Understanding the interlinkage between measures and targets is crucial for synergistic implementation and policy coherence (well established). Integrated approaches would enable synergies to be grasped and potential trade-offs to be dealt with so that environmental targets could be achieved simultaneously. {22.4.2}


4.3 Innovation for systemic transformation to achieve environmental goals


Coordinated and ambitious policy, coupled with social and technological innovation, could enable the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, related multilateral environmental agreements and internationally agreed environmental goals (established, but incomplete). Transformative pathways to sustainable development require the following: (i) vision to guide systemic innovation towards sustainability; (ii) social and policy innovation; (iii) phasing-out of unsustainable practices; (iv) policy experimentation; and (v) engaging and enabling diverse actors, including local and indigenous people. Integrated approaches can help to deal with the synergies and potential trade-offs between the various policies and measures. A vision for sustainable development and leadership can energize popular support. Examples of integrated policies for achieving sustainability goals include providing economic incentives, including the removal of environmentally harmful subsidies, improving price structures and introducing taxes to internalize social and environmental costs. {24.3}


Transformative projects and innovative solutions exist that could collectively help in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the aims of multilateral environmental agreements and internationally agreed environmental goals (unresolved). Social, policy and technological innovation is needed. At the local level, many transformative projects and innovative solutions already exist that could be scaled appropriately. Reviewing bottom-up initiatives reveals ideas, actions and programmes that seek to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and involve a wide range of public and private stakeholders, including the following: (i) nature-based solutions, including those that draw on indigenous knowledge, such as ecological infrastructure and ecological restoration; (ii) monitoring and reporting innovations, including Earth observation systems, for better information on environmental conditions, citizen science initiatives that involve citizens in environmental monitoring and which involve decentralization of technologies to educate and engage citizens (for example, web applications that allow citizens to monitor water quality and report problems to relevant government agencies), and natural capital accounting that integrates economic, social and environmental components; (iii) circular and sharing economy innovations that involve the increased efficiency of resource use, specifically through new business models that better engage with waste products of other production processes and innovations related to the peer-to-peer sharing of goods and services; (iv) innovations and policies that help to reduce toxic substances and solid waste, including plastic waste; (v) improving public awareness and building relevant skills through sustainability and environmental education; (vi) an emphasis on gender equality, the empowerment of women and solutions that promote the fair treatment of all, from the local level to the global arena; and (vii) smart, sustainable cities that, for example, use modern digital technologies to engage and connect with citizens in addressing key sustainability challenges for cities, such as transportation, consumption patterns, energy, nutrition, water and waste management. {17.7, 23.11.1}


Financial investment and engagement of individuals, businesses and other non-governmental stakeholders are critical to the achievement of this agenda (established, but incomplete). Unsustainable products and industrial processes could be phased out by introducing the following: (i) new regulatory mechanisms setting standards (for example, securing land tenure rights); (ii) financial mechanisms to boost sustainability investment (for example, on rural electrification), improve chemical use efficiency and minimize harmful chemicals, and to account for both market and non-market risks and impact; (iii) environmental education and education for sustainable development to enhance awareness and competencies for sustainability-driven consumer choices, entrepreneurship, greater corporate social responsibility and promoting viable business models; (iv) exploration and promotion of pathways that provide opportunities for all stakeholders to participate in a well-being economy; (v) overcoming the inertia of existing unsustainable technologies and vested interests and (vi) economic instruments that set a price on pollution. {23.11, 24.3}


Transformative change requires adaptive policy, the creation of an enabling environment for niche innovations and the removal of barriers to change (established, but incomplete). Political, institutional and lifestyle changes can enable a sustainable and inclusive transition to environmental sustainability. Local- scale policy experiments provide space for policy tailoring and innovation that is closely monitored, and also allow for the inclusion of systems of local and indigenous knowledge for improved environmental management. Redress for environmental degradation through legal mechanisms such as access to courts and justice also provide an important mechanism for ensuring inclusive access to a clean and healthy environment for all. {23.11, 24.2}


Participatory approaches can help decision-makers and non-State actors to identify and pursue innovative solutions towards sustainability (established but incomplete). Participatory and grassroots approaches could provide a useful set of initiatives and aspirational visions, pathways and solutions from stakeholders to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and multilateral environmental agreements. That includes inclusive innovation, in which power and decision-making is relatively decentralized and externalities are internalized. Furthermore, such approaches can highlight gaps and blind spots in distributional equity, responsibility and capacity to address global environmental problems and their solutions. Participatory approaches can help to deliver context-relevant solutions. For example, decentralized renewable energy and microgrids fit neatly into many bottom-up sustainable visions that challenge traditionally modelled large- scale, centralized energy transitions. Accounting for regional differences, gender and other demographics are important for assessing and addressing problems, including the need for disaggregated data. Sustainable Development Goal policy design and implementation requires alignment of the collective well- being of actors from the local to other levels, taking into account in particular the needs of the vulnerable and most marginalized in society. Information and communications technology can drive change, if risks such as privacy are minimized. {23.9.2, 23.14, 24.3.5}


Strengthened international cooperation, including support to least developed countries, is needed to tackle this agenda (well established). International cooperation and support, coupled with financial commitment and international funding,


Changing the path we are on 21


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