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Nascimento et al.
263 Sustainability in Debate - Brasília, v. 15, n.2, p. 263-277, ago/2024
ISSN-e 2179-9067
Synergies among the Sustainable Development
Goals: emphasis on integrang water
management and tourism
Sinergias entre os Objevos de Desenvolvimento
Sustentável: ênfase na gestão integrada
da água e do turismo
Regina Célia Macêdo do Nascimento 1
Priscila Marcon 2
Milena Sciascio Ghidini 3
Roberta Dias de Moraes Ribeiro 4
Fernanda Vale de Sousa 5
Frederico Yuri Hanai 6
1 PhD in Environmental Sciences, Researcher, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais,
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
E-mail: nascimento.regina@live.com
2 PhD in Environmental Sciences, Researcher, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais,
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
E-mail: primarconi86@gmail.com
3 Master in Environmental Sciences, PhD Student, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais,
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
E-mail: milenasg@estudante.ufscar.br
4 PhD in Environmental Sciences, Researcher, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais,
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
E-mail: robertaribeiro@ufscar.br
5 Master in Environmental Sciences, Researcher, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais,
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
E-mail: fernandavaleap@gmail.com
6 PhD in Environmental Engineering Sciences, Professor, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais,
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
E-mail: fredyuri@ufscar.br
doi:10.18472/SustDeb.v15n2.2024.52326
Received: 20/01/2024
Accepted: 01/07/2024
ARTICLE – VARIA
Synergies among the Sustainable
Development Goals: emphasis on integrang
water management and tourism
264
Sustainability in Debate - Brasília, v. 15, n.2, p. 263-277, ago/2024 ISSN-e 2179-9067
ABSTRACT
This study explores the synergies between water management and tourism, analysing the relaonship
among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A Focus Group (FG) was used to gather in-depth and
unique reecons and generate discussions and interpretaons on the topics. The data collected was
analysed using Textual Discourse Analysis (TDA), and four categories were thus determined: (i) Dignity,
equity and jusce, (ii) Socio-biodiversity, (iii) Cizen educaon, and (iv) Environmentally and socially
sustainable economic producon. Based on water management and tourism, 170 relaonships were
found between the SDGs. Six of the 17 goals connected with all the other SDGs, namely SDGs 3, 6, 8, 11,
13 and 17. The dialecc relaonship between water conservaon and sustainable tourism development
is a suitable way to enhance the 2030 Agenda and help build synergies to achieve its goals in an integrated
and transdisciplinary way.
Keywords: SDG. Water Management. Sustainable Tourism. Conservaon. Connecons.
RESUMO
O argo explora as sinergias entre a gestão hídrica e o turismo por meio da análise de relações entre
os Objevos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS). Com um Grupo Focal (GF), coletaram-se reexões,
discussões e interpretações profundas e singulares sobre as temácas pesquisadas. Os dados coletados
foram analisados aplicando a Análise Textual Discursiva. Assim, foram determinadas categorias de
análise: (i) Dignidade, equidade e jusça, (ii) Sociobiodiversidade, (iii) Formação cidadã, e (iv) Produção
econômica ambiental e socialmente sustentável. Tendo como base a gestão hídrica e o turismo, foram
encontradas 170 relações entre os ODS. Dos 17 objevos, seis apresentaram conexões com todos os
demais ODS, sendo eles os ODS 3, 6, 8, 11, 13 e 17. Assim, a relação dialéca entre a conservação hídrica
e o desenvolvimento do turismo sustentável é um caminho oportuno para potencializar a Agenda 2030
e auxiliar na construção de sinergias para alcançar objevos de forma integrada e transdisciplinar.
Palavras-chave: ODS. Gestão Hídrica. Turismo Sustentável. Conservação. Conexões.
1 INTRODUCTION
Strengthening the relaonship between water management and tourism is essenal for sustainable
development because while in some places the presence of water can make tourism thrive, in others,
where this acvity is promoted on a larger scale, tourism can cause unsustainable water usage and
management (Macedo et al., 2020; Uribe et al., 2020). Water, in all of its dierent forms, is essenal
for life on the planet (Westall; Brack, 2018); thus, it must exist in adequate quality to enable the
specicies of its various uses (e.g. nutrion, recreaon, hygiene) (Ashraf; Hanaah, 2019). However,
recognising water's indispensability to life does not prevent human acvies from causing negave
impacts, reducing water availability and quality.
