Targeting climate adaptation to safeguard and advance the Sustainable Development Goals

The international community has committed to achieving 169 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets by 2030 and enhancing climate adaptation under the Paris Agreement. This paper proposes a framework to understand the complex relationship between SDG targets and climate change adaptation, mediated by ecosystems and socio-economic sectors. Global application reveals that adaptation in key sectors (wetlands, rivers, cropland, construction, water, electricity, and housing) in vulnerable countries is crucial to safeguard 68% of SDG targets from near-term climate risk by 2030. The framework can align National Adaptation Plans with SDG targets, ensuring adaptation advances sustainable development.

Lena I. Fuldauer, Scott Thacker, Robyn A. Haggis, Francesco Fuso-Nerini, Robert J. Nicholls, Jim W. Hall