SDG 13 - Climate action. Combating Climate Change and its Impacts

This book aims to explain the Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) approach for sustainable development by analysing in depth one of the most important sustainable goals, that is, SDG 13 ‘Combating climate change. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its consequences’. This goal constitutes one of the most effective actions to protect and preserve our planet from the consequences of climate change. The concept of ‘sustainable development’ that was defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development (UNWCED, 1987) should ensure prosperity and environmental protection without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It therefore combines economic development with social inclusion and environmental sustainability. The SDGs targets enable governments, companies and investors to monitor their own progress in achieving these goals, which include ending poverty, eliminating hunger, addressing gender equality and combating the effects of climate change. According to UN statistics, the change in global weather conditions is the major threat to sustainable development, such that 12 out of 17 SDGs require action on climate change to address the main subject of the goal, and Goal 13 is specifically dedicated to climate actions directed at reducing emissions and building climate resilience. The achievement of the objectives can be affected by the possibility of obtaining data from new sources that allow for more detailed and ‘granular’ information.