This presentation was part of the 2015 ProSPER.Net Leadership Programme in Sabah. Malaysia.

1. Sustainable Development,
MDGs, and SDGs
Hezri Adnan, Ph.D
Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia
Pro.SPER.Net-AKEPT-UMS-UCTS Training, 24 August 2015, Palace Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.

2. Outline of Talk
Sustainability
as
Alternative
Model
Rethinking
Development
What is
MDG?
What is SDG?
Example Why
a Country Like
Malaysia
Needs a
Sustainability
Reform
Agenda
Potential
Contributions
from
Academics

3. GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ITS
IMPACT ON THE PLANET
1 - Development Reconsidered

4. Growth of the World Economy
1950
2010
2050
Our economy is
geared, above
all, to achieving
growth.
- Development?
- Prosperity?
- Progress?

5. The meaning of development changes with time
 Colonial exploitation → Rostow’s stages of growth
→ dependency school → trickle-down
development with equity → neoliberalism
 Transition/shift – hunter-gatherer society →
agrarian society →industrial society →sustainable
society(?)
ANTHROPOCENE
Since 1800
HOLOCENE
Up to 1800
(for 11,700 years)

6. 3% (1800)
70% (2050)
45% (2000)
30% (1950)
15% (1900)
Shift to an Urbanised World
(UN DESA, 2012)
50% of
which are
yet to be
built

7. NOAA
The Stages of the Anthropocene
Source: Steffen, Crutzen & McNeill, 2006
Pre-Anthropocene events:
Fire-stick farming, megafauna
extinctions, early forest clearing
Anthropocene Stage 1
(ca. 1800 - 1945). Internal
combusion engine, fossil fuel
energy, science & technology
Anthropocene Stage 2 (1945 - 2010 or 2020). The Great Acceleration,
new institutions and vast global networks
Anthropocene Stage 3 (2010 or 2020 - ?). Business-as-usual,geo-
engineering, or the Great Transition?
Stage 1
Stage 2

8. …planetary change indicators
Approximately 60% (15 out of 24) of
the ecosystem services
evaluated in this assessment
(including 70% of regulating and
cultural services) are being degraded
or used unsustainably.
There is increasing evidence that human
activities are affecting Earth System
functioning to a degree that threatens
the resilience of the Earth System
Source:Rockstrometal2009
Source:MEA2005
Planetary Boundaries for Safe Operating Space

9. Systemic Issues
Basic Needs AND Environment

10. Systemic Problems
Production Systems AND Consumption Patterns

11. SUSTAINABILITY AS AN ALTERNATIVE
DEVELOPMENT MODEL
2 – The Age of Sustainable Development

12. What is sustainable development?
The Brundtland/WCED definition
 “… development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs”
The sustainability model is a challenge to conventional
forms of development
 seeks to reconcile the ecological, social and economic
dimensions of development, now and into the future
 acknowledges biophysical limits to growth and prizes the
preservation of ecosystem services
 agenda of social justice within and across current and
future generations

13. Environment VS Sustainability Problems
•
13

14. Everything?
Nothing?
Something?
Four constituent issues of sustainability
?
Criticism…

15. 1. The predicament of complexity for quantitative analysis:
how to account for food, energy and water
METRIC....The amount of controls and commands needed by a pilot

16. Would you fly on this airplane?
Enter Indicators of development…

17. THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
3 – A United Nations Development Agenda

18. Origins of MDGs
 In 2001, group of expert in UN Secretariat
selected 18 targets from Sept 2000
Millennium Declaration and grouped
them into 8 goals
 Objective – to reshape UN Development
Agenda
 Accepted by all Heads of State at
Millennium Summit
 The 8 goals refocused UN Development
Agenda around poverty reduction and
other ‘social goals’
 BUT… lowering ambition of Declaration
and existing goals from UN mega-
conferences in the 1990s

19. Strengths Weaknesses
Framework integrating various
dimensions of human
development
Lack of consultation has limited
G77 national ownership due to
perception of donor agenda
Simple, transparent, and easy-
to-communicate
Excluded some important
issues in Millennium
Declaration and elsewhere
Provided bases for converging
advocacy
Inadequate incorporation of
other issues e.g. climate
change & econ development
Later recognised special needs
of Africa, LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS
Limited consideration of
enablers of development
Strengths and Weaknesses of MDGs
Source: Jomo KS, 2015

