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Article
Publication date: 7 September 2015

Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, Walter Leal Filho and Angappa Gunasekaran

The search for a more sustainable society depends on more sustainable organisations and, as such, Production (Industrial) Engineering may contribute to this process through the…

Abstract

Purpose

The search for a more sustainable society depends on more sustainable organisations and, as such, Production (Industrial) Engineering may contribute to this process through the training of professionals with a greater social and environmental consciousness. The purpose of this paper is to present arguments in favour of the integration of Production Engineering and the Millennium Development Goals and evaluate the potential of Production Engineering subareas in contributing to the Millennium Development Goals.

Design/methodology/approach

This work is conceptual and integrative in order to provide an original framework. A Brazilian perspective on Production Engineering has been adopted.

Findings

A framework is proposed to guide this integration process by providing suggestions for an agenda of opportunities for academics and practitioners in favour of a more sustainable society.

Originality/value

This work presents a new framework integrating Production Engineering and the Millennium Development Goals in order to promote a more sustainable training in Production (Industrial) Engineering field of research.

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2009

Jorge Buzaglo and Alvaro Calzadilla

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the viability for Bolivia of attaining the United Nations millennium development goal established in year 2000, of halving extreme poverty…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the viability for Bolivia of attaining the United Nations millennium development goal established in year 2000, of halving extreme poverty by 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based in numerical simulation with a model of the Bolivian economy. The model pertains to the (widely defined) family of dynamic input‐output models, and represents in detail income distribution, by size and socioeconomic class.

Findings

The millennium development goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015 seems to be a difficult, but attainable goal for Bolivia. Given the expected debt reduction agreed with international creditors, the goal can be attained by a combination of investment and redistribution policies.

Research limitations/implications

It is implied that a new approach to development strategy is adopted. A new policy consensus is assumed to supplant the Washington Consensus. The new consensus model is based on objectives such as policy autonomy, structural change, and distributive justice. Poverty reduction strategy is a combination of policies associated with these objectives, viz. foreign debt policy, investment policy, and income distribution policy.

Practical implications

The study shows that capital account regulation, investment planning and redistributive policies might conform effective strategies for attaining the millennium development goals.

Originality/value

The study represents a different approach to poverty reduction strategy, which explores the economy‐wide effects of new policy instruments, particularly on growth capacity, output structure, and income distribution.

Details

International Journal of Development Issues, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1446-8956

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 December 2012

Noralene Uy and Rajib Shaw

Ecosystem services are essential for human well-being. The chapter explores the linkages between ecosystems and ecosystem services, biodiversity, and the Millennium Development

Abstract

Ecosystem services are essential for human well-being. The chapter explores the linkages between ecosystems and ecosystem services, biodiversity, and the Millennium Development Goals. Specifically, it focuses on the discussions in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the ecosystem approach within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and ecosystems’ role in the achievement of specific targets of the Millennium Development Goals. It highlights the need for ecosystem-based approaches to ecosystem management, biodiversity conservation, and attainment of human well-being.

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2018

Matteo Pedercini, Holger Maximilian Kleemann, Nombuso Dlamini, Vangile Dlamini and Birgit Kopainsky

The purpose of this papers is to highlight the applicability of integrated simulation models for national development planning to different issues and contexts. Specifically, the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this papers is to highlight the applicability of integrated simulation models for national development planning to different issues and contexts. Specifically, the authors describe one such model, the Millennium Institute’s T21 model, which is used to support planning in various countries, and explore in detail the case of Swaziland to demonstrate the model’s usefulness at different levels in the planning process.

Design/methodology/approach

Integrated sustainable development planning models using the system dynamics (SD) modeling method have been designed to help overcome these obstacles and support decision-makers in the assessment of alternative policies. Such models are laboratory replicas of the critical mechanisms driving development in a country while being grounded in the historical data available. They can be used to perform simulation-based policy experiments that are otherwise impossible in the real world.

Findings

The proposed approach has facilitated the reporting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as on the cross-sector long-term ex ante evaluation of the country’s “Economic Recovery Strategy” and a proposed “Fiscal Adjustment” policy. These assessments provided essential information for improving the quality of the decisions made. Such information cannot be obtained by the application of purely economic models or sectoral tools, that are not including the fundamental feedback structures that shape development in the long run and determine its sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

The new generation of global long-term Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) covers a far broader range of issues and indicators than the MDGs. The T21-Swaziland model only offers a limited subset of such issues, and future research will focus on achievements and challenges in expanding its scope to encompass the SDGs.

Practical implications

The T21 model has become one of the fundamental planning instruments of the country, and it has been used to evaluate national planning documents and other suggested strategies with respect to whether they are sufficient for reaching the long-term goals. Such information is then used as a basis for revision of development plans and adoption or rejection of suggested policy packages.

Originality/value

The MDGs (and their expanded follow-up, the SDGs) have been important step toward better governance, as they quantify key indicators of development and thereby allow for an evaluation of the degree to which these quantified aspirations are actually achieved. In addition to such hind-sight evaluations, ex ante evaluations are equally important for improvement of the quality of the decisions made. The authors propose and test a tool to support such type of evaluation, supporting integrated planning and model-based governance.

