Interview: Inclusive multilateral cooperation needs focus on well-being of people, planet: UN expert

by Xinhua writers Wang Lu, Ma Ruxuan, Liu Yaxian

GENEVA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Systemic thinking and action beyond short-term considerations are needed in global governance to ensure that the well-being of people and the planet is at the core of development path design, a United Nations (UN) official has emphasized.

"When we discuss the future of development, we must have the people who will shape that future in the room," Ozge Aydogan, director of the Beyond Lab at the UN Office in Geneva, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Beyond Lab is a collaborative space initiated by the UN Office at Geneva and the Swiss government in partnership with civil society, including the International Institute for Sustainable Development. It brings together governments, young people, academia, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector to advance long-term and regenerative sustainability.

Aydogan emphasized the synergies and alignment between China's concept of ecological civilization and the Beyond Lab's mission of promoting long-term, regenerative development. "Both place nature at the very heart of development, seeing it as the bedrock of well-being and prosperity," she said, noting that this resonates with the shift from merely "sustainable" to actively "regenerative" development models.

"The vision of an ecological civilization is aligned with that of a regenerative economy. This will finally allow us to balance the needs of current and future generations, the guiding principle of sustainable development," Aydogan said, noting China's efforts in exploring green economy solutions through practices such as zero-carbon factories.

Aydogan underscored the importance of inclusive multilateral collaboration in exploring and shaping the future of long-term and sustainable development beyond 2030. "Cross-regional dialogues, including between Europe and China, are essential for the promotion of inclusive and alternative development pathways," allowing for the creation of greater ownership and the connection of diverse economies, she said.

This will create "scalable solutions in technology and policy, including from and in the Global South," she added.

Aydogan also emphasized the importance of "promoting intergenerational accountability and empowering youth," saying it is crucial for strengthening the long-term view and countering short-termism.

Taking the Beyond Lab's "Youth Moving Beyond GDP" initiative as an example, she said the initiative integrates young voices directly into UN policy processes on the future of the economy and promotes broad participation from young people around the world, including from China.

"We are living in an age of interconnected crises," she said, calling the international community to "move away from our extractive practices towards a regenerative approach to development" to ensure human progress and wellbeing within planetary boundaries.

"A key way of achieving that is rethinking how we define and measure progress, including by complementing and going beyond traditional approaches and metrics such as gross domestic product (GDP)," she said. ■