20. MDG Evaluation: Some Progress
 By 2015, number and proportion of poor had fallen in
every region, including SS Africa. However China alone
accounts for much of world poverty reduction
 Significant progress in gender parity in primary
education
 The likelihood of child dying before age 5 has been
nearly cut in half over last 2 decades
 The target of halving proportion of people who lack
access to improved sources of water already met in
2010
 Remarkable gains in fight againts malaria and TB
 Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected
people has been increasing dramatically
Source: Jomo KS, 2015

21. MDG Evaluation: Some Gaps
 Hunger target of MDG1c missed by small margin
 Globally, maternal mortality ratio dropped by
45% between 1990 and 2013, not 75%
 Over ¼ of world population gained improved
sanitation since 1990, yet almost 1 billion still
openly defecate
 Global CO2 emissions accelerating; in 2011 almost
50% above 1990 level
 Only 28% reduction of extreme poverty in SS
Africa, not halved
 West Asians gained reversed; poverty rate
increased in 2011-2015
Source: Jomo KS, 2015

22. Sustainable Development Goals
From MDGs
(2000-2015)
to SDGs, changing the world in 17 steps
(2016-2030)
Ban Ki-Moon clustered SDGs
into six “essential elements”:
dignity, prosperity, justice,
partnership, planet, people.

23. THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
4 – Post 2015 Development Agenda

24. Origins of SDGs
 The outcome document of
the 2010 MDG Summit
requested the Secretary-
General to initiate thinking
on the global development
agenda beyond 2015.
 At Rio+20 conference in
2012, member states
decided to elaborate new
post-2015 sustainable
development framework

25. Origins of SDGs – related processes (1)
UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development
Agenda
• Established by the UN Secretary-General in January
2012, the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN
Development Agenda assembles more than 60 UN
agencies and international organizations.
• Co-chaired by the Department of Economic and Social
Affairs and the United Nations Development
Programme the Task Team supports the process by
providing analytical thinking and substantial inputs.
• The Task Team published its first report titled Realizing
the Future We Want for All in June 2012. The report
outlined the vision of the United Nations system on the
global development agenda beyond 2015. The Task
Team is also engaged in various work streams.

26. High-Level Panel of Eminent
Persons on the Post-2015
Development Agenda
• In July 2012 the UN
Secretary-General
launched his High-level
Panel of Eminent Persons
on the Post-2015
Development Agenda.
Co-chaired by the
Presidents of Indonesia
and Liberia and the Prime
Minister of the United
Kingdom
• In May 2013 the Panel
published its report with
its vision and
recommendations on a
global development
agenda beyond 2015.
Origins of SDGs – related processes (2)

27. National Consultations
• So far, the UN Country teams are supporting
88 countries to convene national
consultations on the post 2015 development
agenda. These are forums to exchange ideas
for a shared vision of "The World We Want",
in an open process tailored to country
contexts. The national consultations are
organized by UN Country Teams, under the
leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator,
and are working with a wide range of
stakeholders including governments, civil
society, the private sector, media, universities
and think tanks.
• A summary of the consultations so far can be
found in the A Million Voices Report.
Origins of SDGs – related processes (3)

28. Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• The Sustainable Development Solutions Network
(SDSN), led by Jeffrey Sachs, is a global, independent
network of research centres, universities and
technical institutions that works with stakeholders
including business, civil society, UN agencies and
other international organizations.
• It is mandated to provide technical support to
establish and implement the SDGs
• As a first step, the network SDSN established 12
global expert groups to support global problem
solving in ten critical areas of sustainable
development, produced a report titled “An action
agenda for Sustainable Development”, and an
indicator report to support the SDGs
• SDSN also provides technical support to the High-
level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Origins of SDGs – related processes

