Comments on: My one problem with the Sustainable Development Goals that drives me crazy

By: Marc Nkouly

Marc Nkouly — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 11:53:39 +0000

Left to me the very first goal should BE EDUCATION . In fact no matter all the good words we use to about better climates, sustainable development or even fighting poverty itself. It will book down to EDUCATION because the poor baby time are not even consious of their poverty.
Me for example I live in CAMEROON and I see many struggling parents who as much as earn a small living can’t afford to send their children to Good Schools and that simple reason keep them in generational poverty.
Unfortunately they’re not eve making the difference between what they have and what they could have.
At end of day all the fancy words and corporate metrics don’t do anything to them. Even the China you take as example what about those that are expropriated by the property developpers ? Anyway for me Education is the key to unlock all the problems the society face and keep in mind the poor can also contribute to Researchers that can even improve conditions of living of many in the North and Rich part of the world.

By: Lalitha Chittoor

Lalitha Chittoor — Sat, 11 May 2019 13:47:16 +0000

Yes, This is the same issue I have. I am the President of Madhvi4EcoEthics, a non-profit founded by my 8 yr old daughter when she was 6. In the name of ‘economy’ many ecosystem crimes are being committed by humans. It’s a big loop-hole for businesses and I feel that the UN forsakes and thwarts its own all other goals just to keep up this goal. Greed, expansion accompanies economy and that’s it, economy morphs to a bulldozer of all other ecosystems.

By: Tegan

Tegan — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 14:20:29 +0000

Thanks for your comment Michael.
Indeed, I didn’t discuss the poverty alleviation and rise in living standards brought about by growth, mainly because this is so well known and well documented that I didn’t think I had much to add on that point.
I absolutely accept that growth has led to rising living standards, especially and most recently in China. Poor countries do need more economic growth to escape poverty.
My point was that growth does not NECESSARILY reduce poverty. The gains from growth can be captured by the rich only, without it trickling down to the poor who need it. This coupled with the environmental destruction it causes makes it a very inefficient form of poverty alleviation.
On the point about efficiency: energy efficiency is certainly necessary and a big part of the solution, but it is not enough to provide endless growth. There are limits to efficiency. You cannot make something out of nothing. Also, see the Jevons Pradox on how efficiency alone can actually lead to greater energy use: http://bigthink.com/politeia/the-energy-efficiency-paradox

By: Michael Wulfsohn

Michael Wulfsohn — Mon, 22 May 2017 06:26:02 +0000

Your article ignores one crucial fact. Historically, economic growth has played a vital role in vast, permanent poverty reduction. For example, in China, economic growth in recent decades has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty. There are countless other examples.

Also, growth is not necessarily incompatible with a safe climate. Remember that growth can come from technological improvement, i.e. using existing resources more efficiently, not just using more resources. For example, the cost per watt of solar power has fallen so far that it is roughly on par with that of fossil fuels, and it continues to show exponential progress. Photovoltaics may soon offer the emissions reductions the world sorely needs.