Water stress is a global concern aecng various regions of the world, with approximately 40% of the
world's populaon suering from water scarcity (Unesco, 2021). This is due to several factors, including
the excessive use of water resources in economic acvies such as tourism and agriculture (Antanova
et al., 2021; Unesco, 2021), making both of these sectors highly dependent on the condions of
water resources. In this context, sustainable tourism is emerging as one of the soluons to changes in
water quality and availability, as it seeks to reconcile economic development with the conservaon of
ecosystems (Ekka et al., 2023).
Natural resources play a crucial role in developing tourism and preserving biodiversity, especially
in a global scenario characterised by increasing loss of biological diversity. Fauna, ora, and water
resources are key to aracng tourism and promong local economic development (Meng, 2021).
Thus, sustainable planning and environmental educaon are essenal to ensure harmony between
tourism and environmental conservaon, avoiding negave impacts.
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265 Sustainability in Debate - Brasília, v. 15, n.2, p. 263-277, ago/2024
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As a result, the interconnecon between water resources, tourism and conservaon requires a holisc
approach and a broad debate to ensure that tourism thrives in a sustainable manner and guarantees
the preservaon of natural resources since the absence of integrated management and proper planning
undermines this objecve. Responsible tourism pracces should, therefore, be promoted, and tourists
should be made aware of the importance of sustainability (Irawan; Hartoyo, 2022; Lopes; Santos, 2014)
so that tourism is developed ethically, reducing its negave impacts and focusing on the experience
and learning of the natural environment. Tourism, therefore, is one of the key acvies for achieving
sustainable development as it promotes human well-being in dierent ways (Dweyer, 2022). Tourism's
relaonship with water goes beyond the health and happiness of tourists since it aects the quality and
quanty of natural resources available in regions that suer direct and indirect eects of this acvity.
As a human acvity and an important economic source, tourism establishes direct and indirect relaons
with other sectors since tourists can economically and socially drive several municipalies and even
enre regions. Therefore, to achieve sustainable and ecient tourism management, the roots of
conicts should be idened, and we must seek soluons that maximise the posive impacts of this
acvity (Perkumienè et al., 2020). Starng with an integrated vision based on sustainable development,
it is then possible to establish synergisc relaonships between water management and tourism. This,
therefore, means that strengthening water management and sustainable tourism is linked to the
proposals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UN's 2030 Agenda is a coordinated eort to make a series of internaonal commitments in the
area of sustainability. This Agenda incorporates the need to broaden the aims and objecves of global
acons, in parcular, to address socio-environmental and sustainability issues (Saito, 2021). It consists
of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets, represenng a global benchmark for
developing sustainability pracces. Recognising the interconnecon between poverty, hunger, health,
educaon and the environment, the implementaon of the SDGs as an "indivisible whole" is crucial to
the success of the Agenda (Weiland et al., 2021).
In this way, the 17 SDGs form an integrated system; they idenfy that an acon in one area generates
impacts in others and that sustainable development must balance social, economic, and environmental
aspects, requiring a coordinated global eort. This integrated approach seeks to overcome problems
due to fragmentaon and promote posive interacons between each SDG. However, each of the
SDGs and their respecve targets can either boost or hinder the achievement of others (Anderson;
Denich; Warchold, 2022). therefore, their implementaon is complex and challenging, as it requires
coordinaon between dierent countries, governments, and actors (Libório, 2021; Weiland et al.,
2021), as well as being universal, ambious and mulfaceted (Swain; Ranganathan, 2021).
This study, therefore, explored synergisc pathways between water management and sustainable
tourism by analysing the relaonships between the involved SDGs. The use of the SDGs as an analycal
resource is jused by the inherent integraon already displayed in the 17 SDGs, developed to be
pursued jointly to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity
by 2030 (UN, n.d.). Indicang these pathways may also boost the progress of the 2030 Agenda.
