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Weather, Climate, Water Sciences Can Boost All SDGs: Multi ... - IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub

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Weather, Climate, Water Sciences Can Boost All SDGs: Multi-agency Report | News | SDG Knowledge Hub | IISD

8 SDGs Climate Action... Life Below Wat... Life on Land Peace, Justice... Partnerships f...Good Health & W...Gender Equality...Decent Work & E... 8 SDGs Climate Action... Life Below Wat... Life on Land Peace, Justice... Partnerships f...Good Health & W...Gender Equality...Decent Work & E...

The report provides a high-level compilation of the latest weather, climate, and water-related sciences and services for sustainable development.

It focuses on SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 14 (life below water), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals).

A group of 18 partner organizations, coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), released a report that makes a systematic examination of the impact of climate change and extreme weather on the SDGs. It illustrates the role of weather, climate, and water-related sciences in advancing global objectives relating to food and water security, clean energy, better health, sustainable oceans, and resilient cities.

The report titled, ‘United in Science 2023: Sustainable Development Edition,’ builds on the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report(GSDR). Focusing on SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 14 (life below water), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), it provides a high-level compilation of the latest weather, climate, and water-related sciences and services for sustainable development. The rest of the SDGs are covered in brief.

The report warns that only 15% of the SDGs on track and that the “impacts of extreme weather and climate change are undermining progress towards achieving all of the SDGs.” Emphasizing the urgent need for solutions, it argues that scientific advances can “boost our game” to reach the SDGs and calls for investing in and mobilizing the scientific community to that end.

The report’s recommendations include:

- Close the gaps in weather, climate, and hydrological observations and data in support of the SDGs;
- Advance research and expand access to science, technology, and innovation;
- Strengthen scientific capacity and skills through education and training;
- Embrace local, contextual, and Indigenous knowledge; and
- Unite diverse stakeholders to boost the impact of science.

Speaking on the occasion of the report’s launch, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the role of weather, climate, and water-related sciences in “supercharg[ing] progress on the SDGs across the board.” “Science is central to solutions,” he said.

“Groundbreaking scientific and technological advances, such as high-resolution climate modeling, artificial intelligence, and nowcasting, can catalyze transformation to achieve the SDGs,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

The report was issued ahead of the 2023 SDG Summit and the Climate Ambition Summit. It features contributions from WMO, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Global Carbon Project (GCP), UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Secretariat, UNFCCC, UN-Habitat, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UN Women, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and UN Development Programme (UNDP), as well as from national meteorological services, universities, observatories, and think tanks. [Publication: United in Science 2023: Sustainable Development Edition] [ Publication Landing Page] [ WMO Press Release] [ UN News Story] [ SDG Knowledge Hub Story on United in Science 2022]

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Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”

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Weather, Climate, Water Sciences Can Boost All SDGs: Multi ... - IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub

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