Ladies and gentlemen,
1. Our theme is “Rethinking Development Ideas”, and it strikes me that this festival is itself an inspired idea. Bringing together so many like-minded people, all united by the vision of a brighter future, is a sure-fire catalyst for innovation. Over the past two days, those of you gathered here have shared ideas and inspired one another to meet the challenges of tomorrow. I urge you to hold onto that renewed sense of purpose when you leave. For our world needs energized problem-solvers now more than ever.
2. Today’s event is not, of course, the first in which development ideas are being discussed and reconsidered. Development thinking has itself evolved considerably over the years. When I was an undergraduate, the study of development was primarily the preserve of economists. Today, it is widely accepted that development is not, and should not, be confined to achieving economic targets only. The subject has become the focus of interdisciplinary scholarship drawing on politics, geography, history, sociology, psychology, anthropology, medicine and many others.
1 This festival thus represents an important acknowledgement that development itself, as a concept and as a practice, can never stand still. It must constantly be reviewed, updated and, yes, broadened, to meet the ever-changing needs of the present.
3. What we need is a concrete plan of how to secure a world that delivers prosperity, and protects both people and the planet. And we have one. The United Nations Pact for the Future, approved recently by the UN General Assembly, provides a critical roadmap to guide global action. The Pact was developed in response to the multiple existential crises facing humanity. It is ultimately a call to action – to safeguard human dignity, eradicate poverty, restore the planet, and foster peace – based on the principles of sustainable development, human rights and social equity. I will touch on some of these in my speech today. But I would first like to reflect on why these renewed development efforts are so crucial, here and now in 2024.
4. When we survey the state of the world today, one trend is all too clear: progress can no longer be taken for granted. Our present era is marked by acute political, economic and environmental uncertainties, with geopolitical tensions in some places erupting into outright war. World hunger is on the rise after years of falling, with undernourishment reaching levels not seen for over a decade. At national and global levels, the gap between the richest and poorest is widening. Forced displacement is increasing at record rates, and civilian casualties in wars are on an upward trend for the first time in years. Development appears to have lost momentum, especially following the Covid- 19 pandemic. Meanwhile, human-induced climate change presents an ever- growing threat, with 1.7 billion people affected by extreme weather in the past decade alone, a figure that is only set to rise. This year is on track to be the hottest on record, a feat that will also inevitably soon be surpassed.
5. These are sobering trends. They highlight the urgent need for events such as this one, which call on us to re-evaluate our approaches to development. We all want to leave the world a better place. We dream of a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. But we can no longer take that dream for granted. Indeed, I may go so far as to say that humanity itself is under threat, as we face multiple existential crises. We even have a new acronym to describe this state of affairs – VUCA, which stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. But we must learn to navigate this new era of uncertainty. To do so effectively, we need innovative solutions to address our many existing global problems, that are now being exacerbated by new and unprecedented challenges.
6. I firmly believe that it is not too late to turn the tide and to overcome the environmental, economic and humanitarian challenges that threaten our dream of progress. When I think of what humanity has accomplished in the course of its long history – of what Malaysia has achieved in the 67 short years since independence – I am filled with hope that we can reverse these worrying trends. But we must have the courage to act boldly, and we must find the political will to address some of our deeper-seated issues.
7. Many of you gathered in this auditorium will have a much clearer sense than I do of what form that action must take; but permit me to share a few reflections on how the concept of development has evolved, as well as what I see as the key principles that need to be placed at the heart of new approaches to development.
Ladies and gentlemen,
8. Our understanding of what development means has changed considerably over the last 80 years. Development has traditionally been seen almost exclusively as an economic process ⎯ in which countries advance from lower to higher income status. In this view, development was seen as a linear path towards modernization. The focus was on GDP growth, industrialization and market expansion. This model of development has achieved considerable success and has lifted millions out of poverty. But it has also left behind a host of problems. These include widespread poverty amidst plenty, environmental degradation, rising inequality and social exclusion.