2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 FOCUS GROUP
The Focus Group (FG) technique was applied to idenfy the relaonships between water management
and the SDGs. This methodology allows researchers to interact, reect and discuss a certain theme,
generang data through the group's statements, unique views, experiences and percepons (Borges;
Santos, 2005; Busanello et al., 2013; Ressel et al., 2008).
Synergies among the Sustainable
Development Goals: emphasis on integrang
water management and tourism
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The FG was carried out with 20 researchers, 13 female and 7 males, with dierent backgrounds
(environmental and biological sciences, tourism, geography, pedagogy, social sciences, environmental
and urban engineering) in three meengs in November 2023. The authors of this study are members
of the Sustenta Research Group at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), aimed at exchanging,
integrang, developing and converging reecons and studies on sustainability and environmental
management and their relaonship with the economy, society and the environment. In this way, the
choice of experts for the FG was made possible by the contact within the Sustenta Research Group,
with researchers who develop acvies related to the addressed themes from dierent perspecves
of training and work.
As indicated by Debus (1994) and Lopes (2014), there should be at least one point of convergence
between the FG parcipants. In this case, all the researchers carry out work related to water. In order to
beer smulate parcipaon and extract the dierent points of view of the parcipants, the group was
divided into 4 sub-groups, with 5 parcipants each. The larger group was subdivided because smaller
groups can deepen discussions and generate more content (Corrêa et al., 2021; Gil, 2002).
Subsequently, the 17 SDGs were divided among the 4 sub-groups, and 3 of these sub-groups
addressed 4 SDGs each, with the fourth group focusing on 5 SDGs. This structure allowed for in-depth
discussions on the interconnecons between the SDGs and water management. Parcipants also
explored and examined the major contribuons made by integrated water resources management
and sustainable tourism in the context of the SDGs. This analysis involved an in-depth reecon
on how these pracces can act as drivers for the goal’s achievement, highlighng their individual
relevance and their synergisc interacons that can signicantly advance towards a broader and
more holisc sustainable development.
2.2 TEXTUAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
Based on the interacons, reecons, discussions, interpretaons, tesmonies, visions, experiences
and percepons of the FG, the Textual Discourse Analysis (TDA) was applied to analyse the SDGs.
According to Moraes and Galiazzi (2006), this type of analysis helps to infer and create relaonships
according to the research quesons, making it possible to reect on the synergisc pathways among
water management, sustainable tourism and the SDGs.
TDA combines elements of content and discourse analysis. This method consists of seconing texts
into meaningful units, which will then be categorised, resulng in dierent categories for analysis. The
process includes interpreng the meaning aributed by the authors and arculang similar meanings.
TDA is fundamentally a wring process that moves from empirical to theorecal abstracon, generang
analycal metatexts. In the context of analysis, the importance of deconstrucon stands out, a movement
of dismantling exisng meanings followed by the organised reconstrucon of units of meaning, leading to
a deeper understanding of science and the object of research (Moraes; Galiazzi, 2006).
Thus, using this methodological approach, the answers presented and collected by the FG were
analysed, allowing for deeper and unique interpretaons based on reecons on the research themes,
in which ideas emerged, not only through textual analysis but also through in-depth understanding
and the construcon of meaningful knowledge. By taking these answers apart and interpreng them,
it was possible to explore detailed layers of connecons between them and thus infer categories
(presented below in topic 3.2). Subsequently, a meta-text was drawn up which synthesises the
connecons and discussions found, providing a comprehensive view of the phenomena invesgated.
The TDA process was carried out using the Atlas. version 9 program for the Windows operang
system plaorm. The use of this resource was necessary to analyse unstructured data (Friese, 2021)
similar to that collected in the FG.
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3 RESULTS
The analysis resulted in a network of interacons among the SDGs, as well as a synthesis of how water
management and tourism can contribute to the implementaon of the 2030 Agenda and vice versa.
This was possible because of the connecons between the targets set for each goal. These
interrelaonships, considered to be posive, enhance the achievement of the SDGs since progress
on one goal creates synergisc condions and scenarios for the progress of another and vice versa. It
should be noted that the connecons established in this arcle were obtained via an FG.
