Developing Pathways to Sustainability: Fulfilling Human Needs and Aspirations while Maintaining Human Life Support Systems

Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) are introduced, and integrated population and human capital scenarios for joint analysis of human development, coping with environmental changes, and securing human lifesupport systems are considered. Incorporating environmental feedbacks on economic growth is discussed. These scenarios are linked with the SDGs ashighlighted by IIASA’s ‘The World in 2050’ framework (a broad transformational narrative; targets and indicators for 2030, 2050 and beyond;and sustainable development pathways). Developments to obtain more integrated sustainability pathways could include integrating feedbacks from environmental damages into demographic and education projections; and further integrating demographic, education, and income projections. A gender aspect could be considered. Modelling assessments of sustainability pathways can be enhanced. Quantitative scenarios for SDGs related to human development can be improved and better integrated with indicators for other SDGs. Societal changes, the evolution of human needs, and possible changes in governance could be better integrated into modelling.