10 October 2017: Adelphi, an independent think tank and public policy consultancy on climate, environment and development, has published an infographic that illustrates how action to combat climate change and minimize its impacts is critical for successfully implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The infographic shows that the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are mutually supportive, and their realization must be pursued in an integrated manner. It demonstrates that climate action presents opportunities for development, and that inadequate climate action threatens development. The infographic illustrates how natural hazards and environmental degradation lead to reversals in poverty reduction, ruin livelihoods and put communities at risk.

The Climate Diplomacy initiative sees climate finance and reduced investments in high-carbon development paths and infrastructures as critical to achieving climate and development goals.

By way of example, the infographic shows how restoration, ecosystem protection and climate-smart agriculture reduce emissions and secure livelihoods, especially for small-scale producers, helping to achieve SDG 2 (zero hunger). It also shows that climate change is likely to undermine SDG 2 by disrupting food security, SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) by affecting water availability and SDG 5 (gender equality), and to exacerbate conflicts over scarce resources, negatively impacting on the implementation of SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).

The infographic also describes the Climate Diplomacy initiative, launched by adelphi and the German Federal Foreign Office, to help ensure that climate and development interlinkages are communicated, promoted, and on the agendas of governments, international and regional organizations, the private sector and civil society. The initiative highlights that policies to reduce emissions and build resilience benefit social and economic development, and that climate resilience is integral to crisis prevention and a priority for effective foreign policy. It also stresses that development policies and projects should not undermine ecosystems and climate targets, and must anticipate and minimize adverse climate impacts over the long term. The initiative sees climate finance and reduced investments in high-carbon development paths and infrastructures as critical to achieving climate and development goals. [Infographic: Making Development Sustainable through Climate Action]