xSDG: Problem Solving through Synergies in SDG Efforts, and the Role of Academia

Abstract

About four years have passed since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by member states of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit. Local governments and private enterprises in Japan are seeking ways to achieve SDGs, and these efforts are spreading throughout the country. This paper discusses the possibility of solving social problems by bringing about synergies between the expertise and knowledge of stakeholders in SDG efforts, as well as the role to be played by academia in such situations. It also explains prospects for future trends in this regard.