IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-52854-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Prospects for global sustainable development through integrating the environmental impacts of economic activities

Author

Listed:
  • Siqi Han

    (State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources
    China Agricultural University
    Michigan State University)

  • Chunding Li

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Mengyu Li

    (The University of Sydney)

  • Manfred Lenzen

    (The University of Sydney)

  • Xiuzhi Chen

    (State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources
    China Agricultural University)

  • Yuqian Zhang

    (Michigan State University
    The School for Field Studies)

  • Mo Li

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

  • Tuo Yin

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Yingjie Li

    (Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University)

  • Juan Li

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Jianguo Liu

    (Michigan State University)

  • Yunkai Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources
    China Agricultural University)

Abstract

Human economic activities drive the production and consumption of goods and services, contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the extent of economic growth’s influence on the SDGs remains unclear. To fill this knowledge gap, here, we quantified the environmental effects of economic activities and explored correlations between environmental effect and achieving SDGs. We developed six Environmental Footprint Indices, with a higher score indicating better efficiency or lower burden. Here we show that the various Environmental Footprint Indices had synergistic and trade-off effects on most SDG targets indices, but the synergistic effects prevailed. As income increased, the correlation between Environmental Footprint Indices and SDG target indices gradually strengthened. improved production efficiency and consumption changes notably advance SDGs, especially in low-income group countries. Our work provides scientific insights into the impact and prospects of environmental regulation required for achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Suggested Citation

  • Siqi Han & Chunding Li & Mengyu Li & Manfred Lenzen & Xiuzhi Chen & Yuqian Zhang & Mo Li & Tuo Yin & Yingjie Li & Juan Li & Jianguo Liu & Yunkai Li, 2024. "Prospects for global sustainable development through integrating the environmental impacts of economic activities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-52854-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52854-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52854-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-52854-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Måns Nilsson & Dave Griggs & Martin Visbeck, 2016. "Policy: Map the interactions between Sustainable Development Goals," Nature, Nature, vol. 534(7607), pages 320-322, June.
    2. Anne Warchold & Prajal Pradhan & Jürgen P. Kropp, 2021. "Variations in sustainable development goal interactions: Population, regional, and income disaggregation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 285-299, March.
    3. David Lusseau & Francesca Mancini, 2019. "Income-based variation in Sustainable Development Goal interaction networks," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(3), pages 242-247, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huijuan Xiao & Yue Liu & Jingzheng Ren, 2023. "Synergies and trade‐offs across sustainable development goals: A novel method incorporating indirect interactions analysis," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 1135-1148, April.
    2. Lena I. Fuldauer & Scott Thacker & Robyn A. Haggis & Francesco Fuso-Nerini & Robert J. Nicholls & Jim W. Hall, 2022. "Targeting climate adaptation to safeguard and advance the Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. David Tremblay & François Fortier & Jean‐François Boucher & Olivier Riffon & Claude Villeneuve, 2020. "Sustainable development goal interactions: An analysis based on the five pillars of the 2030 agenda," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1584-1596, November.
    4. Efraim Hernández-Orozco & Ivonne Lobos-Alva & Mario Cardenas-Vélez & David Purkey & Måns Nilsson & Piedad Martin, 2022. "The application of soft systems thinking in SDG interaction studies: a comparison between SDG interactions at national and subnational levels in Colombia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 8930-8964, June.
    5. Myriam Pham‐Truffert & Florence Metz & Manuel Fischer & Henri Rueff & Peter Messerli, 2020. "Interactions among Sustainable Development Goals: Knowledge for identifying multipliers and virtuous cycles," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1236-1250, September.
    6. Jing Zhu & Shenghong Kang & Wenwu Zhao & Qiujie Li & Xinyuan Xie & Xiangping Hu, 2020. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Food–Energy–Water Nexus: Progress and Prospects," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-22, December.
    7. Moses, Mark & Kharas, Homi & Miller-Petrie, Molly & Tsakalos, Goli & Marczak, Laurie & Hay, Simon & Murray, Christopher & Dieleman, Joseph L, 2021. "Global poverty and inequality from 1980 to the COVID-19 pandemic," SocArXiv x47np, Center for Open Science.
    8. Judith M. Ament & Robin Freeman & Chris Carbone & Anna Vassall & Charlotte Watts, 2020. "An Empirical Analysis of Synergies and Tradeoffs between Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-12, October.
    9. Anne Warchold & Prajal Pradhan & Jürgen P. Kropp, 2021. "Variations in sustainable development goal interactions: Population, regional, and income disaggregation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 285-299, March.
    10. Cameron Allen & Graciela Metternicht & Thomas Wiedmann, 2021. "Priorities for science to support national implementation of the sustainable development goals: A review of progress and gaps," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 635-652, July.
    11. Dawes, J.H.P., 2022. "SDG interlinkage networks: Analysis, robustness, sensitivities, and hierarchies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    12. Min Cao & Min Chen & Junze Zhang & Prajal Pradhan & Huadong Guo & Bojie Fu & Yue Li & Yuying Bai & Lijiao Chang & Yu Chen & Zhongchang Sun & Zhenci Xu & Rui Zhu & Michael E. Meadows & Guonian Lü, 2023. "Spatio-temporal changes in the causal interactions among Sustainable Development Goals in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    13. Ana Raquel Nunes, 2023. "Mapping interactions between sustainable development and heatwave resilience," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(11), pages 12707-12733, November.
    14. Patricia Urban & Markus Hametner, 2022. "The Economy–Environment Nexus: Sustainable Development Goals Interlinkages in Austria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, September.
    15. Anne Warchold & Prajal Pradhan & Pratibha Thapa & Muhammad Panji Islam Fajar Putra & Jürgen P. Kropp, 2022. "Building a unified sustainable development goal database: Why does sustainable development goal data selection matter?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1278-1293, October.
    16. Rita Nerland & Heidi Rapp Nilsen & Bjørn Andersen, 2023. "Biosphere‐based sustainability in local governments: Sustainable development goal interactions and indicators for policymaking," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 39-55, February.
    17. Oana Forestier & Rakhyun E. Kim, 2020. "Cherry‐picking the Sustainable Development Goals: Goal prioritization by national governments and implications for global governance," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1269-1278, September.
    18. Garcia Rojas, Diana C. & Appelt, Jonas L. & Epprecht, Michael & Kounnavong, Sengchanh & Elbers, Chris & Lanjouw, Peter F. & van Vliet, Jasper, 2024. "Interactions between sustainable development goals at the district level in Lao PDR," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    19. Qiang Xing & Chaoyang Wu & Fang Chen & Jianguo Liu & Prajal Pradhan & Brett A. Bryan & Thomas Schaubroeck & L. Roman Carrasco & Alemu Gonsamo & Yunkai Li & Xiuzhi Chen & Xiangzheng Deng & Andrea Alban, 2024. "Intranational synergies and trade-offs reveal common and differentiated priorities of sustainable development goals in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    20. Rebecka Ericsdotter Engström & Georgia Destouni & Mark Howells & Vivek Ramaswamy & Holger Rogner & Morgan Bazilian, 2019. "Cross-Scale Water and Land Impacts of Local Climate and Energy Policy—A Local Swedish Analysis of Selected SDG Interactions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-28, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-52854-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.