Understanding the interactions of Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lanka

The analysis of 36 SDG targets in Sri Lanka reveals a highly synergistic environment where only 2% of direct interactions are restricting. The most significant 'accelerators' for the entire agenda are strengthening policy coherence, reducing corruption, and enhancing climate change capacity. Conversely, expanding access to drinking water and decent housing present the highest risks of trade-offs, particularly regarding natural resource management and water wastage. The findings emphasize that most trade-offs are non-deterministic and can be mitigated through mindful implementation and institutional coordination.

• The interactions between the 36 analyzed SDG targets in Sri Lanka are overwhelmingly synergistic, with only 2% of all direct interactions identified as restricting.
• Three specific targets act as 'accelerators' that provide the greatest potential to promote progress across the entire set of analyzed goals: policy coherence (target 17.14), reducing corruption (target 16.5), and building climate change capacity (target 13.3).
• Increasing access to drinking water (target 6.1) and expanding safe and affordable housing (target 11.1) are the targets most likely to undermine progress in other areas, requiring careful implementation to mitigate trade-offs.
• While progress in food, nutrition, and agriculture (targets 2.1-2.4) generally supports poverty reduction and economic development, increasing agricultural productivity may create trade-offs with deforestation, water pollution, and environmental sustainability.
• Improving access to drinking water can enhance labor productivity and education by reducing water-borne diseases, but it may restrict the management of freshwater and marine ecosystems due to risks of water wastage and poor institutional coordination.
• Expanding affordable housing can reduce poverty by increasing household assets, but it may negatively impact water, transportation, and natural resource management depending on building materials, energy sources, and city expansion locations.

APA

Järnberg, L. (2021). Understanding the interactions of Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lanka. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sri-lanka-sdg-synergies-brief.pdf

Chicago

Järnberg, Linn. Understanding the interactions of Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lanka. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sri-lanka-sdg-synergies-brief.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Järnberg |first1=Linn |title=Understanding the interactions of Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lanka |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=May 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sri-lanka-sdg-synergies-brief.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jrnberg2021understanding, author = {Järnberg, Linn}, title = {{Understanding the interactions of Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lanka}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sri-lanka-sdg-synergies-brief.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }