Editing IPCC:AR6/WGIII/Chapter-1 (section)

=== 1.6.1 The Climate Change and Development Connection ===

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Climate change mitigation is one of many goals that societies pursue in the context of sustainable development, as evidenced by the wide range of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Climate change and sustainable development, as well as development more broadly, are interwoven along multiple and complex lines of relationship ( [[#Okereke--2009|Okereke et al. 2009]] ; [[#Fankhauser--2016|Fankhauser and McDermott 2016]] ; [[#Okereke--2017|Okereke and Massaquoi 2017]] ; [[#Gomez-Echeverri--2018a|Gomez-Echeverri 2018a]] ), as highlighted in several previous IPCC reports ( [[#IPCC--2007|IPCC 2007]] , 2011a, 2014a, 2018b, 2019a). With its significant negative impact on natural systems, food security and infrastructure, loss of lives and territories, species extinction, conflict health, among several other risks, climate change poses a serious threat to development and wellbeing in both rich and poor countries ( [[#IPCC--2007|IPCC 2007]] , 2011a, 2014a, 2018b, 2019b). Without serious efforts at mitigation and adaptation, climate change could push millions further into poverty and limit the opportunities for economic development (Chapters 4 and 17). It follows that ambitious climate mitigation is necessary to secure a safe climate within which development and well-being can be pursued and sustained.

At the same time, rapid and large-scale economic development (which has in the past driven climate change through land-use change and dependence on fossil fuels), is widely seen as needed to improve global well-being and lift millions especially in low- and middle-income countries out of poverty ( [[#Chen--2017|Chen et al. 2017]] ; [[#Mugambiwa--2017|Mugambiwa and Tirivangasi 2017]] ; [[#Lu--2019|Lu et al. 2019]] ; [[#Baarsch--2020|Baarsch et al. 2020]] ) (Figure 1.6). This strand of literature emphasises the importance of economic growth including for tackling climate change itself, pointing to the relationship between economic development and climate resilience as well as the role of industry-powered technologies such as electric vehicles in reducing GHG levels and promoting well-being ( [[#Heinrichs--2014|Heinrichs et al. 2014]] ; [[#Kasztelan--2017|Kasztelan 2017]] ). Yet, others argue that the character of social and economic development produced by the nature of capitalist society ( [[#Pelling--2011|Pelling and Manuel-Navarrete 2011]] ; Koch 2012; [[#Malm--2016|Malm 2016]] ) is ultimately unsustainable.

There are at least two major implications of the very close link between climate change and development as outlined above. The first is that the choice of development paths made by countries and regions have significant consequences for GHG emissions and efforts to combat climate change (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5 and 14). The second is that climate mitigation at local, national and global levels cannot be effectively achieved by a narrow focus on ‘climate-specific’ sectors, actors and policies, but rather through a much broader attention to the mix of development choices and the resulting development paths and trajectories ( [[#O’Neill--2014|O’Neill et al. 2014]] ) (Chapters 4, 6 and 10).

As a key staple of IPCC reports and the global climate policy landscape ( [[#IPCC--2007|IPCC 2007]] , [[#IPCC--2014b|2014b]] ; [[#van%20Vuuren--2017|van Vuuren et al. 2017]] ; [[#Gidden--2019|Gidden et al. 2019]] ; [[#Quilcaille--2019|Quilcaille et al. 2019]] ) (Chapter 2), integrated assessment models and global scenarios (such as the Shared Socio-economic Pathways – SSPs) highlight the interaction between development paths, climate change and emission stabilisation ( [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-3#3.6|Section 3.6]] ). The close links are also recognised in the PA ( [[#1.3.1|Section 1.3.1]] ).

The impact of climate change in limiting well-being is most acutely felt by the world’s poorest people, communities, and nations, who have the smallest carbon footprint, constrained capacity to respond and limited voice in important decision-making circles ( [[#Okereke--2015|Okereke and Ehresman 2015]] ; [[#Tosam--2015|Tosam and Mbih 2015]] ; [[#Mugambiwa--2017|Mugambiwa and Tirivangasi 2017]] ). The wide variation in the contribution to, and impact of climate change within and across countries makes equity, inequality, justice, and poverty eradication, inescapable aspects of the relationship between sustainable development and climate change ( [[#Okereke--2016|Okereke and Coventry 2016]] ; [[#Klinsky--2017|Klinsky et al. 2017]] ; [[#Reckien--2017|Reckien et al. 2017]] ; [[#Bos--2019|Bos and Gupta 2019]] ; [[#Kayal--2019|Kayal et al. 2019]] ; [[#Diffenbaugh--2019|Diffenbaugh and Burke 2019]] ; [[#Baarsch--2020|Baarsch et al. 2020]] ). This underpins the conclusion, as commonly expressed, that climate action needs to be pursued in the context of sustainable development, equity and poverty eradication ( [[#Smit--2001|Smit et al. 2001]] ; [[#Tschakert--2005|Tschakert and Olsson 2005]] ; [[#IPCC--2014a|IPCC 2014a]] , [[#IPCC--2018b|IPCC 2018b]] ; [[#Klinsky--2014|Klinsky and Winkler 2014]] ).

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