9. As a result, this traditional model of development has come under significant criticism. There is growing recognition that true progress cannot be measured by economic indicators alone. That we must rethink development in its entirety ⎯ redefining what it means to be developed. Many scholars and practitioners are calling for a broader understanding of development that goes beyond a narrow focus on economic growth ⎯ one that includes deeper issues of social justice, human well-being, ecological balance and peace.
10. In recent years, new approaches have emerged that seek to expand the scope of development. These acknowledge that traditional metrics are too narrow and do not capture the complexities of human well-being or ecological sustainability. New frameworks have been developed, including the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme, which have helped to broaden our understanding of development to include access to healthcare, education and political participation, and not just income levels.
11. One of the most significant conceptual shifts in development thinking has come from the idea of sustainability ⎯ a term defined by the 1987 Brundtland Commission as:
“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It was popularised by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its proponents maintain that as well as economic growth, we must focus on creating a “regenerative” economy ⎯ one that heals rather than harms the environment. This entails transitioning to renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, protecting biodiversity and fostering circular economies.
12. The SDGs represent a radical shift away from traditional models of development, integrating economic, social and environmental considerations into a unified framework. They recognise that poverty, inequality and environmental degradation are interconnected, and that all three must be addressed concurrently. Progress on the SDGs has been mixed, however, with some regions of the world performing better than others. The 2024 Sustainable Development Report notes that just 16 per cent of the SDG targets are currently on track to be met globally by 2030, with the remaining 84 per cent showing little progress or, even more worryingly, the reverse. This has raised questions as to whether the SDGs as currently framed can still help us meet the challenges of our time.
13. Another key shift in development thinking has been a move towards the notion of inclusive development, prompted by the realization that in many societies the fruits of development have been distributed unevenly. Today, there is greater appreciation that development must be inclusive of all people, irrespective of class, gender, ethnicity and geography. Addressing inequality and promoting inclusiveness is not just morally right. A growing body of research shows that it is also economically beneficial. Studies also indicate that more inclusive societies experience greater stability, lower crime rates, and higher levels of happiness and productivity.
14. Another strand of development thinking focuses on the subjective concepts of well-being, satisfaction and happiness. Proponents of this view argue that progress should not be measured solely by the quantity of goods produced, but by the quality of life. This has led to the development of alternative metrics of progress, such as the Gross National Happiness Index in Bhutan. Another example is the OECD’s Better Life Index which covers 11 topics, namely: housing, income, jobs, community, education, environment, civic engagement, health, life satisfaction, safety and work-life balance.
15. We can see from the above examples that there are many approaches to development. And the concept itself will no doubt continue to evolve, reflecting new concerns and challenges. I believe that whatever approach is taken, it must be grounded in several key principles. These are:
- Inter-connectedness: This principle recognises that our actions have broader consequences beyond national boundaries. A single country’s problems can no longer be viewed in isolation. A war that breaks out on one continent has repercussions on another. Fossil fuels burned in one hemisphere contribute to climate impacts on the opposite side of the globe. This means that we must adopt an all-encompassing approach to development that takes account of the inter-connectedness of people, cultures and ecosystems, and thus of our inter-dependence.
- People-centred Development: This principle builds on Amartya Sen’s insight that development must be about the expansion of each person’s capabilities. It is not about income in itself, but about the freedom people have to achieve valuable ends.2
- Environmental stewardship: This principle recognises that our health and wellbeing are inseparable from the health of our planet, and that we can no longer continue to develop at the expense of future generations. The World Health Organization estimates that if left unchecked, climate change threatens to undo 50 years of development work.3 That is, 50 years of hard-fought gains, of painstaking efforts to reduce poverty, improve food security, strengthen infrastructure and open the door to better opportunities for people everywhere. It is notable that the UN is currently exploring how to incorporate environmental factors into its Human Development Index, through the experimental Planetary Pressures-Adjusted HDI.
- Equity and justice: Development must be about achieving social and economic justice, with all people, regardless of background, able to access opportunities and resources. The achievement of human dignity must be our objective.
