Discussions at this Conference for the Italian talent abroad group focused on the need for a development model where economic growth is not merely an end, but serves as a means to improving the quality of people’s lives. This was highlighted as the shared goal uniting Italy and the more than 150 countries which, during the recent United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, adopted a package of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be pursued by 2030. It was noted that the package represents a paradigm shift from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that has driven the agenda of the international community up until this year. While the MDGs were targets for action by the wealthiest countries in favor of the poorest, the SDGs were characterized as a universal call to action that every country must rally to – starting from within.
Sustainability, in this context, was seen as no longer – or at least not only – a necessary step towards halting overconsumption of resources and climate change. Rather, it has become a strategy that carries advantages in terms of wellbeing for the general population, while at the same time ensuring economic benefits, since cutting down on waste – especially of energy resources – entails substantial savings for individuals and businesses.
It was suggested that in consequence of the recent economic crisis, as well as the heavy imbalances that that this has generated, the challenge posed by the pursuit of “happy growth” (encompassing the marriage of economic, environmental, and social sustainability) is that of implementing development policies capable of aligning individual behaviors to the common good. Economic theory clearly points to the importance of providing incentives to achieve this end, yet it was stressed that a contribution to collective wellbeing can also be made by civil society, which has supported the recent growth in philanthropic endeavors worldwide, and has given rise – even in countries that are more culturally removed from the charitable model, such as Italy – to a non-profit sector capable of making up for the shortcomings of the public sector.
Even so, it was emphasized that any efforts aimed at promoting sustainability must take into account a rapidly changing world that hence calls for timely intervention. In this regard, promoting sustainability was viewed as inconceivable without considering the great technological changes taking place, such as the emergence of the Internet of Things. This set of technologies not only promises to provide “smart” solutions to everyday problems affecting millions of people, but is also making a huge amount of data available, which, if properly understood and analyzed, can have significant applications in various fields.
In conclusion, the participants urged that a country like Italy cannot afford to miss the opportunities offered by the technological revolution underway. It must therefore take steps to support the development of a virtuous ecosystem involving universities, industry, and the research sphere, with the aim of furthering innovation, employment, and growth. Harnessing strengths and redressing critical issues as soon as possible would thus seem to be the only way of playing a role in the major changes in progress, and of securing a return – by combining innovation with sustainability – to the path of growth.
During the conference the following research, conducted by the Italian talent abroad working groups, was presented: