scholarly journals Synergies and Trade-Offs in the Sustainable Development Goals—The Implications of the Icelandic Tourism Sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 4223
Author(s):  
David Cook ◽  
Nína Saviolidis ◽  
Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir ◽  
Lára Jóhannsdóttir ◽  
Snjólfur Ólafsson

The development of major economic sectors can provide the bedrock on which long-lasting national economic prosperity is formed. Iceland’s tourism sector is an example of a rapidly expanded industry in recent years, to the extent that it has become the largest sectoral contributor to the nation’s economy. The growth of the sector has led to a number of sustainability impacts, thus presenting opportunities and challenges in terms of meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Using the case study of Iceland, this paper aims to advance the conceptual understanding of the synergies and trade-offs between a nation’s tourism sector and performance across the 169 targets of the SDGs. Empirical results were derived from four theme-based focus groups comprised of expert participants, who were tasked with completing scoresheets concerning their perception of the extent of synergies and trade-offs for each target. The majority (126 in number) of the mean scoresheet outcomes for the SDG targets revealed neither synergies nor trade-offs. However, 32 synergies and 11 trade-offs were identified. Many of the target synergies related to new economic opportunities, such as jobs, employment, and training for young people. Target trade-offs tended to be environmental and social. In particular, concern was voiced about the greenhouse gas emissions of the Icelandic tourism sector, which derives from international aviation, cruise ships, and rental car usage. The outcomes of this study are of particular relevance to tourism companies, policy-makers, and governance institutions, all of whom are increasingly endeavouring to link their activities with the fulfilment of the SDGs, maximising synergies, mitigating the extent of any potential trade-offs, and potentially transforming trade-offs into synergies. Furthermore, the results are likely of interest to academics focused on researching the broad sustainability impacts of economic sectors and their contribution to meeting the visionary goals of the SDGs.

Author(s):  
David Cook ◽  
Nína Saviolidis ◽  
Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir ◽  
Lára Jóhannsdóttir ◽  
Snjólfur Ólafsson

The development of major economic sectors can provide the bedrock on which long-lasting national economic prosperity is formed. Iceland’s tourism sector is an example of a rapidly expanded industry in recent years, to the extent that it has become the largest sectoral contributor to the nation’s economy. The growth of the sector has led to a number of sustainability impacts, thus presenting opportunities and challenges in terms of meeting the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Using the case study of Iceland, this paper aims to advance conceptual understanding of the synergies and trade-offs between a nation’s tourism sector and performance across the 169 targets of the SDGs. Empirical results were derived from four theme-based focus groups, comprised of expert participants, who were tasked with completing scoresheets concerning their perception of the extent of synergies and trade-offs for each target. The majority (126 in number) of the mean scoresheet outcomes for the SDG targets revealed neither synergies nor trade-offs. However, 32 synergies and 11 trade-offs were identified. Many of the target synergies related to new economic opportunities, such as jobs, employment and training for young people. Target trade-offs tended to be environmental and social. In particular, concern was voiced about the greenhouse gas emissions of the Icelandic tourism sector, which derives from international aviation, cruise ships and rental car usage. The outcomes of this study are of particular relevance to tourism companies, policy-makers and governance institutes, all of whom are increasingly endeavouring to link their activities with the fulfilment of the SDGs, maximising synergies, mitigating the extent of any potential trade-offs, and potentially transforming trade-offs into synergies. Furthermore, the results are likely of interest to academics focused on researching the broad sustainability impacts of economic sectors and their contribution to meeting the visionary goals of the SDGs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (9) ◽  
pp. e1501499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Obersteiner ◽  
Brian Walsh ◽  
Stefan Frank ◽  
Petr Havlík ◽  
Matthew Cantele ◽  
...  

