Ideas for Action is a youth competition on initiatives to implement the Sustainable Development Goals launched in November 2014 by the World Bank Group and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The 2019 winners (3 top teams, 4 runners-up, and 11 honorable mentions) were selected from more than 3,000 proposals submitted by more than 21,000 team members from 142 countries. This year witnessed an unparalleled level of growing recognition with a 50 percent increase in proposals over 2018. The winning proposals were selected through a rigorous selection process that judged the projects on depth and clarity, significance of impact, originality and creativity, and feasibility. The teams had to showcase a strong proposal that presented a potential for impact on a large number of people with a practical roadmap for implementation. In addition to young staff members, reviewers included executives from Firmenich, Flour Mills of Nigeria, the German†“Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PepsiCo, the Wharton School, and the World Bank Group. Other competition partners included the International Labour Organization, Hemofarm, the World Bank Group’s Youth to Youth Community (Y2Y) and Youth Summit, Knowledge @ Wharton, and the United Nations Youth Assembly. Youth participation in the 2030 Development Agenda is crucial. This initiative is a knowledge-sharing platform that empowers young professionals with the support and tools needed to engage in the conversation with leading professionals in the global development industry and the private sector. Through their use of technology—such as rainwater harvesting, reusable plastics, mobile apps, and devices—young people have ideas to make an exponential impact. The goal is to support truly workable and actionable results by connecting leading schools of finance and management with governments around the world to build partnerships that bolster these ideas into effective implementation. This book recognizes the incredible talent and spirit that these young people bring to the global development conversation.

The Global Outlook on Financing for Sustainable Development 2021 calls for collective action to address both the short-term collapse in resources of developing countries as well as long-term strategies to build back better following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are many studies confirming the relationship between financial systems and economic development, but there are few which examine the degree to which financial systems a) impact the quality of information, b) influence sound corporate governance, c) ensure effective mechanisms of risk management, d) mobilize savings and f) facilitate trade. In the context of sustainability, there should also be a line of inquiry into how a particular financial system influences the assurance and implementation of sustainable development principles and goals. This book delivers a methodological approach to designing and assessing sustainable financial systems. It provides an original contribution by prioritizing ESG factors in the decision-making process of financial institutions and identifying their impact on sustainable financial systems. The author argues that to achieve financial stability, it is necessary to have in place mechanisms designed to prevent financial problems from becoming systemic and/or threatening the stability of the financial and economic system, while maintaining (or not undermining) the economy’s ability to sustain growth and perform its other functions. The book primarily takes a simulation and experimental approach. It is the first book to take such a comprehensive look at sustainable financial systems as opposed to sustainable finance in general. It will appeal to academics, students and researchers in the fields of economics, finance and banking, business, management and political and social sciences.

The major objective of this report is the development of an inventory, or "primer", of innovative methods for the development, finance and implementation of sustainable developments. Through the use of case studies, the identification of specific methods, techniques, and policies, and scenario-building, this primer will provide direction for interested participants in the process of sustainability. This report includes a discussion of the complex and ambiguous concepts of "sustainability", "sustainable development", and "sustainable transportation" in order to develop a basic understanding and framework for the report. Many barriers exist which confront planners, decision makers, and advocates when attempting to move a community along the path to sustainability, including cultural and behavioral, professional norms, economic development practices, and traditional planning practices. This report also presents several case studies which illustrate how communities, regions, and countries are approaching the problems associated with unsustainable transportation practices. These cases are supplemented by inventories of solutions to these barriers which are derived from further examinations of the research on and application of sustainability at the local level. Four categories of solutions are outlined: policy solutions, legislative solutions, planning solutions, and financial solutions. The findings from this study are then aggregated into a framework for the development of a scenario for sustainable transportation. This scenario consists of a modification model for transforming the traditional comprehensive planning process into one which integrates sustainability and objectives of sustainable development. This scenario presents a cyclical process for sustainable development from finance through implementation. The final section of the report focuses on the difficulty in integrating sustainability, as a concept, and sustainable development into professional practices and paradigms.

The financing for sustainable development agenda promises to bring together more actors than ever before – from businesses, governments, philanthropists, and remitting households – to address the world’s most pressing problems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, in spite of this ...

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through Finance, Technology and Law Reform Achieving the SDGs requires a fundamental rethink from businesses and governments across the globe. To make the ambitious goals a reality, trillions of dollars need to be harnessed to mobilise finance and accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Bringing together leaders from the World Bank, the financial and business sectors, the startup community and academia, this important, topically relevant volume explains what the SDGs are, how they came about and how they can be accelerated. Real-world case studies and authoritative insights address how to direct investment of existing financial resources and re-align the global financial system to reflect the SDGs. In depth chapters discuss how financial institutions, such as UBS Wealth Management, Manulife Asset Management and Moody’s Rating Agency are supporting the SDGs. The opportunities arising from Blockchain, Big Data, Digital Identity and cutting-edge FinTech and RegTech applications are explored, whilst the relevance of sustainable and transparent global supply chains is underscored. Significant attention is paid to law reform which can accelerate progress of the SDGs through SME Financing, Crowdfunding, Peer-to-Peer Lending and tax restructuring. To achieve the ‘World We Want’, much needs to be done. The recommendations contained within this book are critical for supporting a fundamental shift in thinking from business and governments around the world, and for building a more just and prosperous future for all.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are highly intertwined with sectors such as health, education, energy or agriculture. Hence, measuring official development finance (ODF) flowing to sectors is critical to designing efficient development strategies in the SDG era.