Scientific evidence on the political impact of the Sustainable Development Goals

Frank Biermann (), Thomas Hickmann (), Carole-Anne Sénit (), Marianne Beisheim, Steven Bernstein, Pamela Chasek, Leonie Grob, Rakhyun E. Kim, Louis J. Kotzé, Måns Nilsson, Andrea Ordóñez Llanos, Chukwumerije Okereke, Prajal Pradhan, Rob Raven, Yixian Sun, Marjanneke J. Vijge, Detlef Vuuren and Birka Wicke
Additional contact information
Frank Biermann: Utrecht University
Thomas Hickmann: Department of Political Science, Lund University
Carole-Anne Sénit: Utrecht University
Marianne Beisheim: German Institute for International and Security Affairs
Steven Bernstein: University of Toronto
Pamela Chasek: Political Science Department, Manhattan College
Leonie Grob: Utrecht University
Rakhyun E. Kim: Utrecht University
Louis J. Kotzé: Faculty of Law, North-West University
Måns Nilsson: Stockholm Environment Institute
Andrea Ordóñez Llanos: Southern Voice
Chukwumerije Okereke: Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike
Prajal Pradhan: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association
Rob Raven: Utrecht University
Yixian Sun: University of Bath
Marjanneke J. Vijge: Utrecht University
Detlef Vuuren: Utrecht University
Birka Wicke: Radboud University

Nature Sustainability, 2022, vol. 5, issue 9, 795-800

Abstract: Abstract In 2015, the United Nations agreed on 17 Sustainable Development Goals as the central normative framework for sustainable development worldwide. The effectiveness of governing by such broad global goals, however, remains uncertain, and we lack comprehensive meta-studies that assess the political impact of the goals across countries and globally. We present here condensed evidence from an analysis of over 3,000 scientific studies on the Sustainable Development Goals published between 2016 and April 2021. Our findings suggests that the goals have had some political impact on institutions and policies, from local to global governance. This impact has been largely discursive, affecting the way actors understand and communicate about sustainable development. More profound normative and institutional impact, from legislative action to changing resource allocation, remains rare. We conclude that the scientific evidence suggests only limited transformative political impact of the Sustainable Development Goals thus far.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-022-00909-5

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