SDGs, Environment, and Implementation

Transcription

1 SDGs, Environment, and Implementation From Aspiration to Action Mark Elder Senior Coordinator and Principal Policy Researcher, Programme Management Office Institute for Global Environmental Strategies June 10, 2016 Presented at the 4 th Asian Think Tank Summit, Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, June 8-10, 2016, Seoul, Korea

2 Is Environmental Protection Expensive? Comparison Trillion USD Value of Global Ecosystem Services* 125 World GDP** (2014, official exchange rates) World financial assets** 273 Additional investment for SDGs (beyond already planned)*** Ambient Air Pollution***** Household Air Pollution 3.7 million deaths in million deaths in 2012 Sources: * Costanza, Robert, et. al Changes in the Global Value of Ecosystem Services. Global Environmental Change - Human and Policy Dimensions 26: doi: /j.gloenvcha ** Central Intelligence Agency The World Factbook. *** Schmidt-Traub, Guido Investment Needs to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: Understanding the Billions and Trillions. SDSN Working Paper, Version 2. **** WHO, 2012,

3 Embedding Ecosystems into the SDGs Ecosystems are already embedded in the SDGs Environmental SDGs SCP Climate Oceans Land All SDGs are related to the environment (even if not directly mentioned) 3

4 Ecosystems/Environment Already Embedded into the SDGs Selected SDGs and Environment-related Targets (some solution oriented targets in bold) 1. Poverty Access to land and natural resources (1.4), resilience to climate and environmental shocks and disasters (1.5), 2. Hunger and food Sustainable food production systems (2.4), genetic diversity (2.5), agricultural trade (2.b), commodity markets (2.c) 3. Health Deaths and illness from pollution (3.9), water-borne diseases (3.3) 4. Education Education for sustainable development (ESD) (4.7), scholarships (4.b) 5. Gender Women s equal rights to economic resources, property, and natural resources (5.a) 6. Water and sanitation Access, safe water (6.1), sanitation (6.2), quality (6.3), use-efficiency and scarcity (6.4), integrated water management (6.5), ecosystems (6.6), capacity building (6.a), and local participation (6.b). 7. Energy Renewable energy (7.2), energy efficiency (7.3), related investment (7.a), infrastructure & tech. (7.b) 8. Economic growth & jobs 9. Infrastructure & industry Resource efficiency and decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation (8.4), sustainable tourism (8.9), aid for trade (8.a) Sustainable and resilient infrastructure (9.1), industrialization (9.2), sustainability upgrading and resource efficiency (9.4), research, technology, and innovation (9.5). 11. Cities Sustainable transport (11.2), urbanization (11.3). Safeguard against disasters, diseases (11.5). Environmental issues (air pollution, waste) (11.6). Green public spaces (11.7). Urban and non-urban environmental planning links (11.a). Integrated policies for resource efficiency, climate, and disaster resilience (11.b). Support least developed countries for sustainable and resilient buildings (11.c). 4

5 Traditional Approach Thinking About Interlinkages 3 Pillars Means of Implementation SDG Formal Structure SD Goals Critique of SDG Structure Means => goals is too simplistic Linkages between SDGs are complex Not clear what are really goals and means. Many goals seem like means. Complex mix of drivers, problems, impacts, solutions. Drivers Problems Impacts Solutions Traditional Econ. Energy (Fossil) Pollution Health Renewable Energy Sust. Cons. Prod. Resource extraction Improves Integrated resource management 5

6 Complex Interlinkages Among SDGs: Examples Goals with significant influence on many other goals Sustainable Consumption & Production Leads to economic transformation Education Means for all goals, and goal in itself Climate Affects all other goals 7 6 Energy Nexus Approach Water 2 Food 3 Health 9 Infrastructure, Industrialization 8 Jobs 1 Poverty Reduction Water needed for energy & food (coal, nuclear) Energy needed for water & food Energy pollution harms water, food, poverty Water pollution harms food, health, poverty Uncoordinated emphasis on energy can undermine water & food security. 6

