Opportunities and threats of cryosphere change to the achievement of UN 2030 SDGs

Abstract

The cryosphere plays a critical role in maintaining the stability of the social-ecological system, but rapid cryosphere changes have been and are wide-ranging and have a profound affect, even threatening the achievement of the UN’s 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs). In the study, we review the opportunities and threats caused by cryosphere changes in achieving the SDGs. The results reveal that cryosphere changes are significantly related to the supply of sustainable fresh water (SDG 6), alpine hydropower (SDG 7), and climate action (SDG 13). In addition, they favorably support life on land and below water (SDG 14-15), and effectively affect the livelihoods (SDG 1-5), agricultural development (SDG 2), snow/ice tourism (SDG 8), infrastructure (SDG 9), regional inequality (SDG 10), and cities and communities (SDG 11), as well as affecting Arctic shipping routes (SDG 16). Long-term cryosphere threats far outweigh their contributions to the SDGs. The cryosphere contributes little to human emissions, but it is significantly affected by climate change. Areas affected by cryosphere changes need to strengthen resilience and enhance the ability to adapt to the influences of cryosphere changes (SDG 1-17) via financial transfer, multilateral international cooperation, and other practical policies.