Sustainable development is economic and societal change that meets the needs of local people and our planet now without compromising the needs of future generations. Global sustainable development conventions are international meetings where leaders from governments, communities, non-profit organizations, and more come together to share knowledge and find responses to challenges affecting human and planetary health and wellbeing, such as extreme poverty and the climate emergency.

The most well-known of these conventions is the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs are a shared global plan for addressing poverty, improving health and education, reducing inequality, and solving our environmental crises. The SDGs are comprised of 169 targets meant to be achieved by 2030 or sooner.

While target-setting conventions can develop admirable goals for what countries should achieve for the health of their citizens, goals like the SDGs are often voluntary, with no consequences to countries for not achieving them. Often, global-level targets do not consider the needs of specific countries. Many countries still choose to pursue unsustainable economic growth that may create greater inequality and more greenhouse gas emissions, instead of taking action on locally specific health or climate targets, hindering real progress.

To activate this Global Project, players need to tuck Local Project cards from their hands under this card. The requirement is 1 Incentive and 1 Regulation tags in a Solo or 2-player game, or 2 Regulation and 1 Incentive tags in a 3-player or 4-player game.

Once active: Players may give cards with Society, Ecology, and/or Infrastructure tags from their hand to other players during the Local stage of each round.

• The 17 Goals (United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs)

• Sustainable Development (International Institute for Sustainable Development, IISD)

• Explore linkages between Nationally Determined Commitments and SDGs (ClimateWatch)

• Donate food, goods, or money to organizations working towards the SDGs. 

• Find other ways in your daily life to support the SDGs. 

• Help your company review its supply chain and implement sustainable practices by ensuring it upholds human and labor rights and supports sustainable environmental practices.

• Advocate for boosting development financing in your community or in other countries.