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for a comprehensive new approach to development rooted in planetary boundaries, equity, and inclusivity. The wide scope of the SDGs will necessitate unprecedented integration of siloed policy portfolios to work at international, regional, and national levels toward multiple goals and mitigate the conflicts that arise from competing resource demands. In this analysis, we adopt a comprehensive modeling approach to understand how coherent policy combinations can manage trade-offs among environmental conservation initiatives and food prices. Our scenario results indicate that SDG strategies constructed around Sustainable Consumption and Production policies can minimize problem-shifting, which has long placed global development and conservation agendas at odds. We conclude that Sustainable Consumption and Production policies (goal 12) are most effective at minimizing trade-offs and argue for their centrality to the formulation of coherent SDG strategies. We also find that alternative socioeconomic futures—mainly, population and economic growth pathways—generate smaller impacts on the eventual achievement of land resource–related SDGs than do resource-use and management policies. We expect that this and future systems analyses will allow policy-makers to negotiate trade-offs and exploit synergies as they assemble sustainable development strategies equal in scope to the ambition of the SDGs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Hutton ◽  
Robert Nicholls ◽  
Attila Lázár ◽  
Alex Chapman ◽  
Marije Schaafsma ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Caroline Mwongera ◽  
Chris M. Mwungu ◽  
Mercy Lungaho ◽  
Steve Twomlow

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) focuses on productivity, climate-change adaptation, and mitigation, and the potential for developing resilient food production systems that lead to food and income security. Lately, several frameworks and tools have been developed to prioritize context-specific CSA technologies and assess the potential impacts of selected options. This study applied a mixed-method approach, the climate-smart agriculture rapid appraisal (CSA-RA) tool, to evaluate farmers’ preferred CSA technologies and to show how they link to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The chapter examines prioritized CSA options across diverse study sites. The authors find that the prioritized options align with the food security and livelihood needs of smallholder farmers, and relate to multiple sustainable development goals. Specifically, CSA technologies contribute to SDG1 (end poverty), SDG2 (end hunger and promote sustainable agriculture), SDG13 (combating climate change), and SDG15 (life on land). Limited awareness on the benefits of agriculture technologies and the diversity of outcomes desired by stakeholders’ present challenges and trade-offs for achieving the SDGs. The CSA-RA provides a methodological approach linking locally relevant indicators to the SDG targets.


Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reneema Hazarika ◽  
Robert Jandl

Since the inception of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, there has been much conceptual progress on the linkages across the 17 goals and their 169 targets. While this kind of conceptualization is an essential first step, action must now move towards systematic policy design, implementation, and multi-stakeholder collaborations that can translate such understanding into concrete results. This study is a reality check of such quasi-political global development agendas by the United Nations and its implications on Austrian forestry. Although forestry is not a goal in itself, forests as an element have been included under SDG15 (Life on Land). In this study, the linkages of forestry with potential synergies or trade-offs within and between the SDGs have been assessed through a literature survey and complemented with the perception of opinion leaders across the Austrian forestry sector on the same. The insights about awareness, design, implementation, and the necessity of mainstreaming the SDGs into the policy structure of Austria were reviewed. Besides facilitating the goals of sustainable forest management (SFM) in Austria, the SDG15 is not only strongly related to, but is likely to aid, the achievement of other SDGs, such as human health (SDG3), provision of clean water (SDG6), affordable & clean energy (SDG7), and climate action (SDG13). The opinion leaders perceive the SDGs as well-placed but broad. Some this broadness is a positive aspect of the SDGs. On the other hand, the 15-year (2015–2030) tenure of the SDGs is perceived to be inadequate to match the temporal scale of forest development. Apparently, the success of the SDGs will strictly depend upon coordination, governance, and most importantly, awareness among all stakeholders. Therefore, in addition to “leaving no one behind”, the SDGs must evidently provide incentives benefitting everybody.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40
Author(s):  
Bijon Kumer Mitra ◽  
Devesh Sharma ◽  
Tetsuo Kuyama ◽  
Bao Ngoc Pham ◽  
G.M. Tarekul Islam ◽  
...  

