Approach for characterizing technology- and infrastructure-induced linkages between sustainable development goals

Technology and infrastructure investments targeting a primary sustainable development goal (SDG) can impact other SDGs. Understanding how linkages are shaped by technology characteristics is vital to design efforts that deliberately leverage co-benefits and mitigate SDG trade-offs. Here, we present a protocol to conceptualize and identify technology-induced linkages. We describe steps for selecting and disaggregating technologies into SDG-relevant impact categories, conceptualizing linkages, and defining scope and scenario. We then detail procedures for computing metrics for a technology's potential to influence linkages. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Klemun et al.(1).