Prof. Phoebe Koundouri at the 2025 Thessaloniki Sustainability Summit
Prof. Phoebe Koundouri participated in the 2025 Thessaloniki Sustainability Summit, organized under the theme “10 Years of the Paris Agreement” by SDSN Black Sea, with the support of the Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), and the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS).
During the WAAS Fellows Plenary Panel on “The Role of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) in the Implementation of the Paris Agreement)”, moderated by Prof. Nikos Theodosiou, Chair of SDSN Black Sea, Prof. Koundouri presented an overview of the progress achieved toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the past decade. Her remarks drew upon findings from the interdisciplinary research conducted at the SDSN Global Climate Hub, contributing to a series of reports evaluating national and regional pathways toward climate neutrality (https://unsdsn.globalclimatehub.org/un-sdsn-global-climate-hub-report-modelling-net-zero-pathways), as well as from SDSN Europe’s Europe Sustainable Development Reports (https://eu-dashboards.sdgindex.org/).
In addition, Prof. Koundouri referred to her role as Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists responsible for drafting the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR). The GSDR, published every four years, is a flagship United Nations science-policy report that strengthens the interface between science, policy, and society. As the final edition before the 2030 deadline of the UN Agenda 2030, it will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the global sustainable development agenda (https://sdgs.un.org/gsdr2027).
Prof. Koundouri also expressed her pride in serving as a Fellow and Trustee of WAAS, and her great pleasure in engaging with her WAAS co-fellows Chantal Line Carpentier (UNCTAD), Amanda Ellis (ASU Global Futures Laboratory), Denis Naughten (Former Minister for Climate Action and Environment, Ireland), Josep Garí (UNDP), and Nikos Theodosiou. She emphasized her hope that their collective efforts will honor and advance the remarkable legacy of WAAS.