Abstract
Knowledge has the miraculous power to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at an international level, with the notable help provided by courageous reforms due to promoting a new economic model based on quality, green energy, digitalization, and shock resistance. Environmental sustainability relies on collaboration in achieving the SDGs and on communication in making the SDGs a way of living. The unforgettable challenges brought in today's society by the COVID-19 pandemic and the COVID-19 crisis posed even a greater pressure than before to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, thus placing on pivotal positions the answers for the following questions: “What steps are due to be taken for ensuring affordable and clean energy?” “What role do sustainable cities and communities play in people's lives?” “What does climate action involve in terms of the partnerships for the global goals?” and “What does digitalization implicates in terms of supporting long term positive economic, social, and environmental links in the post-COVID-19 era?”
TopIntroduction
According to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report published for the year 2021 it has been mentioned that “since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers and business leaders have routinely had to make time-sensitive decisions, many of which have life-or-death consequences”, especially in the context in which the pandemic has severely and irreversibly accentuated the inequalities between individuals in terms of “health, the society and the economy” (United Nations (UN), 2021, p.1). What is more, the stage where currently the society finds itself is a critical one, which has been acknowledged by specialists as follows: “As the pandemic continues to unfold, and the world moves further off track in meeting the 2030 SDG deadline, timely and high-quality data are more essential than ever” (United Nations (UN), 2021, p.1). Furthermore, based on the Eurostat document on “Sustainable development in the European Union Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context” which was released in May 2022, Paolo Gentiloni – Commissioner, European Commission Responsible for Economy and for Eurostat, emphasizes the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and stresses the following decisive aspects: “Despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission has been focusing on concrete actions to bring tangible progress in the areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Several deeply transformative initiatives have been launched since the beginning of this mandate, such as the European Green Deal, the Climate Law and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan” (Eurostat, 2022, p.4).
Based on the ideas mentioned in the lines above, the authors of this book chapter believe that it is high time for individuals to move to a New Economic Model based on green energy, digitalization, and shock resistance, in the context in which the society in which people live in has become more and more affected by social and economic shocks which generated an increased level of diseases, disasters, inequality, poverty, hunger, and wars at a global level. Also, the authors of this current book chapter display a great concern towards the current high-powered challenges with which humankind confronts itself with and show a tremendous worry towards the process of implementing new and high-reaching reforms due to support the transition to a New Economic Model, knowing the manner in which human nature works and the fact that individuals are more likely to ignore change and to continue the activities without taking any concrete actions in order to change, to improve, and to progress.
In the same line with the elements aforementioned, Mariana Kotzeva – Director-General, Eurostat, stresses in the Eurostat document on “Sustainable development in the European Union Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context” the fact that the most recent figures published by Eurostat in May 2022 will have a major impact on both individuals and entities all around the Globe and “will inspire European citizens, policy-makers, researchers and businesses to undertake sound sustainable development actions, particularly as part of the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, so that European societies can become more resilient to future challenges” (Eurostat, 2022, p.5).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Digitalization Supporting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Brings to the attention of the individuals and the entities the possibility to make use of the digital technologies in order to change certain business models, while seeking, on one hand, an increase in the businesses’ profitability, revenue, global visibility, international recognition, and while striving, on the other hand, to accomplish unprecedented opportunities in terms of giving new meaning to the values of the businesses; in continuation, this is a process which has the power to bring information and knowledge closer to both individuals and organizations, while fostering the benefits of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in a world that has come to rely more and more on the benefits of this phenomenon, namely: unlimited and unrestricted access to information, accessibility, automation, data quality, preservation, integration, interaction, interconnection, searching ability, and income generation.
Synergies Amongst the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The world people live in these days seeks new meanings for committeemen, development, environment, equality, life, love, health, sustainability, sustainable development (SD), power, preservation, progress, profit, and well-being, which are due to be formed and to be promoted only in the context in which everyone has the opportunity to participate and to have the voice heard during the process; according to the United Nations’ (UN) the Synergies amongst the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are due to be encountered in a cross-impact matrix that is born from the interaction of all the objectives considered to be accomplished (United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 2022); this cross-impact matrix represents an essential tool that facilitates the process of better understanding the manner in which the individuals and the entities can help in order to give life to the targets proposed, in the context in which sustainability requires committed actions from all involved parties in a society.
