The 30th Annual International Conference of the International Sustainable Development Research Society (ISDRS) on Sustainable Development Research was held in Nepal from June 11th to 13th, 2024. During the three-day event, participants from across the globe engaged in exchanges and discussions on a wide range of sustainable development topics, such as sustainability and science, education and sustainability, and climate change and energy.​ The aim was to provide recommendations for solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.​ 

The conference served as a global platform for different countries to come together to share efforts undertaken, and accomplishments achieved, and to provide solutions on how to achieve the SDGs by 2030. This year, the program was organized by ISDRS in collaboration with the Resources Himalaya Foundation (RHF), Nepal, Mid-West University, Nepal, and Nepal Open University, Nepal. The Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) was also one of the organizing partners for the event.​ 

There were 204 presentations delivered by students and scholars from more than 40 countries around the world, based on the ten themes set by ISDRS and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations Conference in 2012. Dr. Shankar Shrestha, Executive Director of NDRI also participated in some sessions as an organizing partner.​ On the first day of the conference, Ms. Sunita Magar, a Research Associate at NDRI, presented “Identifying Gaps in Landslide Studies to Expedite Sustainable Development in Nepal.”​ 

On the second day, Ms. Divya Laxmi Subedi, also a Research Associate at NDRI, presented on “Climate Change Impacts on Future Extreme Rainfall: A Study in Nepal, Palestine, and Bangladesh,” and Ms. Ashma Aryal, Outreach and Communication Officer at NDRI, presented on “Understanding the Development Dynamics: A Comparative Study on Nepal and Australia.” Additionally, Ms. Shreya Bajimaya, Senior Research Associate at NDRI, moderated two sessions on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. ​ 

On the final (third) day of the conference, Dr. Krishna Pahari, President of NDRI, presented on “Nepal’s Zero Hunger Journey: Challenges and Opportunities.”​ 

Overall, it was an informative program where people from all over the world presented their research findings and worked towards finding a way forward. The three days of the program consisted of formal sessions, presentations, poster presentations, and workshops. The event also provided a valuable networking platform for researchers from around the world.​