Water, energy and food securities lie at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since these securities are interconnected, the business-as-usual approach (sectoral approach) cannot achieve them and need to apply the water-energy-food nexus approach for identifying and overcoming the roots of barriers and challenges. The study aims to prioritize interlinkages between SDG-2 (food security), SDG-6 (water security) and SDG-7 (energy security) for country action. In order to achieve this aim, the study implements a set of methods including stakeholder perception survey, network analysis, regression analysis and cross-sectorial group discussion. This article summarizes the outcomes of a case study in India. Stakeholders cognition derived through scrutinizing the perception survey admitted the need for a nexus approach in the action plans towards the SDGs. Quantitative assessment of interdependency showed that, of 182 interlinkages between SDG-2, SDG-6 and SDG-7 targets, 124 interlinkages had synergistic relation. The combined outcome of the cross-sectorial group discussion identified eight interlinkages as high priority (p>0.9) for immediate integrated planning and action. A total of ten interactions are moderate (p=0.6 to 0.9) and eight are low priority interlinkages (p<0.6). Solid understanding of synergies and trade-offs associated with SDG targets and initial prioritization of interlinkages would help India reorient its SDG priorities from a water-energy-food nexus perspective.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 12042
Author(s):  
Mohd Abualtaher ◽  
Turid Rustad ◽  
Eirin Skjøndal Bar

This study proposes a conceptual framework that aims to gain insight into the integration of the sustainable development goals (SDG) within the Norwegian salmon value chain (NSVC). The proposed framework was developed by applying the systems engineering six-step method and validated through empirical findings from the NSVC. The framework’s application highlighted and analyzed the presence of the SDGs in corporate sustainability reports, academic curriculum, research, and governmental policies. This study uncovered the complexity-reduction elements within the system that drive SDG integration and assure their progress. The SDGs provide a global context for sustainability endeavors in the NSVC. A globally expanded value chain has an organic relationship with global sustainability terms and schemes. The existing practice of corporate sustainability annual reporting was found to be a significant channel for SDG communication. The novelty of this study was that it proposed a mind-map to understand SDG integration within an industrial value chain abstracted into three concepts: commitment, communication, and performance measurability.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
priti parikh ◽  
Loan Diep ◽  
pascale hofmann ◽  
Julia Tomei ◽  
Luiza Cintra Campos ◽  
...  

Better understanding of the range of opportunities that can be leveraged from the sustainable and inclusive management of sanitation services is required, alongside the evidence to support it. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive framework for sustainable development broken down into 169 Targets articulated under 17 interconnected Goals. Based on a methodology developed at University College London (UCL), this study identifies linkages between sanitation and each of the 169 Targets on the basis of published evidence. We show that there are synergies between sanitation and 130 (77%) of the Targets and trade-offs for 28 (17%) of the Targets. With synergies with all the 17 Goals we identified 83 Targets (49%) that call for action in the sanitation sector. The results demonstrate the far-reaching benefits that can be unlocked from investment in sanitation, which extend beyond health and spread across sectors. This seeks to provide the evidence base to inform strategic investment in sanitation and particularly by integrating sanitation interventions into collaborative cross-sectoral development efforts. The research provides different stakeholders, including policymakers, funders, practitioners and researchers, with a framework that can be applied to context specific cases and projects. We propose a range of recommendations to policy-makers, practitioners, and researchers who seek to take this study further to support delivery of sustainable and inclusive sanitation services for all.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ani Mekaniwati ◽  
Yulia Nurendah ◽  
Dwi Maulina ◽  
Nadia Sabila Hanifah

The creation of entrepreneurs (entrepreneurs) is an alternative solution to various problems in society such as poverty and social inequality, increasing unemployment of productive age and depletion of energy supply reserves, all of which require creative and innovative actions. Technopreneur, one part of the development of entrepreneurship (entrepreneur) provides an overview of entrepreneurship by using technology-based innovation. With the technopreneurship development model, it can provide benefits or impacts, both economically, socially and environmentally. Technopreneurs can be interpreted as job creators who will actively encourage Indonesia to have a strong and competitive economic foundation. Inclusive economic growth and sustainable development need to continue to receive attention and support from various groups, namely the support of the government, the private sector, the community and of course support from academics in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The economic impact is increasing efficiency and productivity, increasing income, creating new jobs and moving other economic sectors.   Keywords: Entrepreneur, Technopreneur, MSME


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