3.1 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The experts who took part in the FG found 170 links between the SDGs. Of the 17 goals, six had
connecons with all the other SDGs, namely SDG 3 (Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Drinking Water and
Sanitaon), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cies and Communies),
SDG 13 (Acon on Global Climate Change) and SDG 17 (Partnerships and Means of Implementaon).
Further, the FG idened connecons based on the understanding that to achieve the goals of the
SDGs; they must feed back into each other to add up the eorts made to meet each goal. To achieve
SDG 1, for example, supporng sectors such as agriculture, food availability, work and educaon for the
most vulnerable populaons is essenal. Therefore, to reach SDG 1, the goals, objecves and indicators
of SDGs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 16 also need to be met.
The experts also highlighted SDGs with fewer links (14 and 15), such as SDG 14 (Life on Water), which
was linked only to SDGs 6 and 7 (Clean Energy), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), which is associated with SDG
2 (Zero Hunger). Despite these few connecons, the experts stress the importance of all the SDGs, given
the complex interconnecons that must be observed so that the 2030 Agenda can be accomplished.
In order to summarise and represent the amplitude of results obtained in the FG, a graphical
representaon was drawn up (Figure 1), indicang the relaonships found between the SDGs. Arrows
were used to describe the connecons between the SDGs and represented with the colours and
numbers used by the UN. Further, the six SDGs (3, 6, 8, 11, 13 and 17) related to all the other objecves
are represented outside the blue circle so their connecons can be beer visualised.
Figure 1 – Graphical representaon of the relaonships between the Sustainable Development Goals. SDGs 6,
8, 11, 13 and 17 are highlighted, as they are connected with all the other SDGs
Source: Own authorship (2024).
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Development Goals: emphasis on integrang
water management and tourism
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Figure 1 shows the diversity and complexity of the relaonships between the SDGs, given the signicant
number of arrows. SDG 6 was one of the goals with the most interacons with other SDGs. As for the
other goals, there was low connecvity with SDGs 14 and 15, as shown.
Given the complex network of interacons obtained and presented in Figure 1, the results were also
represented horizontally (Figure 2) to visualise details of the connecons established between the
SDGs, making it easier to idenfy those with the highest and lowest number of menoned relaonships.
In Figure 2, the columns represent each SDG, while the rows indicate their respecve relaonships
indicated by the FG
Figure 2 – Horizontal representaon of the relaonships found among the SDGs
Source: Own authorship (2024).
Figure 2 highlights the absence of some relaonships, represented by the empty spaces. However,
there may sll be possibilies of indirect interacons that can contribute to achieving the SDGs of the
2030 Agenda, especially since six of the seventeen SDGs have connecons with all the goals. Another
relevant aspect is the number of mes each SDG appears in the lines of the interacons. Only SDGs 12,
13 and 14 are repeated less than 10 mes between the connecons, indicang the need for integrated
acon between the dierent fronts covered by the SDGs.
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These results also make it possible to explore the synergies between water management, sustainable
tourism acvies, and eorts to implement the 2030 Agenda since synergies and common paths were
menoned to jusfy each specic relaonship.
When looking for synergies between tourism and the SDGs, three SDGs were idened that are directly
related to this acvity: SDGs 8, 12 and 14. SDG 8 is inuenced by tourism due to its impact on global
economic growth, as it is one of the acvies that drives the economy, especially in the service sector.
Regarding SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumpon and Producon), emphasis was placed on the inuence
of tourism on consumpon paerns, both for tourists and for local communies, so sustainable
consumpon pracces should be adopted. SDG 14 (Life in Water) was seen as a condion for ensuring
that tourism is developed in an integrated way with coastal management, focusing on the conservaon
of marine ecosystems.
