Lessons from COVID-19 are apt here --- It seems only when we humans are faced with life-threatening situations (even then there are those we oppose to do the right thing!) do we jolt into action!

COVID-19, a truly global problem, has laid bare what collective action can achieve, as citizens and as countries or the mounting losses where its missing. While its roots are in SDG 3 (Health), it impacted most of SDGs, most visibly - 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16.

Countries went to fire-fighting mode with strict measures about closing borders, wearing masks, keeping distance and getting vaccinated. Stick was used when the carrot wasn't working!

Collective (proportionate) sacrifice seems to be only the way forward to achieve SDGs. Whether the stick will work to push us in that direction or whether it will break the rules & norms of multilateralism, which would be self-defeating, remains to be seen.

Source author: Vid Nukala Vid.Nukala@gmail.com