New Economic Model: The highly-praised solution of creating a New Economic Model calling into question today’s practices and coming to support life, well-being, heath, happiness, and synergies amongst the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represents the key looked-for by specialists and leaders worldwide, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the COVID-19 crisis; the need of creating this New Economic Model has its roots in the sustainability barriers that were identified by specialists and by practitioners over the last years, thus offering individuals the possibility to focus, in the Post-COVID-19 Era, much more on the most urgent or on the fundamental needs of the Planet and of the communities they are part of.
Green Energy: Represents one of targets embedded in the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is known as the energy obtained through the use of natural resources, renewable energy sources, such as sunlight, wind or water; the goal of this form of energy is to place life and the environment on the highest positions, since this specific form of energy is not harmful for the environment, as the release of the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere would represent in today’s context.
High-Reaching Reforms to Create a New Economic Model: The success of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the achievement of the partnerships capable to support the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in present days and in the future relies on creating strong reforms in all domains; in this matter, these reforms should address a wide range of objectives due to be based on all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the attempt to find solutions to support all the implications and all the benefits that these 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will come to represent for the economic, the socio-political, and the environmental dimensions; in like manner, creating these reforms should target accomplishing progress in terms of supporting research at all levels, namely: interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary research for the economic, the socio-political, and the environmental dimensions.
Social Economy: Encompasses a variety of businesses, organizations, and different legal entities. They share the objective of systematically putting people first, producing a positive impact on local communities and pursuing a social cause.
Shock Resistance: Represents the desiderate for the future in the context designed to accomplish and to support the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in a world dominated by the effects generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the COVID-19 crisis; it has been remarked the danger represented, in this context, by the systemic resistance to change, to novelty, and to progress (known as “business-as-usual”) which should be fully avoided in the Post-COVID-19 Era, since it would only promote chaos, insecurity, and uncertainty, while generating a severe decline in the individuals standards of living and businesses profitability and success; in addition, a shock resistant society and a shock resistant economy are robust and inclusive systems capable to increase the utilization of information, value the benefits of knowledge, support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) frameworks that “leave now one behind” and that fight for the “general good” of all individuals in the present days and in the future.
High-Powered Challenges to Create a New Economic Model: on the one hand, these days, the COVID-19 pandemic and the COVID-19 crisis represent overpowering threats for the society and for the economy, especially when seeking to achieve the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which represent, through their indented outcomes, putting an end to poverty, finding the necessary solutions capable to protect the Planet, and striving to ensure that by the year 2030 all people will get the opportunity to enjoy the well-deserved peace and the well-praised prosperity (United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 2022); on the other hand, in the Post-COVID-19 Era the solution for a bright future is seen in the context in which a New Economic Model is being foreseen and created, with a particular emphasis on “affordable and clean energy” expected to encourage growth and Sustainable Development (SD) for all, “sustainable cities and communities” envisioned to support green energy, green public spaces, digitalization, inclusion, and shock resistance in all senses, and “climate action” counted on fostering the partnerships for reaching the Global Goals in a world that seems more and more inclined to alter the meaning of life, to lack global participation in helping the human rights, and to become more subjective in terms of banning harmful practices for ecosystems and humanity (United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 2022).
Economic Globalization: This is a phenomenon in expansion that causes profound changes on the world stage. It revolves around trade, the flow of investment, financial capital, division of labor and specialization. The concept is not limited only to economic variables since its effects extend to individuals, society to the state. Developing countries are experiencing stagnation in the face of their inability to cope with globalization, which is compounded by poor management of their financial markets, leading to an increase in the income inequality gap. Economic globalization brings with it the mobilization of goods and capital, reduces distance between borders and energizes international trade with some alterations to sovereignty.
Resilience: Transformations within a complex system related to the capacity for self-organization while maintaining internal structure, together with the ability to create adaptive responses, generate knowledge, experience, and learning. Resilience and sustainability are directly related to changes within societies, economies, and the human system as a whole. The transformation of systems is inevitable since it allows systems to strengthen.