How to talk to your skeptical parents about climate change at Thanksgiving – The Invading Sea

Report on Climate Change Communication and Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Aligning Climate Dialogue with Global Goals

This report outlines a strategic framework for communicating the urgency of climate change by aligning the issue with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The objective is to foster productive, non-partisan dialogue by framing climate action as essential for achieving global targets related to economic stability, human well-being, and environmental protection.

Establishing Common Ground for SDG Advancement

Effective communication begins by establishing a factual baseline that acknowledges historical context while emphasizing current challenges. While climate has always changed, the current rate of change—ten times faster than historical averages—is driven by human activity. This acceleration poses a direct threat to the infrastructure supporting a global population of nearly 8 billion people, impacting progress toward several SDGs.

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The interconnected global economy cannot easily adapt to rapid resource shifts. Unmitigated climate change is projected to shrink global GDP, reversing decades of economic progress.
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): While fossil fuels enabled significant advancements in medicine and commerce, their continued use alters atmospheric composition, threatening the natural systems upon which modern life depends. A transition to clean energy is critical for sustainable development.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Unlike nomadic populations of the past, modern societies are fixed, making them highly vulnerable to climate-induced disruptions in food and water supplies.

Risk Assessment Framework for SDG-Related Climate Impacts

A risk assessment model can be employed to evaluate the climate crisis, mirroring standard practices in finance and public policy. This involves analyzing the likelihood of impacts, the severity of consequences, and the feasibility of mitigation, with each stage directly corresponding to specific SDGs.

1. Likelihood of Impact
   Climate change is not a future possibility but a current reality, confirmed by major scientific, financial, and insurance institutions. Observable evidence includes rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and sea-level rise, which directly challenge the stability required for SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
2. Consequences of Inaction
   The consequences of failing to address climate change will severely undermine multiple SDGs. Projections from military, scientific, and economic experts indicate catastrophic outcomes:
   • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Extreme heat and humidity will create conditions unsafe for human life in various regions.
   • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Crop yields are expected to decline as heat thresholds are crossed and water systems are disrupted.
   • SDG 14 (Life Below Water): The destruction of coral reefs, which serve as nurseries for 25% of marine life, will collapse marine ecosystems.
   • SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Dwindling natural resources and climate-driven migration are projected to increase global conflict.
3. Feasibility of Mitigation and Avoidance
   Proactive measures are both feasible and economically prudent. Investment in renewable energy and new technologies supports key development goals:
   • SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): The cost of renewables has fallen dramatically, making them cheaper than fossil fuels and projected to provide 50% of global power by 2030.
   • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The clean energy sector is a significant source of job creation, enhancing economic resilience and grid security. Technologies such as next-generation nuclear, geothermal, and carbon capture offer further pathways for sustainable industrialization under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

Framing Climate Action within Key SDG Pillars

Climate change directly impacts core areas of public concern that are central to the SDG framework. Framing the issue within these pillars can broaden support for climate action.

• The Economy and Jobs: Climate impacts, including crop failures and extreme weather events, disrupt business operations and threaten employment, directly conflicting with the objectives of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
• Health and Personal Security: Rising temperatures exacerbate health conditions such as asthma and heart disease and create new risks from heat exposure, undermining SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• Geopolitical Stability: Climate-induced droughts, famines, and floods act as threat multipliers, driving refugee crises and resource conflicts that destabilize regions and impede progress toward SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Conclusion: Fostering Hope and Collective Responsibility for SDG Achievement

The narrative surrounding climate change must conclude with a message of optimism and empowerment. The challenges are significant, but human innovation and collective action provide a clear path forward. By acting decisively, it is possible to mitigate climate impacts while simultaneously advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. This approach transforms the conversation from one of blame and defeat to one of shared responsibility and opportunity, focused on building a stronger economy, healthier communities, and a more stable world for future generations, thereby leaving the planet better than we found it.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

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

The article on communicating about climate change addresses or connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by discussing the wide-ranging impacts of climate change and the proposed solutions. The following SDGs are relevant:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article connects climate change to health risks, mentioning that rising temperatures lead to “more allergies and asthma, heart disease and dangerous ‘can’t sweat it out’ days.”
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The text contrasts the negative impacts of fossil fuels with the benefits of clean energy, stating that renewables are cost-effective and are expected to grow significantly.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article highlights both the economic threats of climate change, such as a “shrinking GDP,” and the economic opportunities in the clean energy sector, which has “boosted jobs.”
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article points to the vulnerability of urban areas and infrastructure, noting that “Many cities and shoreline infrastructure will be under water” due to rising sea levels.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: This is the central theme of the article. It discusses the causes of climate change (human actions burning fossil fuels), its impacts (hotter summers, sea-level rise, extreme weather), and the urgent need to take action.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: The article explicitly mentions the impact on marine ecosystems, predicting that “Coral reefs – the nurseries to 25% of sea life – will die.”
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article touches on geopolitical stability, warning that climate change could lead to conflicts “over dwindling natural resources and increased migration pressures.”

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

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article directly supports this by highlighting that renewables “costs less than fossil fuel power sources” and are “expected to provide 50% of all global power generation by 2030.”
2. Target 8.4: Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. The article implies this target by discussing the need to shift away from fossil fuels, which have driven economic growth but are now causing “disastrous changes in our natural systems” that will harm the economy.
3. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations. The article references this target by describing threats like “torrential floods,” “sea level is rising rapidly (causing sunny day flooding and damage up and down our coastlines),” and cities being “under water.”
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The article’s entire premise is to encourage action to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts such as hotter summers, wildfires, floods, and droughts.
5. Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. The article is an example of this target in action, as its purpose is to provide tools and strategies for effective communication (“how to talk to your parents… about climate change”) to raise awareness and encourage action.
6. Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. The article directly relates to this by warning that “Coral reefs… will die” as a consequence of climate change.
7. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article connects climate change to potential instability by stating that “Conflicts will arise over dwindling natural resources.”

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

The article mentions or implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Share of renewable energy in global power generation: The article provides a specific, measurable indicator for Target 7.2 by stating that renewables are “expected to provide 50% of all global power generation by 2030.”
• Frequency and intensity of climate-related hazards: For Target 13.1, the article implies indicators by describing observable changes: “Our summers are hotter and extend longer, we are more exposed to wildfires and wildfire smoke, our rain patterns are changing (causing both more torrential floods and extreme dry periods), and our sea level is rising rapidly.”
• Rate of GDP growth: As an indicator for economic impact (related to Target 8.4), the article warns that a consequence of inaction will be a “shrinking GDP.”
• Number of jobs in the clean energy sector: The article suggests job creation as an indicator for Target 8.4, noting that “renewable energy has boosted jobs.”
• Health of marine ecosystems: For Target 14.2, the survival or death of coral reefs is presented as a direct indicator of the health of marine life.
• Incidence of climate-related health issues: For SDG 3, the article implies that the prevalence of “allergies and asthma, heart disease” linked to rising temperatures can serve as an indicator.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: theinvadingsea.com