29. • The number of officially mandated processes aiming to influence
the Post 2015 agenda is astounding
• Started with High Level Panel of Eminent Persons, UN SDSN, UN
Global Compact, Committee on Sustainable Development
Financing, SDSN, HLPF and agencies within the UN System
convening their own internal process, e.g. UNDP, UNEP, UNRISD—
not to mention all of the CSO mobilizations around the process
• Reality is despite all of these initiatives the UN General Assembly
will agree the Post 2015 SD Framework
• To date, most important process is the Open Working Group
Origins of SDGs – related processes (4)

31. Open Working Group
• A 30-member Open Working Group of the General Assembly was
mandated by the Rio+20 Outcome document to prepare a proposal
on SDGs for consideration by the Assembly at its 68th session
(Sept. 2013 – Sept. 2014).
• Two stage deliberations began in March of 2013 and concluded
with a report to UNGA in September 2014
– 1st stage (March 2013-February 2014) 8 thematic sessions to table
different issues:
– 2nd Stage (March 2014-September 2014) “negotiations” on set of SDG
recommendations
• Resulted in 17 Goals and 169 targets for 2016 to 2030
Origins of SDGs – related processes (5)

32. 32
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved
nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at
all ages
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and
promote life-long learning opportunities for all
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and
girls
Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and
sanitation for all
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and
modern energy for all
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic
growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient
and sustainable
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources for sustainable development
Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial
ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and
halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable
development, provide access to justice for all and build effective,
accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
17 Sustainable Development Goals

33. MDGs SDGs
Mainly for developing
countries
Universal – for ALL countries
8 siloed goals for
development
17 goals, 169 targets, integrating
3 dimensions of SD
From UN Secretariat Negotiated by Member States
with stronger country ownership
Means of
Implementation (MoI),
monitoring and follow-up
not defined in advance
MoI inter-governmentally
negotiated, global architecture
and monitoring system being
shaped
What’s new with SDGs
Source: Jomo KS, 2015

34. The final lap of SDG negotiation
Source: Jomo KS, 2015
• 14-15 Sept – intergovernmental negotiations on Post-
2015 Development Agenda leading to Post 2015 Heads
of State Summit on 25-27 September in New York
• Agreed Outcome Document, Transforming Our World:
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
finalised on 1 Aug 2015 includes
– brief pre-amble noting that agenda plan of action for
people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership
– Draft Declaration, including sections on MoI, Follow-up
and Review
– SDGs and their targets with small changes
– References to Addis Ababa Action Agenda in MoI section,
noting inter-linkages between two processes

35. SDGs as a network of targets
Source: Le Blanc, 2015
4DESAWORKINGPAPERNO.141
Figure 1
The SDGs as a net work of targets
Source: Author’s elaboration.
Note: targets labels are the numerals which refer to them in the report of the Open Working Group on SDGs.

36. SDGs as a network of targets
Source: Le Blanc, 2015
TOWARDSINTEGRATIONATLAST?
THESUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTGOALSASANETWORKOFTARGETS
7
Figure 3
Links among the goal 12 (SCP) and other goals
Source: Author’s elaboration.

37. SEVEN REASONS FOR MALAYSIA, AN UPPER
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY
5 - Why do We Need a Reform Agenda
for Sustainable Development?

38. Economic, social and environmental convergence?
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90 1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
GDP(00'Million)
&Povertyrates
Year
Poverty Rate
GDP Per Capita
Growth with Equity Balanced Development Performance DevelopmentLaissez-faire
Ecological Footprint
# 1 – Convergence of goals is still a practical challenge

39. Scarcity
Distribution
Unity
Water shortages
Haze
Ecosystem Services
Social Justice
Urban Well-being
Energy Security
Widening Disparity
Happiness
Dengue
Climate Change
Population Growth
The challenge of ‘new scarcity’ includes physical
depletion of natural resources as well as their
economic and political dimensions . This can disrupt
economic growth and general well-being , reflecting
similar trends internationally (references to phrases
such as global resource scramble and the global
resource nexus ). Malaysia now faces insufficient
renewal production of and access to strategic
resources such as water, energy and ecosystem
services at the national level.
Long term policies need to be drafted to ensure
Malaysia builds a resilient economy. Inequality is
looming large in Malaysia. While efforts towards
inclusiveness have been highlighted prominently,
less attention has been provided to natural resource
distribution even less for intra-generational
distribution. Previous efforts in poverty eradication
utilising land policies are no longer possible.
National unity is and has always been a priority for the
nation. In a plural society, disunity threatens the well-
being of the nation. With happiness levels and urban well-
being reported to be decreasing, issues such as rising costs
(natural resources), haze, water shortages, energy security
threaten to boil into issues of unity (i.e. Lynas).
Furthermore, resource dependent communities such
(indigenous communities) have been affected due to
unsustainable resource extraction and consumption
causing unrest in certain localities.
Cross-cutting RisksTriple ChallengeRationale
# 2 – Cross-cutting risks threaten the nation’s survival

