The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 fully recognizes the essential role of diversity, culture, equity, and justice in integrating the economic and social aspects of development. The Working Group on Diversity, Equity, and Justice for Sustainable Development is formed to highlight the essentiality of integrating these key elements into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Goals of the Working Group are:1. Build awareness of the SDGs at the local government level;2. Collect disaggregated data at the subgroup level to allow for a more in-depth analysis of intersecting forms of inequality. Where none exists, promote its collection;3. Develop strategies on how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Leave No One Behind commitment can inform policymaking;4. Increase awareness of the SDGs in poor communities and communities of color; 5. Localize SDGs within communities furthest behind; and6. Utilize the SDGs as a prism to better understand and address intersecting forms of oppression.

Voluntary position - The Sustainable Communities Division (SCD) launched a Sustainability Champion’s program in September 2014 to accelerate integration of sustainability in state APA chapter level activities throughout the United States. Today, this group has been tasked with extending SCD’s outreach and message on climate action by engaging their respective states and fostering regional dialogue and collaboration. The Climate Champions are also tasked with engaging directly with their state APA chapters to foster increased collaboration between the national APA and the state chapters. The Climate Champions will be an integral part of a national sustainability network focused on the following:- Facilitating cross-regional collaboration for climate action and sustainability.- Building capacity in their respective states and local chapters in association with SCD leadership and other Champions.- Being a local and regional resource for planners and allied professionals.- Focusing on empowering planners to advance climate action to create sustainable, resilient, and equitable communities.