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Sustainable development is extraordinarily difficult but still achievable if humanity uses existing technologies, practical long-term planning, and shared ethical ideas to overcome political inertia and act on common global interests
Is Sustainable Development Feasible?
Lecture 14, Chapter 5 of Jeffrey Sachs’ course on Sustainable Development (Columbia University) — The very final Chapter: Sustainable development is portrayed as an immense but still achievable challenge: although the world faces climate change, ecological decline, inequality, weak politics, scientific uncertainty, and resistance from powerful interests, the chapter argues that humanity already has workable technologies, planning tools, and historical proof that ideas and moral commitments can drive transformation, so with practical step-by-step action, shared ethics, and a focus on common global interests, societies can still move toward a more just, prosperous, and sustainable future
13 min readAug 13, 2026
