The Challenge of Sustainable Development

This chapter serves as a conclusion to the course Macroeconomics for a Sustainable Planet. In this final video, Professor Sachs talks about the environmental challenges that have come from the growth of the world economy due to globalization. The challenge of economic growth and prosperity, together with the challenges of social inclusion and fairness and environmental crises, make up the work of sustainable development, or creating economies that are smart, fair, and inclusive. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, population growth has increased, as has income per person and our impact on the environment. Professor Sachs discusses the planetary boundaries, resource use, climate change and the goal of sustainable development. He ends with the United Nation’s adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 and a call to action.

This video is licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA license.