Economic impact
Why a different approach is needed to assess sector-level impact on SDGs
The article used the agricultural sector as a case. Photo: bernardbodo via Canva.
A new study presents an evidence-based review approach for investors to assess sector-level impacts on individual Sustainable Goals (SDGs), and score these using a traffic-light system.
The new research is based on an assessment of scientific literature documenting the impacts of 81 economic sectors on 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The assessment was developed on behalf of the Swedish bank SEB to support equity investors in aligning their portfolios with the SDGs.
The study was developed by Centre researchers Sofia Maniatakou and Beatrice Crona and a research team from the Global Economics Dynamics and the Biosphere Programme at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and has been published in the Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment.
The findings show that most economic activities negatively impact environmental goals and that natural resource extraction and harvesting sectors are primarily responsible for undermining the majority of SDGs.
Curious to learn more? Find the publication here »
Maniatakou, S., Crona, B., Jean-Charles, I., Ohlsson, M., Lillepold, K. & Causevic, A. 2024. A science-based heuristic to guide sector-level SDG investment strategy. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, 14 (2).
-
New indicators to guide companies towards a sustainable future
Many companies claim to be sustainable, but when Centre researcher Beatrice Crona looked at how they measure sustainability, she found that they often map the wrong things.
-
Powerful financial giants could play vital role in preventing the next...
A relatively small number of powerful financial institutions, such as investment companies, pension funds, and banks could help accelerate actions that mitigate the risks of new pandemics
