Sustainable Development Goal 13
"Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts"
Linkage with other SDGs
Taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts is crucial to safeguarding the planet and ensuring sustainable development. Climate change affects every aspect of human life, and addressing it is essential to achieving the other SDGs.
The following direct and indirect interlinkages exist between SDG 13 and all other SDGs:
SDG 1 - No Poverty: Climate change disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable communities, increasing their exposure to natural disasters, food insecurity, and displacement. Climate adaptation initiatives reduce poverty by building resilience in these communities. Example: Coastal protection projects in Bangladesh have mitigated the impacts of rising sea levels on low-income households, reducing poverty levels.
SDG 2 - Zero Hunger: Climate change disrupts agricultural systems, leading to reduced crop yields and food shortages. Climate-smart agriculture enhances food security by increasing resilience to droughts, floods, and shifting weather patterns. Example: Farmers in Kenya have adopted drought-tolerant maize varieties, ensuring stable food supplies amid changing climate conditions.
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being: Climate change exacerbates health risks, such as the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria, heat-related illnesses, and respiratory conditions due to air pollution. Climate action reduces these risks and improves public health outcomes. Example: Early warning systems for heatwaves in India have reduced heat-related deaths and illnesses.
SDG 4 - Quality Education: Climate education empowers young people to adopt sustainable lifestyles and participate in climate mitigation efforts. Schools can serve as hubs for raising awareness about environmental challenges and solutions. Example: Climate education programs in the Philippines have equipped students with the knowledge to address environmental challenges in disaster-prone regions.
SDG 5 - Gender Equality: Women, particularly in rural areas, are often more vulnerable to climate change due to their reliance on natural resources and limited access to decision-making processes. Empowering women in climate adaptation strategies strengthens resilience. Example: Women-led reforestation projects in Ethiopia have improved community resilience to desertification.
SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation: Climate change intensifies water scarcity and disrupts access to clean water, affecting agriculture, health, and sanitation. Climate action ensures sustainable water management and reduces the risk of droughts and floods. Example: Water conservation projects in arid regions of Morocco have improved water availability despite prolonged droughts.
SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy: Transitioning to renewable energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions, a critical component of climate action. Clean energy solutions also increase energy access while minimising environmental degradation. Example: Costa Rica has prioritised renewable energy, achieving near-zero emissions while meeting energy needs sustainably.
SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth: Climate action fosters green jobs and sustainable economic growth by promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate-resilient industries. Example: Wind energy projects in South Africa have created jobs while reducing carbon emissions.
SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Resilient infrastructure and innovative technologies are essential for mitigating climate impacts and adapting to environmental changes. Sustainable industrial practices also minimise greenhouse gas emissions. Example: Japan’s investments in climate-resilient infrastructure have reduced vulnerability to earthquakes and typhoons.
SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities: Climate change exacerbates inequalities, as marginalised communities often lack the resources to adapt. Climate action promotes equity by prioritising support for vulnerable populations. Example: Climate resilience funds in the Caribbean have provided financial support to low-income households affected by hurricanes.
SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities: Cities are major contributors to climate change, but they are also key to climate solutions. Sustainable urban planning reduces emissions while enhancing resilience to climate-related disasters. Example: Amsterdam’s extensive bike-sharing and green infrastructure programs have reduced urban carbon footprints.
SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production: Transitioning to sustainable consumption and production patterns reduces waste and emissions, contributing to climate action. Example: The European Union’s circular economy initiatives have minimised resource consumption and reduced emissions.
SDG 14 - Life Below Water: Climate change causes ocean acidification and rising sea levels, threatening marine biodiversity and coastal communities. Addressing climate change protects marine ecosystems and sustains livelihoods. Example: Mangrove restoration projects in Indonesia have reduced coastal erosion and enhanced carbon storage.
SDG 15 - Life on Land: Deforestation and land degradation contribute to climate change by reducing carbon sequestration. Reforestation and sustainable land management combat climate impacts while protecting biodiversity. Example: Agroforestry programs in the Amazon Basin have reduced deforestation and enhanced carbon storage.
SDG 16 - Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Climate change is increasingly recognised as a driver of conflict, particularly over scarce resources like water and arable land. Strong institutions and climate action reduce these tensions and promote peace. Example: Water-sharing agreements in the Nile Basin have fostered cooperation between countries affected by climate-induced water shortages.
SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals: Global collaboration is essential for addressing climate change, as its impacts transcend borders. Partnerships drive innovation, funding, and policy alignment for effective climate action. Example: The Paris Agreement has united nations in their commitment to limit global warming and reduce emissions.
Consquence of failing to reach targets
Failure to take climate action exacerbates challenges across other SDGs:
- Poverty (SDG 1) deepens as vulnerable communities face more frequent and severe climate-related disasters.
- Hunger (SDG 2) worsens due to disrupted agricultural systems and declining crop yields
- Health risks (SDG 3) increase with the spread of diseases and rising air pollution.
- Biodiversity loss (SDGs 14 and 15) accelerates as ecosystems collapse under climate stress.
Climate action is vital for the health of the planet and humanity. By addressing climate change, we can safeguard progress across all dimensions of sustainable development.
SDG 13: Targets, Indicators, Progress and Data
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
13.1.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.
13.1.3: Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies.
- The number of disaster-related deaths and missing persons per 100,000 population (excluding COVID-19 deaths) has nearly halved from 1.62 in the decade 2005-2014 to 0.82 in 2013-2022. However, the absolute number remains high. Between 2013 and 2022, disasters worldwide claimed 42,553 mortalities each year. Further, the number of persons affected by disasters per 100,000 population has increased by over two-third, from 1,169 in 2005-2014 to 1,980 in 2013-2022.
- In 2023, 129 countries reported the adoption and implementation of national disaster risk reduction strategies, increasing from 55 countries in 2015. Among these countries, 122 countries have reported promoting policy coherence and compliance with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement as a key element in the strategy.
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
13.2.1: Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
13.2.2: Total greenhouse gas emissions per year.
The year 2023 broke every single climate indicator and was the warmest year on record according to the World Meteorological Organization. Global temperatures rose to 1.45°C, dangerously close for the first time to the 1.5°C lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Despite some reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries, concentrations of greenhouse gases reached record high observed levels in 2022 and real-time data in 2023 show greenhouse gases continuing to increase. Carbon dioxide levels are 150% above pre-industrial levels.
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
13.3.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.
A study in 2023 of more than 530 grade 9 science and social science subject curricula found that 69% contained no reference to climate change and 66% made no mention of sustainability. However, three-quarters of countries reported they have plans to revise their curricula in the next three years to focus more on climate change and sustainability.
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilising jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalise the Green Climate Fund through its capitalisation as soon as possible.
13.A.1: Amounts provided and mobilised in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025.
Climate finance, reported by Annex I Parties as support provided to developing countries, has increased at a compound rate of 5% from 2015 to 2020, amounting to $41 billion. Although there are a range of estimates and a lack of an agreed accounting methodology on the $100 billion per year goal, the goal was not yet met as of 2021. However, recent progress made in the provision and mobilisation of climate finance amounted to $89.6 billion in 2021.
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalised communities.
13.B.1: Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Not reported on the UN SDG website.