Connectivity initiatives to achieve SDGs and Paris climate goals
This article has been authored by Fanny Sauvignon and others from ORF.
The current fragmentation and weaponisation of connectivity initiatives threatens the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement commitments. To enhance the interoperability of connectivity initiatives, this policy brief proposes the G20 should establish a Working Group on Strategic Connectivity Clusters (SCCs), and consider coordinating the first SCC on early warning systems (EWS) as a catalyst for SDG progress with clear benefits for all. In a multipolar yet interdependent world, the SCC concept provides a flexible tool to the G20, one that works in synergy with existing aspects of connectivity coordination, such as legal frameworks and commitments to build and finance infrastructure. The proposed SCC could map out connectivity activities implemented by various stakeholders but working towards the same objective, such as EWS. By identifying gaps and synergies, SCCs highlight opportunities for all to act towards faster connectivity, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate progress.
Greater coordination and financial flows are urgently needed to ensure measurable progress on the SDGs and Paris Agreement commitments. In answering these challenges, competing connectivity initiatives risk causing further damage and delay due to fragmented implementation and increased risk of weaponisation. While enhanced interoperability among connectivity initiatives is necessary, this is a challenge in an increasingly divided and multipolar world. Current efforts towards interoperability are slow and uneven across sectors, with the ever-present risk of a race to the bottom regarding environmental and social standards. Yet, global goals can be attained only by bridging the connectivity gap and avoiding fragmentation.
The paper can be accessed by clicking here.
This article has been authored by Fanny Sauvignon and others from ORF.
