IISD Speech: IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region, Geneva
Summary
In a speech delivered at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region in Geneva, IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan argues that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are fragile due to political backlashes and requires a shift toward holistic measurements of well-being that move beyond GDP.
Key insights
- The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is currently fragile, facing threats from climate change backlashes, anti-migration rhetoric, rising protectionism, and reductions in international development assistance.
- Vaughan advocates for measuring national well-being through a comprehensive wealth perspective rather than relying solely on GDP, which he asserts does not reflect the anxieties of citizens regarding wages, job security, health, and the environment. This holistic approach comprises four pillars: human capital, natural capital, produced capital, and social capital.
- The SDGs present a significant institutional challenge because, unlike the Bretton Woods system which established the IMF, World Bank, and GATT/WTO, the SDGs created no new institutions except for the High Level Political Forum (HLPF), requiring collaboration among existing entities.
- Vaughan highlights several national strategies and initiatives as examples of SDG alignment, including the German Sustainable Development Strategy, the Finland Sustainable Development Commission, and the Belarus SDG train.
- To achieve the SDGs, Vaughan emphasizes the need for innovative finance—such as Green Bonds and the World Bank's first Sustainable Development Bond—to fund an estimated USD 50 trillion in infrastructure spending over the next 20 years, as well as the essential role of gender equality as both a goal and a means of achievement.
Cite the original document
- APA
- Vaughan, S. (2017). IISD Speech: IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region, Geneva. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/policy-analysis/iisd-speech-iisd-president-and-ceo-scott-vaughan-regional-forum
- Chicago
- Vaughan, Scott. IISD Speech: IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region, Geneva. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2017. https://www.iisd.org/articles/policy-analysis/iisd-speech-iisd-president-and-ceo-scott-vaughan-regional-forum.
- Wikipedia
- {{cite press release |last1=Vaughan |first1=Scott |title=IISD Speech: IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region, Geneva |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=25 April 2017 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/policy-analysis/iisd-speech-iisd-president-and-ceo-scott-vaughan-regional-forum |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}
- BibTeX
- @misc{vaughan2017iisd, author = {Vaughan, Scott}, title = {{IISD Speech: IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region, Geneva}}, publisher = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2017}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/policy-analysis/iisd-speech-iisd-president-and-ceo-scott-vaughan-regional-forum}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }
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