Page 6 - SDGs - An imperative for climate action
P. 6
POLICY PAPER
Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). The cause for Fiji has adopted a green growth framework, which
climate change centrally lies in pollution and emissions emphasizes sustainable development of land and
due to activities by developed nations during the sea resources. The polity in Fiji, an island nation, is
industrial revolution and even now due to excessive undeniably listed towards climate change adaptation and
per capita consumption levels. The Kyoto Protocol was mitigation as a priority. Climate change poses extreme
based on the CBDR principle and till these causative threat to nations such as Fiji, where the impacts are
factors of climate change are not addressed it may even more evident from the unfortunate recent cyclone.
be difficult to achieve sustainable development that Goal 13 on climate change is an important SDG that
includes essential goals, such as poverty reduction in recognizes UNFCCC as the primary intergovernmental
developing and least developed nations. Implementing forum for implementation. How small island nations
sustainable consumption and production and resource such as Fiji integrate their response to both the
efficiency targets of SDGs by developed nations is sustainable development agenda and climate change
central to implementing climate actions, which builds will help shape the debate as well as provide answers
the case for implementing CBDR principle effectively to an integrated implementation mechanism rather than
to meet historical justice. This also demonstrates the giving the onus of climate change to only UNFCCC.
common link between climate change and sustainable
development. Germany has given significant importance to governance
and public consultation in order to develop its national
Nevertheless, good governance can lead to better sustainability strategy to include SDGs and has used
implementation of SDGs, and apart from the principles its existing federal structure for implementation. The
of environmental, social, and economic sustainability, simplistic yet comprehensive nature of the strategy that
the importance of good governance is being emphasized prioritizes targets under each goal provides clear direction
as the fourth pillar of sustainability, which is built into for implementation and monitoring of achievement
Goal 17 that focusses on means of implementation of SDGs. Perhaps, the reason why Germany has been
and partnerships. Countries have been urged to create able to prioritize its targets so efficiently is that basic
national agencies to implement and report on SDGs by needs of its people are largely met when compared
the UN. The Paris climate change agreement specifies to countries such as India. Germany has institutions,
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as the such as the Länder, the Parliamentary Advisory Council
key mechanism to achieving country-level climate on Sustainable Development in the German Bun-
change goals. These act as the main governance method destag, the Sustainable Development Council, and the
both globally and nationally for creating plans and for municipal umbrella organizations, to implement this.
monitoring and reporting with deadlines for 2020, More importantly, Germany, world’s fourth largest
2025, and 2030. economy, is a leader in the world’s retreat from fossil
India has given the responsibility to fructify and Key drivers for implementing SDGs and CC in the political
implement SDGs to NITI Aayog, a national think tank economy of developed and developing countries:
and has made individual ministries responsible for
their implementation. Implementing interconnectivity w Adequate political impetus to implement CC and
between goals and targets, which is understood as a SDG targets.
basic principle of sustainable development now, needs
to be ensured. This may prove to be difficult considering w Developed nations to provide access to ODA,
the approach of mapping goals to individual ministries technology, and capacity mechanisms for international
taken at the centre in India. However, Indian states, such community. Implementation of CBDR principle.
as Assam, have taken up a different approach towards
implementing SDGs and this is where governance w Strong governance and placement of implementing
structures are being reworked at the department level to agencies and creation of institutions in the federal
institutionalize SDGs and create ownership. It is in the structures of nations.
states that implementation and change will occur and
where SDGs need to be localized as well as strategized. w Simplicity in mechanisms of implementation, clear
Climate change on the other hand is housed in the messages, direction, and strategies.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
and was earlier additionally under the Prime Minister’s w Financial and resource allocation to nodal agencies,
Office (PMO) in India. Both the ministerial and PMO link including ministries, states, implementing agencies is
provide clear direction and impetus to climate change. key to successful implementation of SDG and climate
change actions.
w Strengthening country-level monitoring while
localizing the SDG agenda in states and municipalities.
w Understanding the interdependence of goals and
targets and climate change at ministerial and policy
level by nations.
