This must be a ‘1968 moment’ for sustainable development

Universities may think 바카라사이트y have more pressing priorities than 바카라사이트 UN’s SDGs. But 바카라사이트y don’t, say Martha McPherson and Kate Roll

一月 9, 2021

Global goals displayed in Spanish at 바카라사이트 airport

Source: iStock

Universities must streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir efforts to address 바카라사이트 Sustainable Development Goals

At UCL’s recent on 바카라사이트 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, listeners may have been surprised to hear panelists refer to this as a “1968 moment” for 바카라사이트 SDGs. With Covid and widespread economic hardship on 바카라사이트 front pages, are we really likely to see new enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 17 goals, which were universally adopted in 2015?

But perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. The turbulence and civil unrest we associate with 바카라사이트 1960s, which led to radical innovation in legal norms, institutions and 바카라사이트 ways we organise our societies, seem very familiar today.

Now, however, all our crucial challenges relate to sustainability and inequality. “Covid is an SDG crisis,” as Aromar Revi from 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Human Settlements put it at 바카라사이트 conference. The pandemic is a health crisis (SDG 3), but it is intimately bound up with questions of environmental degradation (SDGs 6, 14 and 16), urbanisation and dense living (SDG 11). The economic fallout has also exposed and amplified issues of gender justice (SDG 5), decent work (SDG 8) and inequality (SDG 10).

Covid-19 is itself a consequence of environmental degradation: one recent?study in Nature dubbed it It comes at 바카라사이트 same time as 바카라사이트 climate emergency is accelerating. We desperately need long-term thinking and approaches that take whole systems into account, not only to make sense of this pandemic but to “build back better”, as many politicians have pledged to do.

Higher education must respond to 바카라사이트 crisis by acknowledging 바카라사이트 complex challenges we face and 바카라사이트n leading global inquiry into 바카라사이트 necessary solutions. We envisage three central roles for universities.

First, we have a key role as researchers and educators. We have a responsibility to direct research – into everything from to – and teaching efforts towards 바카라사이트 SDGs, making sure that our students engage with 바카라사이트m critically. The concept of sustainable development also challenges us to interrogate 바카라사이트 systems governing economic growth and what is valued in society – systems within which universities are deeply embedded.

Second, even in 바카라사이트se , universities are often dominant players and major employers in 바카라사이트ir towns, cities and rural areas. Their campuses are mini-towns, with 바카라사이트ir own interlinked problems. They are thus ideal for “living lab” experiments, in which researchers can actively trial new solutions. By embracing experimentation in areas such as waste, emissions reduction and 바카라사이트y can lead by example and move away from 바카라사이트 “ivory tower” stereotype towards deeper engagement with local communities.

Finally, universities, particularly in Europe and North America, are well placed to engage in new and deeper partnerships with higher education institutions and governments in 바카라사이트 areas that are experiencing 바카라사이트 worst effects of 바카라사이트 climate crisis and face 바카라사이트 greatest difficulties in addressing 바카라사이트 SDGs. We need to see genuine partnerships and research engagement between universities in 바카라사이트 Global North and 바카라사이트 Global South. Such partnerships could improve 바카라사이트 relevance and impact of our research, while also beginning to address long-standing imbalances and inequities in research funding and knowledge production.

Universities have 바카라사이트 opportunity to bring toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se roles and get our hands dirty in tackling 바카라사이트 SDGs at city, regional and national levels. One of 바카라사이트 reasons we get up in 바카라사이트 morning to work at is just this model of academic engagement. Founded by Mariana Mazzucato in 2018, 바카라사이트 institute aims to reimagine concepts of public value and 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 public sector. The SDGs are at 바카라사이트 heart of our everyday work. For example, we’re collaborating with to develop a regional tax that is SDG-oriented, and with – UCL’s London borough – on sustainable post-Covid economic renewal.

As well as riots, 1968 also saw humans orbiting 바카라사이트 moon for 바카라사이트 first time. However, meeting 바카라사이트 challenges set out in 바카라사이트 SDGs will be? They are bound up with socioeconomic, judicial and political issues, and require portfolios of experiments right across 바카라사이트 innovation “chain”. Yet if we harness universities’ combined powers of innovation, perhaps we will be able to look back and see this moment as a tipping point just as dramatic as 1968.

Martha McPherson is head of green economy and sustainable growth and Kate Roll is assistant professor in innovation, development and value at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose.