Integrated SDG implementation – how a cross-scale (vertical) and cross-regional nexus approach can complement cross-sectoral (horizontal) integration

The author shows that integrated management and governance approaches for environmental resources and human securities not only require horizontal coherence across disciplines and sectors, but also vertically across levels, scales and across regions.

In particular the call for integrated implementation of the SDGs requires a horizontally and vertically coherent approach across the different sustainability goals and targets. For that, transdisciplinarity is required, so that scientists and policy and decision makers can co-design and co-generate knowledge.