Mistra Geopolitics has co-funded the adaptation of the iSD-model – used by 40 countries worldwide – for Sweden. The purpose is to support Swedish decision-makers to identify investments and policy actions that address geopolitical risks and advance sustainability aims, including the SDGs.
The iSD-model is an integrated system model designed to support policy prioritization, track progress on national sustainability goals and manage investments – originally developed by the Millennium Institute.
The aim with adapting the iSD-model for the Swedish context is to support practical policy planning, making sure that sustainability policies consider geopolitical risks and tensions of particular relevance to Sweden.
Therese Bennich, SEI Research Fellow and Program Manager for Mistra Geopolitics.
Meeting sustainability goals such as the SDGs, requires different strategies in different countries. And current geopolitical shifts around the world affect the long-term sustainability agenda and how countries prioritize.
Recent global geopolitical reshuffling is significantly confounding the long-term sustainability agenda, as the international community’s focus is increasingly diverted to managing short-term emergencies.
Matteo Pedercini, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Millennium Institute.
Policymakers on a national level must address questions such as:
The iSD-model has been designed and developed to help decision-makers address such questions. It integrates key economic, social, and environmental factors, providing a comprehensive platform for systemic policy analysis and strategic planning.
The adaptation of the model to the Swedish context, and the explicit ambition to also consider geopolitical risk, represents a novel application of the model with the potential to advance both theoretical insights and practical policy planning in Sweden.
Therese Bennich at SEI and Mistra Geopolitics.
The iSD-model has already been used in over 40 countries. For example, it has supported national governments in preparing strategic development plans in Nigeria and Jamaica, and in testing net-zero scenarios in Germany and Pakistan.
Governments must enhance their preparedness and foresight, anticipating how geopolitical tensions might disrupt supply chains for essential technologies, or impact the availability of critical resources. By integrating these risks, the development of resilient and adaptive sustainability strategies will be more successful.
Matteo Pedercini, Vice President at the Millenium Institute.
In sum, the iSD-model is a cutting-edge tool that utilizes real-world data to model the long-term consequences of policy choices. By simulating different policy interventions, it reveals complex interdependencies, making it a valuable resource for informed decisions about the future.
Note: The model was previously called the iSDG-model and is now changing name to the iSD-model.
Project / This project aims to critically examine how the dynamics of geopolitics, human security and global environmental change interrelate.
Feature / Björn-Ola Linnér, Director of Mistra Geopolitics and Professor at Linköping University, has been appointed as an expert to the UN's Human Security Colloquium.
Feature / We review the SDG Synergies tool and country examples to see how analysing synergies and trade-offs between the SDGs will support implementation of Agenda 2030.
Past event / On 4 February, the Mistra Geopolitics research programme will host distinguished thought leaders and academics in Stockholm.
