Stockholm+50: Unlocking a Better Future

This executive summary, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in May 2022, evaluates the progress made 50 years after the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment. It argues that while knowledge and goals have increased, an 'action gap' persists, with only about one-tenth of global environmental targets achieved. The document proposes three systemic shifts—redefining the human-nature relationship, ensuring lasting prosperity for all, and investing in a sustainable future—alongside improvements in global governance to unlock transformative change.

• There is a significant 'action gap' in global sustainability efforts; while policies and aspirations exist, implementation is lacking. Since 1972, only approximately 10% of the hundreds of global environment and sustainable development targets agreed upon by countries have seen significant progress or been achieved.
• Human activity is causing unprecedented global environmental change, risking irreversible damage. The document notes that limiting global warming to 1.5°C is unattainable without immediate, large-scale emission reductions, and that 75% of the planet's land surface, 66% of ocean area, and 85% of wetlands have been impacted or destroyed.
• Extreme inequality exists in both the cause of and vulnerability to the planetary crisis. Between 1990 and 2015, the richest 10% of the global population emitted more than half of all carbon emissions, while the poorest half contributed only 10%. Furthermore, climate disaster-related death tolls from 2000 to 2017 were 60 per million for low-income groups compared to 16 per million for high-income groups.
• To redefine the relationship between humans and nature, the document calls for a shift from instrumental valuation to recognizing the intrinsic and relational value of nature. Recommended actions include integrating nature into urban architecture, mainstreaming animal welfare in governance, expanding nature-based education, and recognizing the Rights of Nature and Indigenous local knowledge.
• Ensuring lasting prosperity requires a complete rethink of living patterns and economic metrics. The document suggests moving beyond GDP to indicators of inclusive wealth, shifting business models from selling products to providing functions, and creating enabling infrastructures that make sustainable lifestyles the easy choice.
• Despite a massive amount of available capital for sustainability, funding gaps persist in low-income countries. The OECD estimates the global funding gap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at USD 2.5 trillion. The document proposes a new paradigm of 'co-development of technology' to replace ineffective technology transfer and suggests pooling risks across countries to attract private finance to emerging markets.
• Effective action is hindered by structural barriers including policy incoherence, weak multilateralism, and a lack of accountability. The document recommends that governments adopt systemic policymaking tools to analyze SDG interlinkages and establish a UN Climate Accountability Summit to review performance before new pledges are announced.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2022). Stockholm+50: Unlocking a Better Future. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stockholm50-unlocking-a-better-future-10.51414-sei2022.011-summary.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Stockholm+50: Unlocking a Better Future. 2022. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stockholm50-unlocking-a-better-future-10.51414-sei2022.011-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Stockholm+50: Unlocking a Better Future |date=May 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stockholm50-unlocking-a-better-future-10.51414-sei2022.011-summary.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2022stockholm50, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Stockholm+50: Unlocking a Better Future}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stockholm50-unlocking-a-better-future-10.51414-sei2022.011-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }