Sustainable Development Goal 13

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Sustainable Development Goal 13
Sustainable Development Goal 13Climate.svg
Mission statement"Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy"
Commercial?No
Type of projectNon-Profit
LocationGlobal
FounderUnited Nations
Established2015
Websitesdgs.un.org

Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13 or Global Goal 13) is to limit and adapt to climate change. It is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The official mission statement of this goal is to "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts".[1] SDG 13 and SDG 7 on clean energy are closely related and complementary.[2]: 101 

SDG 13 has five targets which are to be achieved by 2030. They cover a wide range of issues surrounding climate action. The first three targets are outcome targets: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters; integrate climate change measures into policies and planning; build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change. The remaining two targets are means of implementation targets[3]: To implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and to promote mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and management. Along with each target, there are indicators that provide a method to review the overall progress of each target. The UNFCCC is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

The average worldwide temperature in 2021 was approximately 1.1°C higher than pre-industrial levels (from 1850 to 1900). The years from 2015 to 2021 were the seven warmest on record; the top three being 2016, 2019 and 2020.[4][5] Currently climate change is affecting the global community in every nation across the world. The impact of climate change not only impacts national economies, but also lives and livelihoods, especially those in vulnerable conditions.[6] By 2018, climate change continued exacerbating the frequency of natural disasters, such as massive wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, and floods.[7] Over the period 2000–2018, the greenhouse emissions of developed countries in transitions have declined by 6.5%. However, the emissions of the developing countries are up by 43% in the period between 2000 and 2013.[8] In 2019, at least 120 of 153 developing countries had undertaken activities to formulate and implement national adaptation plans.

Background[edit]

Main article: Climate change
The global map shows sea temperature rises of 0.5 to 1 degree Celsius; land temperature rises of 1 to 2 degree Celsius; and Arctic temperature rises of up to 4 degrees Celsius.
Average surface air temperatures from 2011 to 2021 compared to the 1956–1976 average
The graph from 1880 to 2020 shows natural drivers exhibiting fluctuations of about 0.3 degrees Celsius. Human drivers steadily increase by 0.3 degrees over 100 years to 1980, then steeply by 0.8 degrees more over the past 40 years.
Change in average surface air temperature since the Industrial Revolution, plus drivers for that change. Human activity has caused increased temperatures, with natural forces adding some variability.[9]
Bobcat Fire in Monrovia, CA, September 10, 2020
Bleached colony of Acropora coral
A dry lakebed in California, which is experiencing its worst megadrought in 1,200 years.[10]
Some effects of climate change, clockwise from top left: Wildfire intensified by heat and drought, worsening droughts compromising water supplies, and bleaching of coral caused by marine heatwaves.

SDG 13 intends to take urgent action in order to combat climate change and its impacts.[11] The UN discussions and negotiations identified the links between the post-2015 SDG process and the Financing for Development process that concluded in Addis Ababa in July 2015 and the COP 21 Climate Change conference in Paris in December 2015.[12]

Climate change threatens people with increased flooding, extreme heat, increased food and water scarcity, more disease, and economic loss. Human migration and conflict can also be a result.[13]

Many climate change impacts are already felt at the current 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) level of warming. Additional warming will increase these impacts and can trigger tipping points, such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet.[14] Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nations collectively agreed to keep warming "well under 2 °C". However, with pledges made under the Agreement, global warming would still reach about 2.7 °C (4.9 °F) by the end of the century.[15]

Reducing emissions requires generating electricity from low-carbon sources rather than burning fossil fuels. This change includes phasing out coal and natural gas fired power plants, vastly increasing use of wind, solar, and other types of renewable energy, and reducing energy use.[16]

Targets, indicators and progress[edit]

Further information: List of SDG targets and indicators

SDG 13 has five targets. The targets include to strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters (Target 13.1), integrate climate change measures into policies and planning (Target 13.2), build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change (Target 13.3), implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (Target 13.a), and promote mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and management (Target 13.b).[17]

Each target includes one or more indicators that help to measure and monitor the progress. Some of the indicators are number of deaths, missing people and directly affected people attributed to disasters per 100,000 population (13.1.1) or total greenhouse emissions generated by year (13.2.2.) [17]

World map related to Indicator 13.1.1 in 2017: Internally displaced persons from natural disasters[18]
World map related to Indicator 13.1.2 in 2018. The map shows the number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.[18]

Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters[edit]

The full text of Target 13.1 is: "Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries".[1]

This target has 3 indicators.[18]

  • Indicator 13.1.1: "Number of deaths, missing people and directly affected people attributed to disasters per 100,000 population"
  • Indicator 13.1.2: "Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030"
  • Indicator 13.1.3: "Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies"[19]

For Indicator 13.1.1 the United Nations considers three concepts that are relevant for its understanding: a) Death, which is related to people who died during the disaster, or directly after, as a result of the hazardous event; b) Missing, people whose whereabouts are unknown since the hazardous event; and c) Directly affected refers to the people who have suffered injuries, illness, or other health effects; who were evacuated, displaced, relocated, or have suffered direct damage to their livelihoods, economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets.[20]

Indicator 13.1.2 serves as a bridge between the Sustainable Development Goals and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.[21]

In April 2020, the number of countries and territories that adopted national disaster risk reduction strategies increased to 118 compared to 48 from the first year of the Sendai Framework.[22]

Average carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per capita measured in tonnes per year.[23]

Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into policy and planning[edit]

The full text of Target 13.2 is: "Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning".[1]

This target has two indicators:

In order to avoid catastrophic impacts, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions need to decline by about 45%by 2030 and reach net zero in 2050.[24] To be able to meet the 1.5 °C or even 2 °C, which is the maximum target made by the Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions must start to fall by 7.6% per year starting on 2020.[8] However, the world is way off track in meeting this target at the current level of nationally determined contributions.[8] Over the period 2000–2018, green house emissions of developed countries and economies in transitions have declined by 6.5%. The emissions of the developing countries are up by 43% in the period between 2000 and 2013.[8]

As of 2015 170 countries are a part of at least one multilateral environmental agreement.[25] With each year having an increase in the amount of countries signing onto environmental agreements.

Carbon dioxide emissions by sector

Target 13.3: Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change[edit]

The full text of Target 13.3 is: "Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning".[1]

This target has two indicators:[18]

  • Indicator 13.3.1: "The extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment"
  • Indicator 13.3.2: "Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer, and development actions"[19]

The indicator 13.3.1 measures the extent to which countries mainstream Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in their education systems and educational policies.[26]

The indicator 13.3.2 identifies countries who have and have not adopted and implemented disaster risk management strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The goal by 2030 is to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.[18]

To explain the concept of "Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship seeks to equip learners with the knowledge of how their choices impact others and their immediate environment.[27]

There is currently no data available for this indicator as of September 2020.[18]

Target 13.a: Implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change[edit]

World map for Indicator 13.A.1: Green Climate Fund mobilization of $100 billion, 2018[18]

The full text of Target 13.a is: "Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible."[1]

This target only has one indicator: Indicator 13.a is the "Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025".[28]

Previously, the indicator was worded as "Mobilized amount of United States dollars per year between 2020 and 2025 accountable towards the $100 billion commitment".[28]

This indicator measures the current pledged commitments from countries to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars (USD) per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the US$100 billion commitment to 2025.[18] As of 2018, $51.93 billion had been contributed showing an increase from the $45.51 billion that was provided in 2017.[29]

Regarding funding, by December 2019, 81 countries submitted 83 proposals totaling $203.8 million requesting support from the GCF.[8]

There was an increase of $681 billion from 2015 to 2016 with regard to global climate finance.[30] Renewable energy received high levels of new private investment. This represents the largest segment of the global total.[30] These financial flows are relatively small in relation to the scale of annual investment needed for a low-carbon, climate-resilient transition.[30]: 15 

In April 2018, 175 countries ratified the Paris Agreement and 168 parties had communicated their first nationally determined contributions to the UN framework convention on Climate Change Secretariat.[31] As of March 2020, 189 countries had ratified the Paris Agreement and 186 of them – including the European Union – have communicated their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.[8]

Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and management[edit]

Further information: Climate communication
This indicator identifies countries who have and have not adopted and implemented disaster risk management strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.[32]

The full text of Target 13.b is: "Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change."[1]

This target has one indicator: Indicator 13.b.1 is the "Number of least developed countries and small island developing states with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans, strategies as reported in adaptation communications and national communications".

A previous version of this indicator was: "Indicator 13.b.1: Number of least developed countries and small island developing states that are receiving specialized support, and amount of support, including finance, technology and capacity building, for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change-related planning and management, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities."[28] This indicator's previous focus on women, youth and local and marginalized communities is not included anymore in the latest version of the indicator.

In 2019, at least 120 of 153 developing countries had undertaken activities to formulate and implement national adaptation plans. This is an increase of 29 countries, compared with 2018. The plans will help countries achieve the global goal on adaptation under the Paris Agreement.[30]

Custodian agencies[edit]

Custodian agencies are in charge of reporting on the following indicators:[33]

Monitoring[edit]

Further information: Nationally Determined Contribution, Greenhouse gas emissions, and Instrumental temperature record

High-level progress reports for all the SDGs are published in the form of reports by the United Nations Secretary General.[30] Updates and progress can also be found on the SDG website that is managed by the United Nations[34] and at Our World in Data.[35]

Challenges[edit]

Main article: Sustainable Development Goals § Challenges

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic[edit]

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a drastic reduction in human activity.[8][36] This has resulted in a 6% drop in greenhouse gas emissions from what was initially projected for 2020, however these improvements are only temporary. Once the global economy begins to recover from the pandemic, emissions are expected to rise once again to high levels.[37][31]

Despite the slight benefits to emissions reduction which the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, SDG 13 still faces several threats to its progress. The GHG emissions saw a decline from 36.7 billion metric tons to 34.81 billion metric tons emitted from 2019 to 2020, however these emissions have already seen a sharp increase back to 36.4 billion metric tons emitted in 2021.[38] Also, energy-related CO2 emissions for 2021 increased by 6%, hitting their highest level ever and erasing the pandemic-related decrease witnessed in 2020.[4] This is due to the rush for governments globally to stimulate local economies by putting money towards fossil fuel production and in turn economic stimulation.[39] Funding for economic policies will likely divert the emergency funds usually afforded to climate funding like The Green Climate Fund and other sustainable policies, unless an emphasis is put on green deals in the redirection of monetary funds.[40][41][42]

A rebound in transport pollution has occurred since restrictions of government lockdown policies have been lifted.[43] Transport pollution accounts for roughly 21% of global carbon emissions due to it being still 95% dependent on oil.[44] This is because countries like the United States are reducing efficiency standards and restricting environmental standard enforcement. The outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference UK '20, or, COP26, was postponed to October 31, 2021, where action was agreed upon to accelerate the rate in which GHG emissions are limited. This included strictly steering away from coal usage and oil, along with attempting to reach zero emissions from transport by 2040, among many other items of action discussed in COP26.[45]

Links with other SDGs[edit]

All Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goal 13 is interlinked with other SDGs. For example, "a high-ambition climate agreement is most crucial to achieving the SDGs relating to poverty (SDG 1), inequality (SDG 10), climate change (SDG 13) and global partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17)".[46]: 1 

SDG 13 and SDG 7 on clean energy are also closely related and complementary.[2]: 101 

Organizations[edit]

United Nations organizations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017, Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/71/313)
  2. ^ a b IEA, IRENA, UNSD, WB, WHO (2019), Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2019, Washington DC (on Tracking SDG 7 website)
  3. ^ Bartram, Jamie; Brocklehurst, Clarissa; Bradley, David; Muller, Mike; Evans, Barbara (December 2018). "Policy review of the means of implementation targets and indicators for the sustainable development goal for water and sanitation". NPJ Clean Water. 1 (1): 3. doi:10.1038/s41545-018-0003-0. S2CID 169226066. CC BY icon.svg Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

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