Systemic risk as a challenge to sustainable development

Disasters, climate change and their systemic impacts can undermine all three pillars of sustainable development: social, environmental and economic. As evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is occurring more rapidly and more unpredictably than anticipated, across multiple sectors, dimensions and scales. With only 8 years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Sendai Framework targets, progress is not occurring at the pace and scale required. Progress to achieve the Paris Agreement goal to limit global warming to well below 2°C, and preferably to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, is also not on track. A failure to meet the Paris Agreement goal will lead to further increases in the intensity and frequency of climatic hazard events, and the compounding and cascading disasters they cause.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Climate Action

Life on Land