Dr Souran Chatterjee, from the University of Plymouth, has made a major contribution to a second United Nations report exploring the best ways of harnessing climate change and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) synergies.

It was developed by the UN’s Expert Group on Climate and SDG Synergy, jointly convened by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

With inputs from over 100 multi-stakeholder experts, it emphasises the need for issues affecting the planet to be addressed at both a global and domestic scale.

It also calls for greater focus on enhancing synergies in policy instruments, knowledge sharing, financial mechanisms, and leveraging cities for sustainable development.

Dr Chatterjee, Lecturer in Energy Transitions – Environmental Management & Sustainability, played a significant role in the science team whose research underpins the new report.

It is the second report of this nature he has worked on, with the first – published in September 2023 – saying that aggressively acting on climate and development in an integrated way would create important opportunities to protect our planet now and in the future.

The new report was developed in conjunction with researchers, local authorities and global organisations – including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – all over the world.

It looks in more detail at how those ambitions can be realised, and includes 10 recommendations designed to achieve the deep transformative changes required.