By analysing the synergies between integrated water management and the SDGs, we idened that
SDGs 1 (Eradicaon of Poverty), 6 (Drinking Water and Sanitaon), 7 (Clean and Aordable Energy),
10 (Reducing Inequalies), 12 (Sustainable Consumpon and Producon) and 14 (Life by Water) stand
out. SDGs 1 and 6 were directly related to water, as guaranteeing access to drinking water in adequate
quanty and quality is essenal for integrated and sustainable management and is, therefore,
fundamental to meeng basic needs. Regarding SDG 7, it was noted that adequate and ecient
access to energy can reduce impacts on water resources. Further, regarding SDG 10, the reducon of
inequalies must also occur when it comes to water management since there must be universal access
to drinking water and sanitaon.
SDG 12 is closely related to the raonal and responsible consumpon of water (reuse, reducon,
alternave sources), as well as reducing sources of polluon and monitoring the quality and quanty
of water, showing a synergisc relaonship with water management. Moreover, the relaonship
with SDG 14 is based on the need for integrated management of water resources, considering all
waters equally, including the conservaon and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources
for sustainable development.
3.2 TEXTUAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS CATEGORIZATION
The TDA deepened the invesgaon of the synergies between water management and tourism as
acvies that enhance the implementaon of the 2030 Agenda. To this end, four categories of analysis
were inially established:
I. Dignity, equity and jusce: promong means (resources) and mechanisms (public policies,
agreements, incenves) that ensure equal dignity for all people (regardless of their race,
sexual orientaon, gender, origin, naonality) to be healthy (physically, mentally, spiritually,
environmentally);
II. Socio-biodiversity: protecon of biological diversity (fauna and ora), as well as social diversity
(worldviews, cultural, spiritual, relaonships, polics), as a basis for maintaining the ecological
balance of the Earth's systems, and a strategy for resilience in the face of the consequences of
climate change and other alteraons to the Earth's balance;
Synergies among the Sustainable
Development Goals: emphasis on integrang
water management and tourism
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III. Cizen educaon: training children, adults and older people to encourage crical thinking
about social well-being (with dignity, equity and jusce for all), social, environmental and
economic sustainability, and the preservaon of natural, social and cultural heritage;
IV. Environmentally and socially sustainable economic producon: producing goods and
providing services that respect the environment, consuming fewer resources, generang less
waste, not contaminang water bodies, soil, air and biota, as well as helping to transform
relaonships in order to preserve socio-biodiversity and natural, social and cultural heritage.
The results of the analysis carried out based on the categories menoned are detailed below. The notes
were organised by highlighng the relaonship between water and the SDGs, the exisng challenges
for water management within the scope of each SDG, and the challenges for tourism within the scope
of each SDG.
3.2.1 RELATIONSHIPS WITH WATER
The groups pointed out the links between water and all the SDGs, reiterang how essenal water
is for sustaining life and promong acvies that establish condions of dignity, equity, jusce and
economic producon.
It is clear from the responses that the relaons with water cut across all the SDGs and, therefore, access
to water of a quality compable with human acvies, as well as care for the maintenance of this asset,
should be the basis for the SDGs.
Most of the links between water and the SDGs (47.1%) regarded the establishment of Dignity, Equity
and Jusce since access to water is essenal for eradicang poverty, promong health, well-being,
gender equality, building a culture of peace and jusce, and reducing inequalies between countries.
All people must have access to basic sanitaon for acon against climate change and for cies and
communies to be transformed into more sustainable (considering social, environmental and economic
aspects) and resilient environments.
Moreover, the groups related a large number of SDGs (35.3%) with Environmentally and Socially
Sustainable Economic Producon due to the need to adapt economic acvies so as to generate less
waste and consume fewer inputs, including electricity, as Brazil’s main source of energy is water. Thus,
more sustainable agricultural, industrial and construcon pracces are needed in order to eradicate
hunger and sustain human populaon growth.
Recognising the importance of water for the protecon of terrestrial and aquac life, the relaonship
between water and the protecon of socio-biodiversity was also idened (11.7%), reinforcing the
need to maintain the complex network between dierent beings and knowledge to keep waters in
suitable condions for their various uses.
Lastly, only SDG 4 was related to Cizen Educaon, represenng 5.9% of the interacons, since the
promoon of an emancipatory, inclusive and crical educaon that deals with the importance of water
encourages relaonships and less harmful uses of natural resources. As a result, learning opportunies
encourage more appropriate pracces in acvies that aect the water situaon, as well as encouraging
acve parcipaon in water management.
