Interlinkages Between Climate Action and the Sustainable Development Goals: Trends from the Recent Decade

Abstract

The achievement of the goals specified in the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development depends on whether synergies between climate action and sustainable development policies are enhanced and their trade-offs are minimized. This study aims to identify research trends, debates and gaps in the growing literature on interlinkages between climate mitigation and adaptation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how these interlinkages can be developed into coherent policies. A literature review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Literature was sourced from the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases on the 10th of August 2022. Of the 487 records identified, 21 were included and analyzed in the review. The analysis included an additional seven documents, which were used to develop the search strategy for the review. The analysis suggested that even though the impacts of climate mitigation on the SDGs have been well studied, research gaps remain. There is a need for future research into (1) the impacts of achieving the SDGs on climate action, (2) the interlinkages between climate adaptation and sustainable development, (3) the interlinkages between climate action and social aspects, (4) the indirect interlinkages compared to direct interlinkages, and (5) the interlinkages relevant for developing countries. Future research also needs to provide clear guidelines on strengthening synergies while developing coherent policies, which invites discussions on current policy instruments and governance structures.