The mandate to develop Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was one of the main outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held in Rio in June 2012. A new tool called the Tests of Success for the SDGs has been developed by Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable to support governments and other stakeholders to create and choose ambitious and effective sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets, which fulfil the commitments made by world leaders at Rio+20.
Global Justice Ecology Project / January 2012 This video includes interviews with indigenous and local communities who are critical of the scheme known as REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) that proposes to pay developing countries to keep their forests standing. They argue REDD […]
Kate Raworth makes the case for ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic development takes place without pushing the planet past tipping points that would have huge environmental and social consequences.
A synthesis of the approach, conclusions and recommendations of TEEB /The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity / 2010 The TEEB research forms the core reference point for current thinking on the valuation of nature. This synthesis report was presented at the Convention on Biological Diversity […]
Stockholm Environment Institute / January 2014 This briefing explores the consequences of continued investment in fossil fuel infrastructure given that the majority of fossil fuels cannot be burned if we are to keep global warming below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The authors base their findings on […]
FERN / January 2014 FERN has produced a series of briefings strongly criticising the concept of biodiversity offsetting which “relies on the premise that biodiversity lost in one place can be replaced in another”. The three briefings cover definitions of biodiversity, current European Union policy, […]
Radio clips by organisations that oppose the financialization of nature There is currently a fierce debate on whether the environment should be valued as natural capital. Critics reject the concept of natural capital saying nature has an intrinsic value which is priceless. They argue that […]
Green economy policy commission report / February 2014 The UCL Green Economy Policy Commission brought together a diverse group of academics with expertise in economics, the built environment, engineering, political science, innovation, and resource efficiency to consider how the UK might implement policies that will support […]
Using data from many sources these maps illustrate important trends in the availability of freshwater, food, oil, coal and natural gas. There are also maps showing the countries with the highest debt (government and private) and levels of income inequality.
What are the key debates at the heart of the process to agree on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Key areas of contention include how to interpret the universal nature of the SDGs and who will fund their implementation. This page provides links to selected reports and analysis that are useful in navigating through the key debates on the SDGs.