16. But how do we move from aspirations to solutions? Well, there is no simple answer. And it is particularly challenging for those countries already struggling to develop out of poverty, to have to do so while simultaneously working to reduce carbon emissions and prevent the destruction of natural habitats.4 This, indeed, was the root of the frustrations expressed at the conclusion of the COP 29 Summit last week. Grievances arise as those countries which formerly prospered at the expense of the planet are just not taking enough responsibility for undoing the damage. Pledges from the richer countries of only USD 300 billion a year of public funds to 2035 fall far short of the developing countries’ estimated needs of USD 1.2 trillion a year. And it is the poorest, who have contributed the least to climate change, who are the worst affected. There is a growing sense that some parts of the world are being let down, as well as being left behind.
17. This disappointment reflects the broader structural issues with our international organizations. Almost 80 years after World War II ended, it is surely past time to reform the global institutions that were set up during and just after it. The United Nations, World Bank and International Monetary Fund all continue to function based on the same outdated rules of global governance that were developed then. But while the geopolitical and economic environment have changed since 1945, and we now live in a multipolar world, these historical, and unrepresentative, governance structures remain. Far-reaching reforms must be made to the UN and international financial institutions so they can meet today’s globally interconnected challenges. We all share one planet, living on a global commons of shared resources, perhaps even in a global village. If major global crises that affect us all such as climate change are to be tackled fairly and effectively, the Global South must now be integrated more fully into problem- solving processes.
18. But what form might that problem-solving take? How can we balance environmental action with humanitarian and economic progress, to ensure prosperity for all? I am pleased to say that there are already some promising examples of projects which seek to streamline these areas of development. The World Bank’s Next Generation Africa Climate Business Plan provides a blueprint for ecofriendly development that will also create wealth and opportunities: clean energy infrastructure, for instance, which will create new specialized jobs.5 The international network FABLE – Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-Use and Energy – is pursuing creative ways to prevent biodiversity loss to farming while also tackling global nutrition shortages.6
19. These are international, cross-border, large-scale efforts. They highlight the crucial importance of collaboration and the pooling of ideas at the global level. At the same time, the solutions they offer are local and specialized: tailored to the unique social, climate and political circumstances not just of countries, but of regions, cities and towns. This points again to the importance of much fairer representation in our global institutions for all countries, to ensure that solutions really work for the people they are designed to help.
20. Above all, the projects I mentioned a moment ago strive to build on the symbiotic relationship that should exist between humanity and the planet. Instead of approaching the environment as a distraction from human development – instead of taking from one to give to the other – they ask: how can we do both? How can we minimise the inevitable trade-offs, and find solutions to the one problem that can simultaneously help to solve the other?
21. The world needs much more of this kind of creative, strategic thinking if it is to turn back from climate disaster, while lifting its poorest out of poverty. I have every faith that events such as this will be the catalyst for more innovative efforts in this area. The American statesman and polymath Benjamin Franklin (d. 1790) once said, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water”.7 To which I add: let us not wait until that happens. Let us fix the well today.
- Ian Goldin, Development: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018).
- Goldin, Development, 11
- World Health Organization, ‘Climate Change’, WHO Fact Sheet (12 October 2023).
- Ali A. Allawi, Rich World, Poor World: The Struggle to Escape Poverty (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2024), 10.
- World Bank Group, Next Generation Africa Climate Business Plan: First Progress Report: Forging Ahead on Development-Centered Climate Action (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023).
- Sarah Jones and Aline Mosnier, ‘Achieving Sustainable Food Systems: How can we balance biodiversity conservation and food production?: Implementation of the SDGs,’ UN SDGs: Learncast (accessed 24 November 2024): https://www.unsdglearn.org/podcast/achieving-sustainable-food-systems-how-can-we-balance-biodiversity-conservation-and-food-production/
- David Epstein, ‘When the Well is Dry, We Know the Worth of Water,’ Frontiers in Pediatrics 4:12 (2016).
