On the other hand, a set of SDG indicators has been reported to evaluate the
impacts of degradation of ecosystems on human health. SDG Indicators 3.9.1,
3.9.2, 6.3.1 and 6.3.2 evaluate the human health problems resulting due to ambient
air pollution, unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, whereas SDG Indicator 3.9.3
assesses the health problems resulting from unintentional poisoning [12].
Additionally, SDG Indicators 2.4.1, 2.5.1 and 2.5.2 explicitly refer to the impacts
on human health as a consequence of unsustainable food production and agricultural practices. Likewise, SDG Indicators 15.7.1 and 15.c.1 estimate the impacts of
wildlife trafficking and poaching, whereas SDG Indicators 14.4.1 and 14.5.1
addresses the impacts associated with overfishing. Regarding lack of infrastructure
for water quality and resources management by communities, SDG Indicators 6.1.1,
6.2.1 and 6.a.1 concentrate on developing infrastructure for effective water
resources management [e.g. 12, 16].
5 Conclusions
The study underpins the development of an ASAM framework by systematically
exploring the interlinkages between the SDGs and PBs using an DPSIR impact
pathway framework. With to the analysis presented in Sect. 4, the two approaches
demonstrate notable overlaps with regard to their indicators and control variables.
Each of the PBs is linked to one (or more) SDG indicator(s), as shown in Fig. 1. In
particular, the “freshwater use”, “ocean acidification”, “biogeochemical flows”,
“land system change” and “change in biosphere integrity” PBs exhibit sound
linkages with the SDG indicators. Interestingly, some of the control variables of
these five PBs are located at the same point of the DPSIR impact pathway as the
SDG indicators. But, in contrast, the “climate change” PB control variable is
located at the state point of the impact pathway, whereas the SDG indicators
associated with climate change are mostly located at the response point, except
SDG Indicator 9.4.1, which estimates the carbon intensity of industries at the
pressure point. Moreover, no SDG indicators report an absolute limit for GHG
emissions. The “introduction of novel entities” and “atmospheric aerosol loading” PBs show some overlaps with SDG Indicators 11.6.1, 11.6.2 and 12.4.2,
whereas no explicit linkages are found between the “stratospheric ozone depletion” PB and the SDG Indicators. Furthermore, as discussed in Sect. 4, the SDGs
additionally shed light on some other global challenges not explicitly addressed in
the PBs such as unsustainable food and agriculture, soil quality degradation,
impacts of ecosystem degradation on human health, direct human impacts on
ecosystem (wildlife trafficking and poaching, and overfishing), and lack of infrastructure for water quality and resources management by communities.
Overall, according to this study, it seems potentially feasible to adopt the
science-based thresholds reported in the PBs as a complementary set of global
boundaries for the SDG indicators. Moreover, advancing appropriate environmental
boundaries for the additional challenges addressed in the SDGs, and using them
Exploring the Linkages Between …
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impacts of degradation of ecosystems on human health. SDG Indicators 3.9.1,
3.9.2, 6.3.1 and 6.3.2 evaluate the human health problems resulting due to ambient
air pollution, unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, whereas SDG Indicator 3.9.3
assesses the health problems resulting from unintentional poisoning [12].
Additionally, SDG Indicators 2.4.1, 2.5.1 and 2.5.2 explicitly refer to the impacts
on human health as a consequence of unsustainable food production and agricultural practices. Likewise, SDG Indicators 15.7.1 and 15.c.1 estimate the impacts of
wildlife trafficking and poaching, whereas SDG Indicators 14.4.1 and 14.5.1
addresses the impacts associated with overfishing. Regarding lack of infrastructure
for water quality and resources management by communities, SDG Indicators 6.1.1,
6.2.1 and 6.a.1 concentrate on developing infrastructure for effective water
resources management [e.g. 12, 16].
5 Conclusions
The study underpins the development of an ASAM framework by systematically
exploring the interlinkages between the SDGs and PBs using an DPSIR impact
pathway framework. With to the analysis presented in Sect. 4, the two approaches
demonstrate notable overlaps with regard to their indicators and control variables.
Each of the PBs is linked to one (or more) SDG indicator(s), as shown in Fig. 1. In
particular, the “freshwater use”, “ocean acidification”, “biogeochemical flows”,
“land system change” and “change in biosphere integrity” PBs exhibit sound
linkages with the SDG indicators. Interestingly, some of the control variables of
these five PBs are located at the same point of the DPSIR impact pathway as the
SDG indicators. But, in contrast, the “climate change” PB control variable is
located at the state point of the impact pathway, whereas the SDG indicators
associated with climate change are mostly located at the response point, except
SDG Indicator 9.4.1, which estimates the carbon intensity of industries at the
pressure point. Moreover, no SDG indicators report an absolute limit for GHG
emissions. The “introduction of novel entities” and “atmospheric aerosol loading” PBs show some overlaps with SDG Indicators 11.6.1, 11.6.2 and 12.4.2,
whereas no explicit linkages are found between the “stratospheric ozone depletion” PB and the SDG Indicators. Furthermore, as discussed in Sect. 4, the SDGs
additionally shed light on some other global challenges not explicitly addressed in
the PBs such as unsustainable food and agriculture, soil quality degradation,
impacts of ecosystem degradation on human health, direct human impacts on
ecosystem (wildlife trafficking and poaching, and overfishing), and lack of infrastructure for water quality and resources management by communities.
Overall, according to this study, it seems potentially feasible to adopt the
science-based thresholds reported in the PBs as a complementary set of global
boundaries for the SDG indicators. Moreover, advancing appropriate environmental
boundaries for the additional challenges addressed in the SDGs, and using them
Exploring the Linkages Between …
421