Jeffrey Sachs at the Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Speakers Series (October 9, 2013) - pt. 4 These uncertainties (extreme poverty, inequalities of income and inclusion, environmental sustainability and democracy and peace) can and will result in regional and global conflicts, widening inequality and the disappearance of the middle class, high youth unemployment and calamitous climate shocks caused mainly by the increase of the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. In short, our current development trajectory leads to an unsustainable future. Dr Sachs called it the “business as usual” trajectory. He urges us to take the sustainable development trajectory, a trajectory that will require increased global cooperation (as opposed to unilateralism being adopted by certain powerful countries today), investments in the poorest regions of the globe, shifting towards renewable energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, investments in health, education, smart cities and smart transportation, and participative and local governance. He asserts that we have the capability and technology to change the fundamental direction we are heading in; what we really need is the courage and determination to embark on that path towards sustainable development. He spoke about the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (unsdsn.org), an initiative that mobilises scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector in support of sustainable development problem solving at local, national, and global scales. He is a member of the Executive Committee of UNSDSN. He ended his lecture by saying: “I believe in the old adage that the best way to predict the future is to invent it. We can’t sit back as spectators, wringing our hands and worrying about these issues. The future really is a choice; it is the choice of this generation. Every generation has faced its challenges. Ours is sustainable development…I know I can count on Malaysia to be part of the solution,…and I do look forward to working closely together with you in the UNSDSN to find realistic and practical solutions for Malaysia, and for the world.” Though he has faced enormous obstacles in his work, he still brims with hope and looks forward to a bright future for humanity. As a tenured professor, he could have just sat back and enjoyed virtual lifetime employment. Instead, he chose to go to some of the poorest, most backward places in the world and devote himself to the challenging task of poverty alleviation and sustainable development. He is truly one of our world’s living heroes and an inspirational figure. This writer was truly fortunate to have been able to immerse in this uplifting experience.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 02:29:45 +0000
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