How to make humanity sustainable

In 2023, we face an opportunity unprecedented in human history. We now have more policy and financial instruments available than ever before to transform human societies and economies, to achieve real long-term sustainability. Here are a few ways we can do that.

Acceleration – Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement invites countries to cooperate to accelerate climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience-building, and related sustainable development activities. Non-market approaches under Article 6.8 present an opportunity to leverage nearly all areas of international cooperation to accelerate and mainstream climate action.

Agriculture – The Regen 10 initiative aims to shift 50% of global food production to regenerative methods that support the health of people, nature, and the climate system, through a farmer-centric, deeply inclusive and evidence-based collaborative scaling strategy.

Biodiversity – The Global Biodiversity Framework creates an opportunity to align investments and Industries with smart stewardship of ecosystems and biodiversity, in line with human rights and the rights of nature. Because nature underpins our food systems, watersheds, climate stability, and the conditions that make life livable, investments in nature can pay dividends across all of human activity.

Bioregions – Our planet is not physically segmented by political borders, economies, or trading blocs; nature organizes itself into bioregions—vast territories which overlap nations, languages, cultures, and continents, and which are defined by climatic, geophysical, and ecological forces.

Data – To achieve sustainable development, we will need multidimensional data systems integration. A global network of volunteer experts and practitioners is working to support practical solutions through the DataKind Network.

Debt – Reform of international finance institutions can relieve catastrophic debt burdens, assist vulnerable countries in reducing vulnerability and building resilience, and provide critical entry points for eliminating negative externalities tied to climate pollution and destabilization.

Development – The 2022 Reinventing Prosperity Report 'Capital to Communities' centers on a participatory approach to the design, deployment, and monitoring of financial flows and cooperative efforts to mainstream climate-resilient development.

Food finance – The Good Food Finance Network is working with partners to develop a Co-Investment Platform to crowd in healthy, sustainable food system finance from public, private, multilateral and philanthropic sources.

Loss & Damage – 196 nations agreed in Egypt in November to create a Loss and Damage Fund, to address, reduce, and invest in overcoming climate-related loss and damage, especially for the most climate vulnerable countries; a Transitional Committee will start work in early 2023 to mobilize resources even before the Fund is created.

Stakeholders – The Consultation on Priorities for a Livable Future invites stakeholders to offer their visions of a livable future—in their local context, at provincial and national levels, and in the way nations organize themselves to make global policy.