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In March, the University of Sussex, led by the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP), hosted the third in a series of events from the ongoing tripartite collaboration between the University of Sussex, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and the University of Ghana which focuses on international research cooperation.

The event brought together researchers to discuss synergy drivers, integrated solutions designed to fast-track the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how to make the policies count with the limited time and resources available. Chaired by Dr Hikima Baah from the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), the participants shared research and real-world experience, with the aim of moving beyond traditional, siloed approaches to development toward highly integrated, multi-impact policies and positive results across multiple global targets.

The keynote speaker, Professor Joseph Alcamo, Director of the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP), introduced synergy drivers as evidence-based policies that advance multiple SDGs simultaneously and described these drivers as an engine for the final phase of SDG implementation. He pointed to clean cookstove programmes as one of many examples, being a single intervention that simultaneously and substantively reduces health-threatening indoor air pollution (SDG 3), empowers women (SDG 5), lessens deforestation, and protects the climate (SDG 13).  His remarks drew on the recent report “ Synergy Drivers for Accelerating the SDGs ” funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and produced by the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme.

A Tripartite Perspective on Impact - Panellist Insights & Case Studies:

From solar-powered cooling in Nigeria to forest-linked health clinics, the panel demonstrated how the synergy drivers are already at work:

• Professor Albert Ahenkan (University of Ghana) argued that progress often stalls because water, energy, and climate are managed by separate ministries. By treating them as an interconnected nexus, Ghana can use renewable energy to power irrigation, securing both food and water for the future, and can optimise infrastructure, such as using renewable energy to power water irrigation, thereby boosting food security and climate resilience simultaneously.
• Dr John Thompson (IDS - Institute of Development Studies - SSRP) redefined social safety nets not just as charity, but as essential infrastructure. He used the LEAP (Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty) program to show that the program creates a triple win, using cash transfers to reduce immediate poverty while ensuring children stay in school and families access healthcare.
• Sephora Imomoh (University of Sussex - SSRP) presented evidence that when women lead green energy businesses, the benefits double. These businesses do more than provide electricity; they provide women with technical skills and economic independence, which research shows is a direct deterrent to gender-based violence and a driver for community-wide SDG adoption.
• Dr Jo Middleton (Brighton and Sussex Medical School - SSRP) shared the success of the Planetary Health approach. By establishing health clinics in or near conservation areas, researchers found that local communities were less likely to engage in illegal logging or poaching because their immediate well-being was tied to the presence of the conservation-linked health services.
• Representing industry, Dr Patrick Agese (PAM Africa Energy Group) provided his insight and argued that the technology is only a driver if people can afford it. His work on Solar Battery Hubs and So-Cool kiosks focuses on solving the affordability gap and providing green energy to the 30,000+ people who need it the most.

The event included breakout sessions during which the conversation shifted from theory to the reality of delivery. Participants noted that while synergy drivers are powerful on paper, they often hit a stumbling block during implementation because they don't fit into traditional departmental boxes. For example, a program that links forest conservation with public health requires coordination and shared funding between two traditionally separate ministries. The group concluded that for these synergies to last, there is a need for synergy-ready infrastructure, including clearer definitions of cross-departmental roles and new finance models that allow different sectors to invest in a single, shared outcome.

What is Next

To ensure the momentum from this event translates into policy change, the partners agreed that their shared experience should lead to collaborative outputs such as a scoping paper to map out synergy drivers and other high-impact strategies across Sub-Saharan Africa. Such a document would provide an evidence base to support International, national and local activities, and would catalyse further research on integrated sustainability solutions. Another useful output would be a co-authored policy brief aimed at key international players, such as the UK International Development Fund, the Ghanaian Ministry of Finance and similar, which would summarise the principles discussed at this meeting and provide recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders.

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