4
Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). The cause for Fiji has adopted a green growth framework, which
climate change centrally lies in pollution and emissions emphasizes sustainable development of land and
due to activities by developed nations during the sea resources. The polity in Fiji, an island nation, is
industrial revolution and even now due to excessive undeniably listed towards climate change adaptation and
per capita consumption levels. The Kyoto Protocol was mitigation as a priority. Climate change poses extreme
based on the CBDR principle and till these causative threat to nations such as Fiji, where the impacts are
factors of climate change are not addressed it may even more evident from the unfortunate recent cyclone.
be difficult to achieve sustainable development that Goal 13 on climate change is an important SDG that
includes essential goals, such as poverty reduction in recognizes UNFCCC as the primary intergovernmental
developing and least developed nations. Implementing forum for implementation. How small island nations
sustainable consumption and production and resource such as Fiji integrate their response to both the
efficiency targets of SDGs by developed nations is sustainable development agenda and climate change
central to implementing climate actions, which builds will help shape the debate as well as provide answers
the case for implementing CBDR principle effectively to an integrated implementation mechanism rather than
to meet historical justice. This also demonstrates the giving the onus of climate change to only UNFCCC.
common link between climate change and sustainable
development. Germany has given significant importance to governance
and public consultation in order to develop its national
Nevertheless, good governance can lead to better sustainability strategy to include SDGs and has used
implementation of SDGs, and apart from the principles its existing federal structure for implementation. The
of environmental, social, and economic sustainability, simplistic yet comprehensive nature of the strategy that
the importance of good governance is being emphasized prioritizes targets under each goal provides clear direction
as the fourth pillar of sustainability, which is built into for implementation and monitoring of achievement
Goal 17 that focusses on means of implementation of SDGs. Perhaps, the reason why Germany has been
and partnerships. Countries have been urged to create able to prioritize its targets so efficiently is that basic
national agencies to implement and report on SDGs by needs of its people are largely met when compared
the UN. The Paris climate change agreement specifies to countries such as India. Germany has institutions,
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as the such as the Länder, the Parliamentary Advisory Council
key mechanism to achieving country-level climate on Sustainable Development in the German Bun-
change goals. These act as the main governance method destag, the Sustainable Development Council, and the
both globally and nationally for creating plans and for municipal umbrella organizations, to implement this.
monitoring and reporting with deadlines for 2020, More importantly, Germany, world’s fourth largest
2025, and 2030. economy, is a leader in the world’s retreat from fossil
India has given the responsibility to fructify and Key drivers for implementing SDGs and CC in the political
implement SDGs to NITI Aayog, a national think tank economy of developed and developing countries:
and has made individual ministries responsible for
their implementation. Implementing interconnectivity w Adequate political impetus to implement CC and
between goals and targets, which is understood as a SDG targets.
basic principle of sustainable development now, needs
to be ensured. This may prove to be difficult considering w Developed nations to provide access to ODA,
the approach of mapping goals to individual ministries technology, and capacity mechanisms for international
taken at the centre in India. However, Indian states, such community. Implementation of CBDR principle.
as Assam, have taken up a different approach towards
implementing SDGs and this is where governance w Strong governance and placement of implementing
structures are being reworked at the department level to agencies and creation of institutions in the federal
institutionalize SDGs and create ownership. It is in the structures of nations.
states that implementation and change will occur and
where SDGs need to be localized as well as strategized. w Simplicity in mechanisms of implementation, clear
Climate change on the other hand is housed in the messages, direction, and strategies.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
and was earlier additionally under the Prime Minister’s w Financial and resource allocation to nodal agencies,
Office (PMO) in India. Both the ministerial and PMO link including ministries, states, implementing agencies is
provide clear direction and impetus to climate change. key to successful implementation of SDG and climate
change actions.
w Strengthening country-level monitoring while
localizing the SDG agenda in states and municipalities.
w Understanding the interdependence of goals and
targets and climate change at ministerial and policy
level by nations.
4
