Atmospheric emissions pose significant challenges to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As key sources of emissions, cities are also critical actors in driving sustainable transitions. Their performance on emission-related SDG indicators is shaped not only by local factors but also by inter-city interactions. However, the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of these interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate inter-city SDG interactions across 4,116 cities worldwide from 2010 to 2020, and simulate SDG performance under five interaction scenarios, including isolated and collaborative conditions. Results reveal that a 10% improvement in SDG 11.6 (particulate matter), SDG 12.4 (gaseous pollutants), and SDG 13.2 (greenhouse gases) in other cities can boost the focal city’s performance by 0.450%, 0.390%, and 0.200%, respectively. Most cities (93.51%) are influenced by other cities. Inter-city coordination can improve SDG performance by 10.81% compared to isolated efforts. These findings highlight the importance of coordinated strategies to enhance urban sustainability. Emission-related SDG performance is not just a local issue but shaped by interconnected urban systems, as impacts like greenhouse gases and air pollution cross borders. Inter-city coordination improves outcomes by 11% compared to isolated efforts.
Xiao et al. (Fri,) studied this question.