Sustainable development is the central challenge of our times.
Our world is under strain. Poverty continues to plague communities and families. Climate change threatens livelihoods. Conflicts are raging. Inequalities are deepening. These crises will only worsen unless we change course.
That is why world leaders are hard at work on a new development agenda—including a set of concrete sustainable development goals—to help guide humanity to safety and prosperity.
It is critical that we understand how sustainable development can be achieved in practice, on the ground, in all parts of the world. This book by my special advisor Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs provides a deeply informed panorama, outlining opportunities, challenges, and risks. I hope it will serve as a useful resource as countries, cities, businesses, families, and individuals take on the shared responsibilities of this new agenda.
Real solutions exist in the global fight against poverty, hunger, and disease. As we now expand on the lessons of the Millennium Development Goals and transition toward the sustainable development agenda, there is good reason for optimism.
We have the technologies and the know-how to succeed. With the dedicated efforts of each and every one of us, we can be the first generation to end extreme poverty and the last generation to face climate change as an existential threat.
Your energy and ideas can help lead the way to the age of sustainable development. Together, we can build a future of shared prosperity and a life of dignity for all.