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Synergies and Trade-offs among Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Spain

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  • Carlos de Miguel Ramos

    (E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Calle José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
    Department of Machine Design, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Brinellvägen 83, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Rafael Laurenti

    (E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Calle José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

The United Nations plans have marked global sustainable development for more than two decades. Most of the developed and developing countries have adopted these plans to achieve the Agenda 2030, currently formed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis of the interactions between the SDGs is a growing area in research and of interest for governments. However, studies on how positive correlations can improve deteriorated goals are scarce for countries to date. This study aims at filling this gap by finding and quantifying the synergies and trade-offs among the SDGs of Spain. During the years 2000–2019, almost 80% of the SDG targets had significant interactions, either positive (synergy) or negative (trade-off). SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender Equality) and SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) contained the largest number of positive interactions, more than 60% in all of them. SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing) was strongly linked with indicators from SDG 4 (quality education) and also SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation). Furthermore, indicators from SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) shared a high correlation with the ones from SGD 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 15 (life on land). SDG 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation), 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities) had the slowest evolution during the years 2000–2019, showing contractions in some instances. We developed a regression model to assess the influence that selected targets have had on a less evolved target (target 8.6—proportion of youth not in education, employment or training). We managed to clarify high influence from target 1.3 (unemployment compensations), target 8.4 (domestic material consumption) and target 10.5 (non-performing loans) on the dependent variable. Identifying numerical dependencies between the SDGs may help nations to develop a roadmap where targets work as cogwheel towards achieving the Agenda 2030.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos de Miguel Ramos & Rafael Laurenti, 2020. "Synergies and Trade-offs among Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:24:p:10506-:d:462677
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    2. Paulina Permatasari & Assyifa Szami Ilman & Carol Ann Tilt & Dian Lestari & Saiful Islam & Rita Helbra Tenrini & Arif Budi Rahman & Agunan Paulus Samosir & Irwanda Wisnu Wardhana, 2021. "The Village Fund Program in Indonesia: Measuring the Effectiveness and Alignment to Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-30, November.
    3. Javier García López & Raffaele Sisto & Javier Benayas & Álvaro de Juanes & Julio Lumbreras & Carlos Mataix, 2021. "Assessment of the Results and Methodology of the Sustainable Development Index for Spanish Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-29, June.
    4. Agata Szymańska, 2021. "Reducing Socioeconomic Inequalities in the European Union in the Context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-28, July.

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