At the core of sustainability is a simple question. How do we continue? And your answer to that question depends heavily on where you’re from. A rural soybean farmer may have a different definition of what it means to sustain than a city dweller. An environmental activist in Europe may have a different definition than a rice farmer in Malaysia. But can we find solutions that create progress for all? The experts we talk to in this episode are optimistic that we can. 

Jessica Oakes is a civil engineer with 14 years of experience. In her second year out of college, she took an assignment for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Afghanistan—a decision that would change her life forever. She served there as an expatriate engineer for nearly four years on two consecutive USAID projects, which focused on improving water, sanitation, energy, transportation, and vertical structures throughout the war-torn country. While in Afghanistan, she initiated a women’s internship program for engineering students enrolled in local universities.

Already, in barely six months, the COVID-19 pandemic has plunged our world in its entirety — and each of us individually — into the most challenging times we’ve faced in generations.

It is a defining moment — we will be dealing with its fallout for years, and many things will change forever. It has wrought (and will continue to do so) economic disruption of monumental proportions, creating risk and volatility on multiple fronts — political, social, geopolitical — while exacerbating deep concerns about the environment and also extending the reach of technology into our lives.

Addressing climate change is a crucial part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, yet countries have made little progress on this goal. In the years ahead, countries have to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You can join us in taking action on this issue here.