussion then followed, featuring:

• Dr Susan Close MP, Deputy Premier of South Australia, Minister for Climate Environment and Water and State Member for Port Adelaide
• Jay Jethwa, scientist, lawyer and Vice President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, headquartered in Geneva and New York City
• Jill Collins, State Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
• Tim Jarvis AM, Australian of the Year for South Australia 2024, climber, author, conservationist and filmmaker
• Craig Wilkins, former Chief Executive of the Conservation Council and current member of the Premier’s Climate Change Council

Panel convener was our Institute Director, Professor Andrew Lowe. The discussion brought together these leaders and experts to examine biodiversity efforts across local, national, and global levels.

Deputy Premier Dr. Susan Close highlighted South Australia’s Biodiversity Act as a landmark achievement in state-based protection, while acknowledging that further work is still needed to strengthen its impact.

Jill Collins from DFAT emphasized the importance of aligning state and national legislation to safeguard shared resources like ecosystems, while also pointing to Australia’s active role in biodiversity initiatives across the Pacific.

From a global perspective, Jay Jethwa outlined how the United Nations Association and their local chapters connect international priorities with national and community-level action, underscoring the importance of engagement at the grassroots.

Tim Jarvis AM, focused on the power of advocacy and collaboration in driving conservation, referencing the PEW Price of Nature report, which places the value of Australia’s ecosystems at $511 billion.

Rounding out the discussion, Craig Wilkins of the Premier’s Climate Change Council stressed the critical role of public education in building awareness about the connections between climate change and biodiversity.

The event was MC’d by Martin Haese, Chair of the Premier’s Climate Change Council and the South Australian Government’s Special Envoy to Singapore and Southeast Asia, and concluded with closing remarks from The Honourable Robert Hill AC, former Federal Minister for the Environment, who reminded attendees of the urgent need for collective and coordinated action to safeguard biodiversity for future generations.

The event was held in honour and remembrance of the President of the South Australian chapter of the United Nations Associations, Lidia Moretti, who sadly passed on the morning of this public event.