Editorial: Climate–Development Synergy Could Unlock Major Savings, UN Report Finds 

The report, Harnessing Climate and SDG Synergy: Quantifying the Benefits, was published ahead of the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week and the Climate Ambition Summit in New York. It was produced by an independent expert group convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The study arrives amid growing concern over the slow pace of progress towards both the Paris Agreement climate goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with current annual financing gaps estimated at over $4 trillion for the SDGs and $6 trillion for climate targets.

In a joint foreword, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell described the climate and development challenges as “deeply interconnected”. They said the report demonstrates that a unified approach offers “a roadmap” to more effective solutions.

“Let us seize this moment of opportunity for transformative change – for people and planet,” the two leaders wrote.

According to the expert group’s modelling, aligning climate and development investments—rather than treating them as separate issues could reduce required public expenditure by up to 37%. The analysis is based on the cost of implementing countries’ current climate pledges (known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs), alongside improvements in the Human Development Index.

By incorporating biodiversity and health-focused policies into NDCs, the report suggests, governments can maximise co-benefits. These include reducing emissions while improving urban health through lower air pollution.

“Fragmentation across governance, finance, and policy continues to hinder progress,” the report notes, calling for structural reforms to enable more inclusive and effective action.

Private Sector Engagement Key

The report argues that creating clear economic value through integrated policies can help mobilise private investment. By aligning incentives and reducing risk, governments can attract private capital to amplify public spending.

Among the strategies identified, nature-based solutions like restoring ecosystems could deliver up to 37% of cost-effective carbon reductions by 2030. Meanwhile, city-level measures such as phasing out fossil fuels and promoting cycling, walking, and plant-based diets were highlighted for their dual benefits to health and climate.

The report also emphasises the role of disaster insurance in building resilience. In Africa, where only 0.5% of disaster losses are currently insured, each 1% increase in coverage is estimated to bring countries 5.8% closer to meeting their SDGs.

The publication of the report comes at a critical juncture. Countries are currently updating their NDCs ahead of the 2025 deadline, and the recommendations are expected to feature prominently in discussions at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil this November.

The 17-member expert group behind the report is co-chaired by Luis Gomez Echeverri of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Heidi Hackmann of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions at Stellenbosch University.

They plan to expand their analysis in future editions by incorporating social impacts, including estimates of lives saved through synergistic policies.

This is the third global report from the group, building on previous research and a growing evidence base showing that integrated climate and development action is not only more efficient but essential.