Countries Need “Top-Down” Regulations To Combat Climate Change, Say Researchers

Countries Need "Top-Down" Regulations To Combat Climate Change, Say Researchers  Technology Networks

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May 5, 2024 - 11:00
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Countries Need “Top-Down” Regulations To Combat Climate Change, Say Researchers

Countries Need Top-Down Regulations To Combat Climate Change, Say Researchers

Current mainstreaming efforts ineffective

Although mainstreaming biodiversity targets into sectoral policies is considered essential to address the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, such as land use change, resource exploitation, pollution, and consumption patterns, the study, which analysed 43 studies on the topic, shows that current efforts are ineffective.

Hens Runhaar, Professor of Sustainable Food System Governance at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development and the lead author of the study, explains that biodiversity targets are often vague and initiatives are “add-on” rather than integrated. Additionally, resources allocated to biodiversity recovery are insufficient. For example, biodiversity initiatives often exist in isolation from policies that directly regulate drivers of biodiversity loss such as agricultural intensification or spatial planning.

Conflicting targets between sectors and unclear responsibilities also hamper effective mainstreaming. It is often believed that efforts to conserve or restore biodiversity imply a loss of productivity in sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. However, there are increasing indications that this is not the case. Increasing plant biodiversity in grasslands can actually help dairy farmers become more resilient against droughts, which occur more frequently due to climate change. Runhaar states that the discourse surrounding this issue, combined with a predominantly voluntary approach, has contributed to the ineffectiveness of mainstreaming efforts.

On a positive note, the authors highlight that biodiversity loss is increasingly recognized as a risk by financial institutions. In their 2023 report, the European Central Bank found that 75% of bank loans in the Euro Zone are highly dependent on at least one ecosystem service that is at risk due to biodiversity loss. This growing financial interest in halting biodiversity loss is encouraging,” says co-author Yves Zinngrebe, a researcher at UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Targets Indicators

SDG 15: Life on Land
  • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
  • Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
  • Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
  • Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
  • Indicator 2.4.2: Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status

SDG 13: Climate Action
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
  • Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula
  • Indicator 13.2.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 15: Life on Land, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, and SDG 13: Climate Action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets identified are:
– Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
– Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production.
– Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. For Target 15.1, the indicators mentioned are:
– Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area.
– Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type.

For Target 2.4, the indicators mentioned are:
– Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
– Indicator 2.4.2: Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status.

For Target 13.2, the indicators mentioned are:
– Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula.
– Indicator 13.2.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer.

These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: technologynetworks.com

 

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SDGs Targets Indicators

SDG 15: Life on Land
  • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
  • Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
  • Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production.
  • Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
  • Indicator 2.4.2: Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status

SDG 13: Climate Action
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
  • Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula
  • Indicator 13.2.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer