Short Communication: Open Access (WBCSD), we work with the world’s leading companies to develop state actors,includingbusiness,toachievetheirambition. also differ from the MDGs in their explicit call to action from non- across economic,socialandenvironmentaldimensions.TheSDGs SDGs encompassabroaderrangeofsustainabledevelopmenttopics economy. Theyrepresentthestartofanewera. making thetransitiontoasustainableandthrivinglowcarbon developing our societies while addressing these critical issues and hope. Children's EmergencyFund-UNICEF,2011)[3].Butweneedn’tlose population enjoysmorethan70%oftotalincome”(UnitedNations inequality isstillunacceptablyhigh-the“top20%ofglobal Desertification (UNCCD), 25% of global land is degraded [2]. Global [1], accordingtotheUnitedNationsConventionCombat world’s populationlivesinextremepoverty(WorldBank,2015) was adopted:itwillsetthespeedanddirectionforachievingSDGs. December, theyearwascappedoffwhenhistoricParisAgreement Framework ConventiononClimateChange(UNFCCC)COP21in inclusive growthandprotecttheenvironment.AtUnitedNations Goals (SDGs) that aim to eradicate poverty, promote peace, fuel September, worldleadersembracedtheSustainableDevelopment year, wheretwolongpoliticalprocessesculminatedinsuccess.In are credited. source and author original the provided medium, any in reproduction and distribution, use, unrestricted permits which License, Copyright: Received: January29,2016: Case Postale246,CH-1211, Geneve21,Switzerland,Tel:+41(0)228393100, E-mail: 2, Eugène-Rigot De LaPaix,Chemin *Corresponding author:PeterBakker,President&CEO,WBCSD,Maison President &CEO,WBCSD,MaisonDeLaPaix,CheminEugene-Rigot2,Geneve,Switzerland Peter Bakker* Earth Spaceship Journey for A Promising Development Goals: Sustainable Aeronautical Eng 1:001 Citation: At theWorldBusinessCouncilforSustainableDevelopment Building on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the The SDGsprovide uswith anall-encompassing agenda for Our worldisinasystemiccrisis:Anastonishing9.6%ofthe For thoseofusworkinginsustainability,2015wasaninspiring VIBGYOR akr (06 Ssanbe eeomn Gas A rmsn Juny o Saehp at. n J Astronaut J Int Earth. Spaceship for Journey Promising A Goals: Development Sustainable (2016) P Bakker © 2016 Bakker P. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Commons Creative the of terms the under distributed article open-access an is This P. Bakker 2016 © SDGs, Sustainability,Low-carbon Keywords sustainable worldweurgentlyneedandareaccountablefor. must be the year we start delivering and reporting on these commitments. Only then we will be able to build the 2016 economy. thriving carbon, low a achieve to societies and economies our transform will that commitments significant made government and business society, civil from leaders 2015, In era. new a They of start the represent inequality. and degradation environmental poverty, of challenges critical the addressing while societies our developing for agenda all-encompassing an with us provide (SDGs) Goals Development Sustainable The Abstract Accepted:March28,2016: Published: driven deforestationfromsupplychainsandprocuring100%clean based emissionsreductionstargets,toremovingcommodity- core oftheirbusiness.Theiractivitiesrangefromadoptingscience- this calltoactionveryseriouslyandintegratingsustainabilityatthe sustainable world. on “spaceship”Earth,wehavearesponsibilitytotakeactionfor a businesses, membersofcivilsociety,butaboveall,asastronauts was filmed,but hiswordswillechoforever. Asgovernments, protect theEarth.Wubbopassedawaydayafterinterview through anastronaut’seyeswouldleadonetoloveandwant the horizon.AstronautWubboOckelssaidthatseeingEarth the astronautsagainstbreathtakingbackdropofEarthin trajectory. leaders toseizetheopportunityputworldonasustainable Earth videotounderlinethefragilityofourplanetandcallonworld Ban Ki-moon.ItwasauniquemomenttosharethebeautifulCall figures suchasAlGoreandtheUnitedNationsSecretary-General business leadersfrom25countriesjoinedinfluentialpolitical challenges. implementation partner for governments in addressing our global led technologicalprogress,andgoingforwarditwillbeacritical protect ourclimateandecosystems.Businesshashistorically potential ofbusinesstoimprovelivesacrosstheplanetandhelp environmental andsocietalbenefits.Webelieveintheinnovative and scaleupbusinesssolutionswithintegratedeconomic, Aeronauticl Eg Astronauic d Inter Forward-looking companies across the world are already taking Nothing could have been more powerful than the words of At our Council Meeting during COP21, some 800 global March 31,2016 natiol Jur Bakker. IntJAstronautAeronauticalEng2016,1:001 nal of [email protected] ISSN: 2631-5009 Bakker. Int J Astronaut Aeronautical Eng 2016, 1:001 ISSN: 2631-5009 | • Page 2 of 2 • energy from renewable sources. Sustainable growth strategies aligned In 2015, leaders from civil society, business and government with the SDGs represent new strategic investment and business made significant commitments that will transform our economies opportunities closely tied to societal progress and environmental and societies worldwide. protection. For business, embracing the SDGs will open new markets, But actions speak louder than words. 2016 must be the year we trigger further innovation in low carbon technologies and add value start delivering and reporting on these commitments. Only then we to the economy through new jobs. will be able to build the sustainable world we urgently need and are When the United Nations conducted its thematic consultations accountable for. to prepare for the post-2015 Development Agenda (from late 2012 to early 2013), the business community also provided input. WBCSD References was represented through our chairman Paul Polman, who was a 1. World Bank (2015) Global Poverty to fall below 10% for First Time. member of the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel of eminent 2. UNCCD (2014) The Land in Numbers: Livelihoods at a tipping point. persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. 3. Ortiz Isabel, Cummins Matthew (2011) Global Inequality: Beyond the Bottom 2015 demonstrated the willingness and capacity of business to Billion: A Rapid Review of Income Distribution in 141 Countries. UNICEF. support governments in making the transition to a clean and inclusive economy. Through the coalition of We Mean Business, organizations working with more than 6,000,000 companies around the world expressed support for an ambitious climate agreement in Paris. The Low Carbon Technology Partnerships initiative (LCTPi) led by the WBCSD brought together over 150 global businesses and 70 partners to work collaboratively on the climate challenge. LCTPi groups presented their ambitions and action plans at COP21. The first key outcomes of their work covering nine different sectors will be shared in Morocco at the end of this year. Yet, achieving the SDGs, delivering the now 1.5°C climate target and remaining within the other planetary boundaries require us all to accelerate the pace of the transition. We need more companies to build on the progress that was made, push for more and bring sustainable solutions to scale fast. Sustainability must become an integral part of every company’s decision-making and disclosures. A performance picture that incorporates the environmental and social impacts of a company alongside its financial results will guide investors in allocating assets and incentivize more companies to become sustainable. This will ultimately accelerate the shift to a clean, prosperous economy and safeguard the future of our planet.

Citation: Bakker P (2016) Sustainable Development Goals: A Promising Journey for Spaceship Earth. Int J Astronaut Aeronautical Eng 1:001