Assessments of SDG Interactions in Transformation Pathways

Ambitious and rapid changes in our production and consumption patterns are necessary to achieve the Paris climate targets and to preserve natural resources as our life foundation. In existing research projects, the German Environment Agency (UBA) is investigating possible pathways towards integrated resource and climate protection (e.g., RESCUE-project ("Resource-Efficient Pathways to Greenhouse-Gas-Neutrality")).

The necessary actions aimed at integrated climate and resource protection can result in both negative and positive impacts on other sustainability goals, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, these interactions are often not sufficiently investigated due to their complexity.

Based on existing resource and climate protection pathways, this research project aims to:

(1) investigate synergies and trade-offs between the SDGs and targeted transitions towards greenhouse-gas neutrality and more sustainable resource use;
(2) illustrate which transformation pathways may enable both, the achievement of ambitious climate and resource policy goals as well as the achievement of ambitious SDG targets

For this, the iSDG system dynamics model will be adapted by the project team to cover key interdependencies of the analyzed German sustainability nexus.   Quantitative simulation studies with the adapted model will then serve as a means for answering these central research questions. In doing so, the project team also connects with internationally relevant comparable research activities and projects.

The research project “Integrated Assessment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Transformation Pathways towards a Resource-Efficient and Greenhouse-Gas-Neutral Germany” has started in August 2021 and will last until October 2023. It is being carried out by an international consortium consisting of:

• Institute of Economic Structures Research (GWS) mbH, Osnabrück (Deutschland)
• Millennium Institute, Washington D.C. (USA)
• ERASME Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on Sustainability, Aubière (Frankreich)
  
  

Full project title: "Integrated Assessment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Transformation Pathways towards a Resource-Efficient and Greenhouse-Gas-Neutral Germany" (SDG pathways)
Project duration: August 2021 - October 2023
Research number: FKZ 3721 31 101 0 (ReFoPlan)
Contractors: Institute of Economic Structure Research (GWS) mbH, Millennium Institute, ERASME Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on Sustainability

Contact:
Mark Meyer, Projektleitung (Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftliche Strukturforschung (GWS) mbH), E-Mail: m.meyer@gws-os.com   
Dr. Philip Nuss (Umweltbundesamt (UBA)), E-Mail: philip.nuss@uba.de