'Water and Biodiversity' was the theme for this year's International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), celebrated on 22 May, to coincide with the UN designation of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) launched ten additional data platforms in African countries as part of its “Africa Information Highway” initiative, which aims to improve data management and dissemination, including on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Forty countries throughout Africa are now connected to the Open Data Network and the AfDB plans to complete data platforms for the remaining 13 African countries by July 2013.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in its role as Secretariat of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP 10YFP), has launched The Global SCP Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse uses social networking principles to create a “one-stop hub” for SCP knowledge and cooperation.

A report from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) and the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), “Who Will Be Accountable? Human Rights and the Post-2015 Development Agenda,” calls for integrating human rights standards in post-2015 goals, saying that discussion of the post-2015 development agenda is an “unmissable opportunity” to address lack of accountability and unfulfilled development commitments regarding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

On the occasion of the third meeting of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a group of 17 independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council have recommended equality, social protection and accountability as key priorities for the post-2015 development agenda.

An informal informal meeting to determine the organization and modalities of the high level political forum (HLPF) was held at UN Headquarters in New York, US. The meeting allowed Member States to discuss their general comments on a draft compilation text for the establishment of the HLPF, put forward by the process' co-facilitators. A representative from the Office of Legal Affairs was also present to answer questions about potential rules and legal modalities of the HLPF.

This meeting is one of a series of expert group meetings designed to support the preparation of the Global Sustainable Development Report 2013.

The High-level meeting of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments for Post-2015 Development Agenda towards the Third United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat III) is co-organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

The third Global Green Growth Forum (3GF) aims to be a platform for developing new or enhancing existing public-private partnerships for promoting green growth and will be hosted by the Danish Government in partnership with the Governments of China, Kenya, Korea, Mexico and Qatar.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a decision on the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with details on the Conference's dates, location, and related activities.