40. National Commodity Policy
National Timber Industry Policy
National Forestry Policy
National Environmental Policy
Malaysia National Policy in Biological Diversity
National Policy on Climate Change
National Science and Technology Policy 3
National Energy Policy
National Petroleum Policy 1975
National Green Technology Policy
New Energy Policy
National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan
National Urbanisation Policy
National Housing Policy
National Landscape Policy
National Physical Plan
National Solid Waste Management Policy
New Economic Model
New Economic Policy
Vision 2020
National Automotive Policy
Third National Agricultural Policy
National Agro-Food Policy
National Intellectual Property Policy
Fair Trade Practices Policy
National Consumer Policy
National Cooperative Policy
National Incorporation Policy
National Privatization Policy
National Development Policy
National Industrialization Policy
# 3 – Policy in abundance but we lack a common vision
National Social Policy (2003,
soon to be replaced by National Social Model)
National Policy on Women (1989, revised in 2009)
National Policy for Older Persons and Plan of Action (2011, revised from
National Policy for the Elderly 1995)
The National Policy in Reproductive Health and Social Education (PEKERTI)
National Family Policy (2011)
National Integration Policy
National Child Protection Policy
National Child Policy
Disabled Persons Policy
National Social Welfare Policy (1990)
National Youth Development Policy
National Education Policy
National Cultural Policy
National Nutrition Policy of Malaysia (2003)
National Youth Development Policy (1985, revised in 1997)
Minimum Wages Policy (2010)
Economic
EnvironmentSocial

41. # 4 – Institutional landscape is fragmented and under-
resourced

42. # 5 – Balancing short-termism with long-term thinking
is still challenge
Recent years saw the
return to long-term public
policy design
•Negotiating Our Future:
Living Scenarios for
Australia to 2050 -
Australian Academy of
Science
•Roadmap for Moving to a
Low-Carbon-Economy in
2050 - European
Commission
•Vision 2050: The New
Agenda for Business - World
Business Council for
Sustainable Development
•Asia 2050: Realising the
Asian Century - Asian
Development Bank
Development planning is
short-term
•Focus on the immediate
blinds us from seeing
important slow-moving
processes
•Outline Perspective Plan is
not practiced anymore
•Vision 2020 in 1991 as an
example of long range
envisioning
•SD Blueprint 2030? 2050?
•Centennial Malaysia 2057?
Long-term horizon is
endemic in environment and
resource management
•Different time management
regime for forest
management (7-8 years for
Acacia mangium; 30-50
years for meranti tembaga)
•Floods management
operates on 100 year cycle
•Energy planning takes a
decadal approach at least
•Stern Report on ECC has the
year 2200 as its time
horizon

43. Individuals, politicians, officials, bankers,
developers make decisions every day that
collectively affect sustainability. Few of these
notables know or care to know the meanings of
sustainable development. Clarity of the
concept is essential.
# 6 Sustainability literacy is still low
Aim for SD to be a
universal principle
of nation-building
in Malaysia
In a survey of 6,090 Malaysians in 2009, WWF
Malaysia found that only 43 per cent of
respondents were aware of the causes of
annual events such as flash flooding and haze
Also found that awareness of environmental
problems did not necessarily translate directly
into positive environmental behaviour

