2026 Principles of International Development Project

2026 Global Change and Planetary Boundaries

Subtitle:

People, prosperity, peace, and partnership in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)


Course Description:

This course is part of the UNU Intensive Core (UNU-IC) Courses.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2015. It is a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal call to action for all countries to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. To ensure that no one is left behind, a global partnership is necessary.

The 17 SDGs are integrated. Action in one area will affect outcomes in others. Development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. At the same time, the 5Ps of the SDGs are often emphasized: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership.

In this course, we focus on people, prosperity, peace, and partnership among the 5Ps of the SDGs. (“Planet” will be the focus of another UNU-IC course “Global Change and Planetary Boundaries”). For the topics of this course, several Goals are selected, and then within each Goal, some Targets will be focused for discussion.

   This course is conducted face-to-face at the UNU-IAS in Tokyo.


Objectives and Learning Goals:

・Participants will understand human development goals and targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030, with focus on people, prosperity, peace, and partnership among the 5Ps of the SDGs.

・Participants will understand the interlinkages among the goals and the targets of the SDGs, and therefore the needs for global governance for multidisciplinary challenges.

・Participants will be able to discuss how to implement the plan of action to achieve the relevant SDGs at the country level.

・Participants will understand the leadership roles played by the UN and its agencies, as well as specialized agencies of the UN.

・Participants will be able to discuss how international cooperation among UN member states can be promoted to accelerate the efforts to achieve the SDGs.


Requirements:

It is expected that participants spend about 2.5 hours for each of the 15 sessions for preparation. After the class, the participants are expected to organize their own ideas based on the discussion, spending about 2 hours for each session.

Participants read assigned papers critically, identify at least 1 discussion point per session, and share your ideas in the class. Your discussion should include the following 3 elements: 1) Quote a discussion point from the assigned papers, 2) Critically assess and analyze the point argued by the author, and 3) Present your own alternative perspective or interpretation, suggesting needs for further research.

It should not be too long. Imagine yourself attending an international conference, and making a comment on a draft document circulated among participants. You may have only 2 minutes to make a brief but clear comment on the paper in order to contribute to the on-going debate at the UN.

2026 UN System and Sustainable Development

Course Description:

This course is part of the UNU Intensive Core (UNU-IC) Courses.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2015. It is a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal call to action for all countries to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. To ensure that no one is left behind, a global partnership is necessary.

The 17 SDGs are integrated. Action in one area will affect outcomes in others. Development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. At the same time, the 5Ps of the SDGs are often emphasized: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership.

In this course, we focus on people, prosperity, peace, and partnership among the 5Ps of the SDGs. (“Planet” will be the focus of another UNU-IC course “Global Change and Planetary Boundaries”). For the topics of this course, several Goals are selected, and then within each Goal, some Targets will be focused for discussion.

   This course is conducted face-to-face at the UNU-IAS in Tokyo.


Objectives and Learning Goals:

・Participants will understand human development goals and targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030, with focus on people, prosperity, peace, and partnership among the 5Ps of the SDGs.

・Participants will understand the interlinkages among the goals and the targets of the SDGs, and therefore the needs for global governance for multidisciplinary challenges.

・Participants will be able to discuss how to implement the plan of action to achieve the relevant SDGs at the country level.

・Participants will understand the leadership roles played by the UN and its agencies, as well as specialized agencies of the UN.

・Participants will be able to discuss how international cooperation among UN member states can be promoted to accelerate the efforts to achieve the SDGs.


Requirements:

It is expected that participants spend about 2.5 hours for each of the 15 sessions for preparation. After the class, the participants are expected to organize their own ideas based on the discussion, spending about 2 hours for each session.

Participants read assigned papers critically, identify at least 1 discussion point per session, and share your ideas in the class. Your discussion should include the following 3 elements: 1) Quote a discussion point from the assigned papers, 2) Critically assess and analyze the point argued by the author, and 3) Present your own alternative perspective or interpretation, suggesting needs for further research.

It should not be too long. Imagine yourself attending an international conference, and making a comment on a draft document circulated among participants. You may have only 2 minutes to make a brief but clear comment on the paper in order to contribute to the on-going debate at the UN.