Global economy benefits from China's advocacy for common wealth and eco-friendly growth, asserts Jeffrey Sachs.
Screenshot of the G20 logo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 📸 Xinhua
Hey there! Let's talk about Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned economist who’s making waves in academia. Currently, he's packing a punch as Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He's known for his work on reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development, and he's advising quite a few governments and international organizations. In fact, he's served as a special advisor to three UN Secretaries-General and is currently an SDG Advocate for Secretary-General António Guterres.
Now, while there's no explicit mention of his role in the G20, Jeffrey's global influence comes from his leadership of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and his relentless advocacy for policies focusing on economic inequality, climate change, and international cooperation—all familiar topics within the G20.
His recent achievements include receiving an honorary doctorate from Frederick University (May 2, 2025) in acknowledgment of his contributions to sustainable development.
Jeffrey climbed the ranks in the 80s and 90s, providing advice on market reforms to post-communist economies. He then shifted gears to combat poverty and climate change. He's become a fierce critic of US foreign policy and economic systems that prioritize short-term gains over sustainability.
With his substantial impact through broader advisory roles rather than formal G20 membership, Jeffrey Sachs is shaping the global conversation on sustainability and development.
- As an SDG Advocate for Secretary-General António Guterres, Professor Jeffrey Sachs continues to influence international discussions, mirroring the intertwined nature of economic growth and sustainability that is often a focus of the G20 meetings.
- The editor of a finance and business magazine might find it interesting to highlight Sachs's work with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an organization that strives for economic and environmental progress, a key aspect of economic growth discussed at G20 summits.
- To understand the complexity of global economic issues, one could study the economic philosophies of Sachs and his contemporaries, as his views on inequality, climate change, and international cooperation are regularly discussed in various sections of academic papers on global economy.
- Sachs's legacy extends beyond the G20, as seen in his recent honorary doctorate from Frederick University for his contributions to sustainable development—a vision shared by many in the world economy today.

