Sustainable Development Goal interactions through a climate lens: a global analysis

This Stockholm Environment Institute report analyzes the global interactions between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement under a 1.5°C climate boundary condition. Using expert perceptions and a cross-impact matrix, the study finds that most interactions are synergetic (62%), suggesting that climate-resilient development is possible. Key accelerators for progress include the mobilization of climate finance and the mainstreaming of climate policy into national strategies. The report highlights that addressing root causes of vulnerability (poverty, inequality, and basic service access) is essential for building global resilience.

• At a global level, interactions between key Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are predominantly synergetic when pursuing the boundary condition of limiting temperature increase to 1.5°C. The analysis identified 261 synergetic interactions and 48 potential trade-offs, with synergies representing approximately 62% of total interactions and trade-offs representing 11%.
• Two specific objectives are identified as the most beneficial for driving progress across all other targets: the mobilization of climate finance and Official Development Assistance (ODA), and the mainstreaming of climate change into national policy.
• Broad achievement of SDG targets in conjunction with staying within the 1.5°C warming limit is expected to have a strong positive influence on increasing global resilience and adaptive capacity, while reducing poverty, vulnerability, and inequality.
• The report emphasizes that the mobilization and delivery of climate finance are critical for protecting development gains in the global South, though these remain contentious points in international negotiations. It specifically notes the unmet commitment to mobilize USD 100bn in climate finance per year by 2020.
• Effective policy coherence between climate change (mitigation and adaptation) and other sectors is essential for the simultaneous achievement of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda. The report argues that mainstreaming climate policy across institutional settings is a crucial step for achieving the SDGs.
• Targets addressing the root causes of vulnerability—such as access to food, water, energy, and health, as well as the reduction of poverty and inequality—are highly beneficial for building resilience to climate impacts.
• Despite the global adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the report notes that no country is currently on track to achieve the SDGs, and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) has received the least policy coverage in Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs).

APA

Dzebo, A., & Shawoo, Z. (2023). Sustainable Development Goal interactions through a climate lens: a global analysis. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sdg-interactions-climate-sei2023.010.pdf

Chicago

Dzebo, Adis, and Zoha Shawoo. Sustainable Development Goal interactions through a climate lens: a global analysis. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sdg-interactions-climate-sei2023.010.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dzebo |first1=Adis |last2=Shawoo |first2=Zoha |title=Sustainable Development Goal interactions through a climate lens: a global analysis |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=February 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sdg-interactions-climate-sei2023.010.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dzebo2023sustainable, author = {Dzebo, Adis and Shawoo, Zoha}, title = {{Sustainable Development Goal interactions through a climate lens: a global analysis}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sdg-interactions-climate-sei2023.010.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }