The University of California, Davis and EARTH University in Costa Rica were appointed as the new United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Hub Co-Chairs for SDG Goal 2: Zero Hunger by the UNAI initiative. 

UNAI is an initiative that has engaged institutions of higher education since November 2010 in supporting and contributing to the realization of the Organization’s purposes and principles, including the promotion and protection of human rights, access to education, sustainability (including the SDGs since 2015) and conflict resolution. 

UC Davis and EARTH University will lead the UNAI SDG 2 Hub over a three-year term, from January 2025 to December 2027, as part of the larger UNAI network, which comprises over 1,700 universities and colleges across more than 150 countries.

UC Davis will play an essential role in advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through innovative education, impactful research, and strategic partnerships. 

“UC Davis is deeply committed to advancing the SDGs,” said Joanna Regulska, vice provost and dean of Global Affairs. “UC Davis has a longstanding partnership with EARTH University, collaborating for over four years through the University Global Coalition SDG2 Consortium. Together, we have organized international events, engaged partner institutions, and provided student learning opportunities. We look forward to collaborating with faculty and students across campus to leverage their expertise in sustainable agriculture, food systems, and nutrition science and policy to develop innovative strategies to eliminate hunger and expand our work with the UNAI worldwide network.” 

UNAI SDG Hubs are designated institutions of higher education within the UNAI network that actively work to promote the SDGs by leveraging the power of academia to create positive social, economic, and environmental change that would bring the world closer to achieving the SDGs. In addition to incorporating sustainability considerations as a general policy and supporting the overall SDG agenda, each UNAI SDG Hub will focus on a specific SDG, fostering research, education, and global collaboration to advance that goal while recognizing the strong interdependencies across all 17 SDGs.  

UNAI members are making significant strides in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To further encourage innovation and commitment to sustainability education for future generations, UNAI appointed the following institutions as UNAI SDG Hub Chairs from 2025 – 2027: 

• SDG 1: No Poverty - University of Sao Paulo (Brazil)
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger - [Co-Chair] EARTH University (Costa Rica) and University of California, Davis (United States)
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being - University of Pretoria (South Africa)
• SDG 4: Quality Education - Al Balqa Applied University (Jordan)
• SDG 5: Gender Equality - CHRIST (Deemed to be University) (India)
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation - [Co-Chair] Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (India) and University of Manitoba (Canada)
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy - [Co-Chair] Lagos State University (Nigeria) and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece)
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth - University of Auckland (New Zealand)
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Mount Kenya University (Kenya)
• SDG 10: Reduce Inequalities - York University (Canada)
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - De Monfort University (United Kingdom) 
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - National University of Sciences and Technology (Pakistan)
• SDG 13: Climate Action - University of West Indies (Jamaica)
• SDG 14: Life below Water - University of Bergen (Norway)
• SDG 15: Life on Land - Macquarie University (Australia)
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - George Mason University, Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter School for Peace & Conflict Resolution (United States)
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals - Tsinghua University (China) 

UC Davis and the UN SDGs

UC Davis is a global leader in sustainability and environmental research — on campus, in the classroom, and abroad. UC Davis actively supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through innovation and collaboration in teaching, research and service. To learn more about UC Davis’ SDG-related efforts, please visit our webpage.