Examining the synergies and tradeoffs of net-zero climate protection with the sustainable development goals

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Enevoldsen-et-al-SP-SDGs.pdf(1.95 MB)
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Date
2022
Authors
Enevoldsen, Peter
Baum, Chad M.
Low, Sean
Sovacool, Benjamin K.
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Published version
OA Version
Citation
P. Enevoldsen, C.M. Baum, S. Low, B.K. Sovacool. 2022. "Examining the synergies and tradeoffs of net-zero climate protection with the Sustainable Development Goals." Science Progress: a review journal of current scientific advance, Volume 105, Issue 4, pp.368504221138443-. https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504221138443
Abstract
This article discusses and illuminates the synergies and jeopardies or tradeoffs that exist between the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and net-zero or future climate protection options such as greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies and solar radiation management (SRM) deployment approaches, respectively. Through a large-scale expert-interview exercise (N = 125), the study finds firstly that numerous synergies and tradeoffs exist between GGR, SRM, and the SDGs. More specifically, we reveal that GGR deployment could enhance the attainment of 16 of the 17 SDGs, but this comes with possible tradeoffs with 12 of the SDGs. SRM deployment could not only enhance the attainment of 16 of the 17 SDGs, but also create possible tradeoffs with (a different) 12 SDGs. The findings further support the understanding of the complexity of SRM and GGR proposals and help policymakers and industrial pioneers understand, navigate, and benchmark between geoengineering approaches using sustainable development goals.
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This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).