Abstract
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seek to promote a broad set of economic and environmental goals. However, a survey of the extant sustainability literature reveals that there are inherent contradictions of specific economic goals with sustainability objectives, in particular increasing economic growth, international trade and foreign investment, and industrialization. In addition, a case study of Malaysia’s development path offers further insight into the environmental costs of such goals for a country that has been lauded for its development achievements. The case study underscores the unlikelihood of Malaysia achieving the environmental SDGs without radical change from business-as-usual economic activities, as well as the limitations of the environmental SDGs themselves.
Presenters
Ellen FitzpatrickDirector, Center for Financial Capability and Community Development, Girard School of Business, Merrimack College, Massachusetts, United States Mariko Frame
Assistant Professor of Economics, Economics, Merrimack College, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Malaysia, Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainability, Ecology, Trade, Growth, Industrialization