7 An Integrated Approach Is Needed For Implementation Need to take advantage of synergies, avoid one goal undermining others. Recommendations for an Integrated Approach National high level government coordinating body for SDGs. To coordinate between ministries Needs sufficient authority Horizontal and vertical coordination Horizontal between ministries Vertical between national & local Multistakeholder participation Include businesses, citizens From early stages, helps to clarify linkages Mainstream environment into other policy areas Sustainability impact assessment of policies, budgets Climate, transport, energy, etc. Implemented by the coordinating body Already Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for projects. Strategic Environmental Assessment for policies and programs Note: TPP calls for regulatory impact assessment (Ch. 25: Regulatory Coherence) Good monitoring, quick review cycle Reveal unexpected tradeoffs, side effects 7

8 Economic Transformation Traditional economic growth is not doing a good job delivering jobs or prosperity (this is not just about the environment). Jobless recoveries Inequality: many people do not share the benefits of growth Many low wage jobs Many negative externalities, such as pollution So better to focus directly on jobs & prosperity. Key concepts: green economy, sustainable consumption & production To coordinate between ministries Needs sufficient authority Beyond GDP (economic growth) Need new measures of prosperity Natural capital No agreed indicators yet Green budgeting Sustainability impact assessment Green financing Shift large planned infrastructure investment from unsustainable to sustainable. Regulation may be needed. 8

9 Environment-specific Recommendations Strengthen and harmonize pollution (land, water, air) standards Better implementation of existing standards & regulations (enforcement capacity) Information disclosure, access to information Resource efficiency (including reduce, reuse, recycle) Promote clean production methods Corporate social responsibility (CSR) Valuation of ecosystem services 9

10 G7 Ise-Shima Summit (Japan), May 26-27, 2016 Leaders recognized SDGs, Paris Agreement Environment Ministers Meeting was held Main goal: strong, sustainable and balanced growth Starting to move away from the concept of economic growth, but not fully. Meaning of sustainable could be interpreted in different ways Wording not fully consistent (also sustainable, inclusive & equitable growth *) Energy Ministers Meeting Recognized the importance of SDGs, climate change action, But economic growth still presumed the main goal, even with sustainability considerations Recommendations Finance ministers, central bankers should discuss SDGs, environment, alternatives to GDP G7 should integrate sustainability and SDGs into all policy areas Thinktanks should target the G20 Note: no Environment Ministers Meeting at the G20 * In section on women 10

11 IGES Activities Related to SDGs Member of Independent Research Forum, a global thinktank group which facilitated information exchange among SDG negotiators. Member of Japanese research project, Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015, funded by the Ministry of Environment of Japan. Supported the Ministry of Environment of Japan at the Toyama G7 Environment Ministers Meeting, prepared discussion paper for SDG session Organized national expert working group on SDGs to advise the Ministry of Environment of Japan on SDG implementation Capacity building for SDG implementation (JICA, Hitachi) Contributed to Transformations for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific: Promoting Environmental Sustainability in Asia and the Pacific, 2015 (ESCAP) Contributed to Global Environment Outlook GEO-6: Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific, 2016 (UNEP) Translating Knowledge into Actions towards 2030 and beyond International Forum for Sustainable Asia and the Pacific 11

12 Selected Outputs Report Report: Implementing the SDGs: From Agenda to Action Policy Briefs Placing Water at the Core of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS): Why an Integrated Perspective is Needed (Binaya Raj Shivakoti and Magnus Bengtsson) Designing and Implementing an Energy Goal: Delivering Multiple Benefits for Sustainable Development (Tetsuro Yoshida and Eric Zusman) Quality Education for Sustainable Development: A Priority in Achieving Sustainability and Well-being for All (Paul Ofei-Manu and Robert Didham) Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Kanie, Norichika, Naoya Abe, Masahiko Iguchi, Jue Yang, Ngeta Kabiri, Yuto Kitamura, Shunsuke Mangagi, et al Integration and Diffusion in Sustainable Development Goals: Learning from the Past, Looking into the Future. Sustainability 6 (4): doi: /su Nilsson, Mans, Paul Lucas, and Tetsuro Yoshida Towards an Integrated Framework for Sdgs: Ultimate and Enabling Goals for the Case of Energy. Sustainability (Switzerland) 5 (10): doi: /su Yoshida, Tetsuro and Eric Zusman Can the Sustainable Development Goals Strengthen Existing Legal Instruments? The Case of Biodiversity and Forests. Global Environmental Research 19 (2):

13 Thank You! 13