Climate & Environment
Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS)
Definition
The Sustainable Development Scenario was an IEA World Energy Outlook scenario (used through the 2020 edition) describing an energy system pathway consistent with achieving the energy-related SDGs: universal energy access (SDG 7), sharp improvements in air quality, and Paris Agreement climate objectives. It was superseded from 2021 by the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, which sharpened the climate trajectory to 1.5 °C; SDS-era analysis remains widely cited in earlier literature.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS)” is defined and used.
Source imported for editorial provenance.
Overview
How it is used
The scenario appears in pre-2021 research and policy baselines; current analysis uses the NZE and APS.
Why it matters
The SDS was the bridge between the SDGs and the net zero era in energy modelling — a milestone in scenario history.