Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development

The UNRISD programme on Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development focuses on understanding, analysing and engaging with processes of policy change that can tackle unsustainable practices, climate change and inequalities. The work entails attention to the intersectionality of social, environmental and economic issues at different levels of governance, in support of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Current work in the programme aims to uncover mismatches between the ambitious aspirations of the 2030 Agenda and actual processes of implementation, and to build the evidence base that is needed for progressive change and integrated (eco-social) solutions in order to achieve the transformation to sustainability and equity. In an eco-social approach to policy making and implementation, economic activities are a means to an end of social equity and environmental sustainability. Eco-social policies foster sustainability through simultaneously focusing on social and environmental goals, and promoting an integrated approach to tackling challenges related to environmental degradation and climate change.

Two main lines of work under the broad framing of climate justice are pursued: Just Transition and Transformative Adaptation. Both of these areas build on the work on transformative eco-social policies undertaken for the UNRISD Flagship Report, Policy Innovations for Transformative Change, and continue the analysis of environmental and social policy linkages and pathways for transformations to sustainability and equity.

Social and solidarity economy, an integrative, people-centred and planet-sensitive approach, puts sustainable development at the centre of its activities. Through several research projects in its portfolio of work on SSE, UNRISD is assessing the institutional and policy environments for SSE at global, regional, national and local levels, and exploring the different ways SSE is contributing to the implementation and achievement of the SDGs.

Additionally, with a new office and work programme in Bonn, Integrating Knowledge and Capacity Development for the SDGs, UNRISD aims to create new interagency collaborations and strengthen research-uptake linkages by integrating knowledge and skills development, making sure our research feeds into training and capacity development activities and is informed by their needs.

Projects

Promoting SSE through Public Policies: Guidelines for Local Governments

Sustainable Development Performance Indicators

Transformative Adaptation to Climate Change in Coastal Cities

Just Transition Research Collaborative (Phase II): Cities in Transition—Urban Struggles for Just Transition(s)

Just Transition Research Collaborative (Phase I): Mapping Just Transition(s) to a Low-Carbon World

Social and Solidarity Economy for the SDGs: Spotlight on the Social Economy in Seoul

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Protecting Vulnerable Urban Groups in Contentious Times: The Role of SSE

SSE Knowledge Hub for the SDGs

Opportunities and Challenges of Statistics on Social and Solidarity Economy

Feminist Analysis of Social and Solidarity Economy Practices: Views from Latin America and India

Social Dimensions of Green Economy and Sustainable Development

Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy


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