Global Goals and Systems

The Global Goals and Systems team is thematically centred on systems thinking in decision-making, supporting implementation of global goals, commitments and principles for sustainable development such as the UN 2030 Agenda/the Sustainable Development Goals and Stockholm+50.

These agendas reflect a global consensus that economic, social and environmental aspects of development are inextricably linked and mutually dependent. At the same time, policy-makers and implementing actors often lack methods and tools to overview the interlinkages between different policy objectives and to plan and act informed by the synergies and goal conflicts posed.

The Global Goals and Systems team draws on systems analysis and governance studies to offer scientific support, innovative methods and tools to policy- and decision makers. The objective is to enhance the capacity of governments and other actors to adopt systems thinking, and to see this thinking reflected in more coherent decision-making. The SDG Synergies approach is developed by researchers in the team. We work with global, national and subnational level processes and in close collaboration with stakeholders.