Special edition: Live from Hamburg: Can governments still invest in the future?
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges and opportunities for government investment in sustainability amidst global threats.
This special two-part edition of This Week in Global Development comes to you from the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, where leaders from across development, government, business and civil society gather to debate the big questions facing the global economy — from climate and debt to security, trade, and the future of international cooperation. In part one, Devex Global Development Reporter Ayenat Mersie speaks with Achim Steiner, chair of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference and former administrator of the United Nations Development Programme , to explore a question at the heart of today’s geopolitical moment: Are governments preparing for the wrong kinds of threats? As defense budgets climb around the world, Steiner tells Ayenat that countries risk neglecting the investments that actually make societies more secure, from climate resilience and affordable clean energy to digital infrastructure. He also explains why sustainability should be seen not as a sacrifice, but as an opportunity to strengthen economies, lower costs, and build resilience. In part two, Ayenat speaks with Sierra Leone Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, who talks about “the politics of painful choices”…
More episodes of This Week in Global Development
- Turning World Cup hype into impact, and governing AI for good
- Uncertainty over UNAIDS’ future and avoiding sexual abuse in Ebola response
- US aid leadership changes and a controversial UN merger
- Special edition: The blueprint for better lung cancer screening
- Live from London Climate Action Week
- Fact-checking US aid claims as the State Department continues to hire
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the This Week in Global Development podcast page.