Abstract

Details

SDG8 – Sustainable Economic Growth and Decent Work for All
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-094-4

Book part
Publication date: 25 September 2017

Juha Väätänen and Roman Teplov

In spite of the outstanding efforts of the United Nations, the poverty alleviation targets outlined in Millennium Development Goals have not been fully achieved. The further need…

Abstract

In spite of the outstanding efforts of the United Nations, the poverty alleviation targets outlined in Millennium Development Goals have not been fully achieved. The further need for improving the living standard of the world population led to the introduction of a new set of revised and expanded Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. The private business and especially large multinational enterprises (MNEs) are playing a significant role in the implementation of the sustainable development program. However, in spite of decades of research, the mechanisms through which MNEs can contribute to host country economic development are still not fully understood. Furthermore, the role of local government and its possibilities to influence MNEs’ activities have not received sufficient attention. The aim of the MNEmerge project was to develop and test the framework for an analysis of the contribution of MNEs to sustainable development agenda. Specific attention is placed on the formation of linkages between subsidiary and local stakeholders such as society, business, and government. The chapters in this book outline the findings of the project and provide recommendations and implications for policy makers.

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2004

Allam Ahmed and Emmanuel Cleeve

This paper reviews, assesses and evaluates the performance of sub‐Saharan African countries towards achieving the international development goals and targets set by the United…

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Abstract

This paper reviews, assesses and evaluates the performance of sub‐Saharan African countries towards achieving the international development goals and targets set by the United Nations, UN Millennium Development Goals and the Agenda for Action of the 2nd Tokyo International Conference on African Development. Africa's recent economic performance is a reflection of the policies it has pursued since the 1960s. It summarises the progress of sub‐Saharan African countries with a view to providing a clearer understanding of the constraints they face in reaching the goals, with a special focus on the economic, poverty, education, and health targets. The paper also outlines the urgency for action at the national, regional, and international levels. It also demonstrates that the economic and social recovery that Africa experienced in the late 1990s cannot be sustained unless there is progress towards the goals. Africa's efforts alone cannot achieve the goals, it would require global support and understanding of the special needs of the region.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 31 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 December 2015

Ameeta Jain and Muhammad Azizul Islam

This chapter explores the impact of UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Rio + 20 in improving Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. While MDGs and Rio + 20 have…

Abstract

This chapter explores the impact of UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Rio + 20 in improving Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. While MDGs and Rio + 20 have suggested additive guidelines for improving CSR practices, they do not provide a strong legislative mandate. We find both MDGs and Rio + 20 have had limited cumulative effect on CSR practices and discourses within the corporate reports. UN bodies should bring a new policy and regulatory framework that addresses limitations in the principles espoused in the MDGs and Rio + 20. An independent monitoring system (a social compliance audit mechanism) can be mandated in an attempt to make incremental substantive change.

Details

Sustainability After Rio
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-444-7

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 27 May 2020

Jackie Malcolm and Keith R. Skene

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) were introduced by the United Nations in 2016 to replace the millennium development goals (MDGs). This chapter examines the impact of…

Abstract

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) were introduced by the United Nations in 2016 to replace the millennium development goals (MDGs). This chapter examines the impact of integrating these goals within a design challenge, as part of a level 3 undergraduate degree module. Design Values, Issues and Ethics is an expansive module, aiming to broaden the students’ discipline focus and allow them to expand their learning within a new landscape. This module promotes the utilization of nature-based intelligences to establish solutions to a community’s basic need to survive and thrive. The SDGs were integrated through embedding them as part of a future-building scenario, supported by a series of exercises and seminars. Students were then asked to reflect on how the SDGs had impacted their design process, and to consider ethical and value dimensions. These reflections were used to analyze the effectiveness of the SDGs as key principles for an ethical design intention. Integrating the SDGs within the design curriculum has served to promote a connectivity of systems that were largely separated prior to this pilot.

Details

Teaching and Learning Strategies for Sustainable Development
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-639-7

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 December 2020

Tjaša Redek, Polona Domadenik and Matjaž Koman

The chapter describes the milestones at the global and European level on the path toward sustainable development. The first steps toward a different growth agenda were made in…

Abstract

The chapter describes the milestones at the global and European level on the path toward sustainable development. The first steps toward a different growth agenda were made in 1970s when the “Limits to growth” highlighted the divergence with the increasing needs of the growing population, the limited supply of resources, the planet can provide and the growing pollution. In 1980s the Brundtland report defined sustainable development as a three-dimensional one: economic, social and environmental, stressing not only the interplay between the goals, but also the global interdependence and the need for joint action to achieve the goals. Several ambitious strategies were prepared, most notably the Kyoto protocol, the Millenium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which are shaping global policies at the moment. The European Union has always been at the forefront of the efforts toward sustainability with its ambitious goals, which includes not only achieving SDGs, but also moving further, for example, toward a circular development approach.

Details

Challenges on the Path Toward Sustainability in Europe
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80043-972-6

Keywords

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