Climate Change, Sustainable Forest Management, ICT Nexus, and the SDG 2030: A Systems Thinking Approach

Abstract

The 2030 global agenda for sustainable development integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions, emphasizing peace, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment. The SDG framework, consisting of 17 goals, 169 targets (SDTs), and 231 indicators (SDIs), forms a complex, interconnected network that necessitates extensive research. Despite prior studies on SDG interlinkages, the integration of Climate Change (CC), Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), collectively known as CSI Nexus, remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by identifying SDTs aligned with CC, SFM, and ICT (CSI) and analyzing their linkages within the SDG framework using a systems thinking approach. The objectives are to (1) investigate and identify SDTs connected with the CSI Nexus and (2) assess the significant relationship between and among CC, SFM, and ICT. The primary method involves a simplified meta-analysis and systems thinking approach incorporating content analysis, network visualization, affiliation matrix mapping, frequency distributions, and Spearman’s rho correlation. Results reveal 56 SDTs directly connected within CC + SFM + ICT, 16 within CC + SFM, one within SFM + ICT, and 51 within ICT + CC. The analysis indicates CC is significantly associated with SFM, while ICT has no significant association with CC and SFM, asserting minimal influence of ICT and SFM on the SDG 2030 framework. This research provides significant insights for decision-makers and stakeholders, contributing as a science-informed guide for priority-setting, policy coherence, and decision-making supporting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals across sectors.