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3.2.2 CHALLENGES IN WATER MANAGEMENT
Most challenges related to water management (53%) were issues regarding Dignity, Equity and Jusce.
One of the main challenges listed was the need for higher representaon of the most vulnerable groups
in River Basin Commiees.
One of the key points discussed in trying to solve the problems related to water management is through
Cizen Educaon (17.6%). Raising awareness and educang the populaon about the importance of
water for life, as well as connuously training professionals who work (directly or indirectly) with this
resource, is essenal to promote new and beer pracces. Aer all, through knowledge, environmental
soluons emerge for issues such as water degradaon and polluon, water availability and basic
sanitaon, among others.
When analysing the relaonship with Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Economic Producon
(5.9%), problems related to low investment in water research in its dierent spheres, approaches and
scales were pointed out. In addion, dicules in accessing new technologies were cited, either due to
limitaons in technical or nancial capacity, with municipalies being one of the spheres most aected
by this situaon.
With regards to Socio-biodiversity (23.5%), the challenges related to water management are mainly
due to the need to intensify mediaon of conicts related to water use, increase monitoring of water
quality, and recover degraded areas. These challenges end up being directly or indirectly related to
SDGs 12 and 13, due to the unsustainable economic model adopted by humanity, which causes direct
damage to the environment, including climate issues.
3.2.3 CHALLENGES RELATED TO TOURISM
With regard to the challenges of the SDGs related to tourism, it was noted that the category of
Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Economic Producon stood out, accounng for approximately
47% of the menons. This is because promong tourism as a source of income and economic growth,
integrang it with agricultural policies, and the preservaon of natural heritage can improve the quality
of life of local communies. In addion, encouraging the use of recyclable materials and renewable
energies, saving water and energy, and developing technologies for reusing products represent other
important challenges. Finally, encouraging local tourism and creang sustainable tourism models that
involve the use of sustainable energy, as well as making visits to these sites aracve and educaonal,
are also important challenges.
Aspects related to the Dignity, Equity and Jusce category received 35.3% of menons. In general, the
promoon of sustainable tourism was pointed out as a way of reducing poverty in local communies,
as well as overcoming prejudice and insecurity. However, despite being an acvity with great potenal,
obstacles to its development were highlighted.
The FG aributed another part of the challenges to Cizen Educaon (11.8%), one of the central
points being the lack of educaonal smuli in the sector and the need for a broader approach to
environmental educaon. The absence of a naonal guideline for promong sustainable tourism
management was pointed out, together with conicts in some countries, which are all aspects that
hinder the development of tourism. Therefore, to overcome these obstacles, the group suggested an
investment in educaon on a global scale and promong peace in conicve areas to make tourism
viable. In addion, it is essenal to give an acve voice to society, especially tradional communies,
so that they acvely parcipate in promong sustainable tourism pracces.
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Furthermore, regarding Socio-biodiversity (5.9%), the challenges point to the demand to value forest
terrestrial ecosystems in the context of sustainable tourism, ensuring not only their preservaon but
also the promoon of authenc experiences that allow tourists to establish a physical connecon and
experience the well-being provided by these natural environments. This requires the development of
strategies and pracces that not only aract tourists but also guarantee the long-term conservaon of
these ecosystems while respecng the needs of local communies and the integrity of natural areas.
Among the four categories established by the TDA, the Dignity, Equity and Jusce category stands out
as the one most closely related to water (47.1%) and the challenges of water management (53%). In
addion, this is the second most related category to the challenges of tourism (35.3%). It is, therefore,
clear that the category in queson requires greater aenon and in-depth study, with a focus on
promong and enhancing the 2030 Agenda.
4 DISCUSSION
Looking at the SDGs in a fragmented way is not the best way to achieve sustainability or the proposed
goals. Pradhan et al. (2017) found that SDG 1 has synergies with most of the other goals, corroborang
the results presented here. Aer all, in order to achieve these goals, connecons must be established
between various aspects (improvements in work, health and well-being, equity, and educaon, among
others). In addion, Singh et al. (2018) stated that SDG 14 corroborates SDG 1 and SDG 2 since these
two goals depend on the oceans' sustainability.