44. # 7 – SD solutions provide Malaysia a competitive edge
and opportunities toward green growth
• Malaysia to gain a first-mover-advantage by embracing green
growth
An increasing
number of major
industrial and service
groups are
diversifying and
investing in cleantech
and renewable
energy sectors
A rise in the number
and size of stock
market operations in
these sectors, in the
USA , Europe and
developing countries
Venture capital firms,
ethical funds and
pension funds
increasingly invest in
green business.
Funding into Nexus
solutions burgeoning
The total world market for
environmental products and
services is currently
estimated at around $1370
billion, and is set to double by
2020
Investments in RE systems grew
between 2005 and 2010 to the
global annual average of
approximately 39%. The world
capacity of solar PV rose by 72%,
wind turbines rose by 27%

45. SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE FUTURE
6 – University Contribution to SDGs

46. Technology & SD - The IPAT identity

47. The age of green technology?
1785 1845 1900 1950 1990 2015
1st Wave
2nd Wave
3rd Wave
4th Wave
5th Wave
6th Wave
Mechanisation
Rail, Heavy Industry
Automobile, Electricity
Electronics
Digital Networks, Biotechnology
Green Technology
Innovation

48. Green economy, post carbon futures?
• “… to communicate and emphasise the importance
of systemic transformations leading to a world in
which we are no longer dependent on hydrocarbon
fuels, and no longer emitting climate-changing levels
of carbon into the atmosphere”
World in Transition: A
Social Contract for
Sustainability
(GACGC)
A Roadmap for Moving
to a Competitive Low
Carbon Economy in
2050 (EC)
Low Carbon
Growth Plan for
Australia (CWA)
China's 12th Five-Year
Plan & White Paper of
Policies/Actions in
Responding to Climate
Change
The Carbon Plan:
Delivering our Low
Carbon Future (UK)
National Strategy
for Green Growth
(ROK)
California's Clean
Energy Future
(GoCalifornia)
Low Carbon
Strategies for
Inclusive Growth
(India)

49. Publications on ‘low
carbon’ 1990–2015
(Web of Science Database)
Low carbon economy
Low carbon technology
Low carbon society
The low-carbon agenda is
underpinned by the idea of
GHGs as a global pollutant
But…
Climate change is not the only
planetary-scale environmental
challenge
Bringing Sustainability Back In

50. An Aside - Whose Future, Whose Knowledge? Publications
in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
Authorship
Readership

51. What about sustainability transition? The Multi-level perspective

52. We are dealing with…
Synoptic View
Also… more emphasis on mainstreaming linkages or nexus of Environment-
Societal-Economic pillars of development

53. Sustainability across disciplines
Source: Kajikawa 2007
Emergence of
sustainability
science as a
discipline or
an area of
study?

54. Disciplinary contributions
Natural science
• The extent of
pollution load and
biodiversity loss
• How to restore a
degraded
ecosystem?
• How to combine
disciplines to
address environ
degradation?
Social science &
humanities
• What is the origin
& consequences
of environmental
degradation?
• What are the core
values for a
sustainable
society?
• The role of
political & cultural
power in reversing
degradation
Policy & Econ., and
Political Science
• How international
politics influence
domestic policies?
• The valuation of
environmental
services
• How to design
effective policy
processes & draw
lessons for
developing
countries

55. • International activities
• National directions & activitiesStrategic/Practice
• Understanding sustainability
• Solutions for sustainabilityAcademic/Science
• Working together
• Engineering changeCommunity/People
There are many sources of knowledge to inform
sustainability transition

56. A variety of knowledge cultures
Brown, VA. 2008.
Leonardo’s Vision

57. Local community knowledge
Hezri & Chan, 2012
A call for
collective
thinking and
action?

58. Rethinking education…
problem- and place-based education

59. Wiek, Withycombe & Redman. 2011. In Sustainability Science
 Analyse the current problem constellation(s);
 Create and craft sustainability visions;
 Explore less desirable future scenarios that might become reality without interventions
towards sustainability; and
 Develop and test strategies to transition from the current state to sustainable states
without getting deflected towards undesirable pathways (critical intervention points)
Problem-solving framework

60. 5 key competencies in sustainability
Wiek, Withycombe & Redman. 2011. In Sustainability Science
1 2
34
5

61. A more complex world requires multiple ways-of-knowing
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
hezriadnan@isis.org.my