The Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC 2024) gathered over 1,600 global experts on 07 and 08 October 2024, providing a platform to bridge science, policy, and practice in addressing today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Among the standout contributions was the session titled "Navigating Uncertainty: Diplomacy and Sustainability Actors Forging New Alliances," where CIPSEM, in collaboration with the TES Academy of the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the Global Diplomacy Lab (GDL), showcased an innovative replicable dialogue model.

This dialogue model, developed and tested over the past seven months, was designed to foster collaboration among diverse actors in sustainability and diplomacy. The process brought together 20 experts from 16 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including 18 CIPSEM alumni, for an unprecedented community of practice. During our “Navigating Uncertainty” session at HSC, these sustainability and diplomacy practitioners engaged in fruitful discussions with a broad array of partners from development organizations, research institutions, and foundations, including the ABCD-Centre represented by our longstanding partner UNU-FLORES.

Interactive Knowledge Production and New Alliances

What made this process particularly impactful was its interactive approach. The session promoted joint knowledge production, allowing participants to work on real-world cases they proposed, focusing on overcoming barriers to global cooperation in an increasingly uncertain world. This transformative learning process went beyond traditional formats, embracing diverse perspectives to reveal novel actors and solutions for sustainability challenges.

The "accelerator group" session explored how collective efforts can drive changes toward a sustainable and equitable future while identifying new alliances that can rebuild trust and foster collaboration at the intersection of diplomacy and sustainability.

Key Insights from the Session:

• Collaborative efforts among international sustainability and diplomacy actors can lead to innovative interventions to address complex global challenges.
• By engaging a diverse group of stakeholders, including CIPSEM alumni, the dialogue model uncovered novel actors and solutions that have the potential to create new patterns of cooperation.
• The process highlighted the importance of understanding local realities while maintaining a global perspective, fostering cooperation across borders and sectors.

President of the German Environment Agency, Prof. Dirk Messner’s Keynote

The president of the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt, UBA), Prof. Dirk Messner, gave a keynote presentation during the session. In his introduction, he emphasized the crucial role of peace and international collaboration in achieving sustainable development. He stressed that current global crises, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, are exacerbated by armed conflicts, making international cooperation more important than ever. Messner also highlighted the "cooperation hexagon" concept, which identifies key enablers of cooperation such as reciprocity, trust, communication, reputation, fairness, and a shared sense of identity ("we-identity"). These mechanisms are essential for fostering collaboration in uncertain times, and this session brought together practitioners from sustainability projects and experts from academia, development cooperation, and the private sector, fostering vibrant discussions on how to navigate the uncertainties of today’s environmental challenges.

One part of the session was dedicated to a collaborative exploration with all attendees: In a World Café format, participants explored key themes related to the dialogue model and use cases. Discussions centered on identifying barriers to inclusive dialogue and how to overcome them, as well as recognizing radical ideas and mechanisms to model and spread successful practices. Additionally, participants examined what engaged actors need to take action on sustainability challenges, focusing on building resilience and agility. They also discussed how to motivate less-engaged but relevant actors to form new alliances, exploring potential benefits and incentives.

Global Leadership and Notable Contributions

Notable figures at HSC2024 included UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, alongside heads of state from nations such as Barbados, Namibia, and Armenia. Their participation emphasized the global commitment to accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Hamburg Sustainability Conference has set a new benchmark for international collaboration in sustainability. TUD Dresden University of Technology’s contributions—through CIPSEM, the ABCD-Centre, and its global partnerships—demonstrate the university's leadership in addressing critical environmental issues on the world stage.