Further, Kroll et al. (2019) pointed out that emphasising SDG 1 is an eecve way to achieve the goals
of the 2030 Agenda. By eradicang poverty, not only do people become healthier, but localies also
perform beer in terms of economic development. This enables investment in infrastructure and public
services, contribung to improvements in educaon and other essenal services for the populaon.
Contrasngly, this study points to six SDGs (3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 17) which, if pursued together, can contribute
to the implementaon of the other goals. The idea is not to rank the SDGs but to nd synergies between
them that strengthen the implementaon of the 2030 Agenda, as advocated by Gaertner et al. (2021).
In this sense, the relaonship between water management (SDG 6) and sustainable tourism (SDGs
8 and 11) emerges as a strategic opportunity to promote the integraon and advancement of these
goals simultaneously, taking advantage of the posive interacons between these areas to drive global
progress towards the principles of the 2030 Agenda.
Connecons between water and the SDGs were not restricted to those covered by SDG 6, detailed in
Jacobi et al. (2020). On the contrary, aspects relang to the importance of access to high-quality water
in good quanty for human consumpon and for the promoon of economic acvies were menoned,
as well as the need to improve and implement public policies to integrate water management with
other social sectors, to reduce waste, protect the quality of water and sensise more actors in water
conservaon and sustainability.
Moreover, there were also aspects linked to individual and social well-being, linking water to the
promoon of health (including mental health), aesthecs, spirituality, caring for peers, establishing
social bonds and dierent percepons of life and worldviews. With this, the experts highlighted how
important water is for all the SDGs, reiterang the need for other perspecves to implement the SDGs
(Macpherson, 2023; Maeda, 2023), such as socio-hydrology (Di Baldassarre et al., 2019), which seeks
to grasp the dierent decision-making levels of human nature (Sivapalan et al., 2012; Yu et al., 2022).
In places such as the most vulnerable regions, women are directly associated with water, as they are
responsible for the household (using water for domesc acvies) as well as economic acvies, as
seen with shellsh gatherers. This reinforces how dierent worldviews are needed for people to learn
Nascimento et al.
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how to perceive, relate and be with water, thus intertwining the interdependence of the human and
non-human worlds, as advocated by River Of Life et al. (2021).
Combang the unsustainable use of water resources, the environmental degradaon of marine
resources (especially in tourist areas) and integrang worldviews requires the implementaon of
prevenve and planned measures to maintain an area’s ecosystem funcons. In addion, it is crucial
to value the natural heritage for tourist visitaon, apply environmental compensaon pracces for
unavoidable impacts and promote sustainability concepts.
In line with these principles, public policies for local tourism and water management must be aligned
with the SDGs. To this end, eecve regulaons to control disorderly growth should be developed,
guaranteeing the preservaon of cultural and environmental heritage. Enforcement measures must
be strongly implemented to ensure compliance with these regulaons, as well as to prevent pracces
that are harmful to the environment and the community. However, in pracce, what is observed is
the formulaon of centralised public policies without interconnecons, indicang the need for a
paradigm shi.
Although the praccal applicaon of public policies relang water and tourism to the SDGs in Brazil
(and around the world) has yet to be seen, one example is the relaonship between health and the
SDGs. For instance, in Sri Lanka, the mapping of synergies has led to the development and expansion of
policies aimed at sustainable development, according to Helldén et al. (2022).
Idenfying synergies between the SDGs favours mulsectoral connecons, whether at the local, regional
or naonal levels, helping achieve the proposed targets. Also, by mapping exisng relaonships, it is
possible to understand which aspects need to be improved, as well as idenfy possible partnerships
which, when developed, can contribute to achieving the proposed goals and objecves. Furthermore,
the present study has limitaons in terms of idencaon at all levels, but it contributes to promong
discussions on the subject and analysing the respecve consequences.
Strengthening partnerships across mulple sectors underpins the creaon of a sustainable support
network aimed at promong iniaves that benet both the local community and tourists. This network
can include collaboraons with local organisaons, private companies and government instuons.
