VU Amsterdam signs agreement UN SDSN in New York

Utilizing science for societal challenges The signing of the agreement takes place during the UN SDSN Leadership Council meeting in New York, where Chairwoman of the Executive Board Margrethe Jonkman represents Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. From today, VU Amsterdam officially takes on the role of coordinator of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Netherlands.

Margrethe Jonkman: "VU Amsterdam is proud to take the lead in SDSN Netherlands. This role perfectly aligns with our mission to use science for societal progress. Together with our partners, we are working on innovative, transdisciplinary solutions to tackle the major challenges of our time."

SDSN Netherlands

SDSN Netherlands is a national branch of the global SDSN network led by the UN. It was established to accelerate sustainable development by bringing together (the knowledge of) universities, research centers, UN agencies, multilateral financial institutions (MFIs), civil society organizations, and businesses. The network focuses on addressing urgent global challenges, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030, and the Paris Climate Agreement.

Mission Sustainability

This step seamlessly aligns with the values and strategy of VU Amsterdam, which also signed a groundbreaking fossil-free research framework in April 2024. With this, VU Amsterdam became the second university in the world to decide no longer to collaborate with fossil fuel companies that do not meet the criteria of the Paris Climate Agreement.