The diversicaon of tourism acvies, emphasising cultural and environmentally responsible
pracces, promotes a more authenc tourist experience and creates local economic opportunies.
Although tourism was inially linked to only 3 SDGs in the 2030 Agenda (United Naons, 2015), its
contribuon can cover all 17 SDGs (Unwto; United Naons, 2017). The need to review this limited
linkage is highlighted due to tourism's far-reaching impact on territorial, environmental, economic and
socio-cultural aspects. In addion, it is necessary to develop indicators adapted to tourism to eecvely
monitor progress towards achieving the SDGs.
Although the SDGs are present in many countries' planning strategies, the approaches vary considerably,
both in terms of instruments and regarding how they are linked to dierent goals. It is crucial to
promote a more cohesive integraon of public policies, recognising the comprehensive nature of the
SDGs, and to link tourism to all 17 goals, adapng to the parcularies of each territorial and tourist
context (Soares; Ivars-Baidal, 2021).
In short, there are many challenges related to the paradigm shi towards an integrated approach to
the SDGs, tourism and water management. While analysing the importance of the SDGs, it is clear
that there are more and more studies with detailed analyses to verify their synergies. Furthermore,
even with the relaonships that can occur, each SDG will have a dierent approach and needs to be
highlighted, even when combining it with another goal for the purposes of formulang a public policy,
as indicated by Zhao et al. (2021). Lastly, the potenal of each goal must be veried, since, by taking
an integrated approach, their potenal tends to be and needs to be highlighted in order to achieve
Synergies among the Sustainable
Development Goals: emphasis on integrang
water management and tourism
274
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the proposed objecves and goals (Kroll; Archold; Pradhan, 2019; Nilsson et al., 2018). Studies like
this, although incipient in quanty in the scienc literature, are fundamental because they produce
content for decision-makers at local and regional scales, as indicated by Swain and Ranganathan (2021).
5 CONCLUSIONS
In order to beer achieve the objecves of the 2030 Agenda, the SDGs must be viewed in an integrated
way, idenfying possible synergies to favour the achievement of the Agenda’s goals. With this in mind,
the FG and subsequent TDA were important tools for verifying synergies between the SDGs and the
challenges of water management and tourism. SDGs 3, 6, 8, 11, 13 and 17 were more closely connected
to the other goals. Further, the in-depth analysis of these synergies led to the establishment of four
categories of analysis: (i) dignity, equity and jusce; (ii) socio-biodiversity; (iii) cizen educaon; (iv)
environmentally and socially sustainable economic producon.
The interrelaonships between the SDGs can occur in dierent dimensions, but this work sought to
explore how water, an essenal element for all the goals, could help achieve them. Recognising the
importance of water for building dignity, equity and jusce, for maintaining and recovering socio-
diversity, for cizen educaon and for establishing socially and environmentally sustainable forms of
economic producon, a synergisc and potenal path emerges in the quest to achieve the SDGs.
It is, therefore, imperave that water management be based on an integrave vision of the complexies
inherent in human-water interacon. This vision should consider not only the perspecve of water
as a resource and a raw material for human acvies but also views that encompass other social,
religious, historical, health-promong, and well-being relaonships. Tourism is a strategic acvity for
incorporang these dierent understandings and visions of water.
Sustainable tourism creates an opportunity that is as much about the obvious conservaon of water
quality and quanty as it is about transforming human relaons with water since it enables experiences
that broaden the recognion of water from other perspecves.
The dialecc relaonship between water conservaon and the development of sustainable tourism
is, therefore, a way to boost the 2030 Agenda and help build paths to achieve its objecves in an
integrated and transdisciplinary way. Studies such as the one presented here encourage discussions
about the connecons between the SDGs and uning integrated management with the promoon
of sustainable tourism. In this way, future studies can build on the discussion presented here and the
public policies proposed to achieve the SDGs, incorporang the results obtained as a basis for their
construcon and discussion.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This study was nanced in part by the Coordinaon for the Improvement of Higher Educaon Personnel
(Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Capes, Brazil) - Finance Code 001.
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