GENEVA – After decades of reluctance on the part of world leaders, a rapid, smooth, and purposeful transition toward sustainable development seems unlikely. Indeed, throughout human history, such major changes have more often been forced upon the world by circumstances, with leaders focusing on shorter-term concerns like political turmoil or economic stagnation until serious disruptions to their economies and societies arise.
日内瓦—几十年来世界领导人的不情不愿让快速、平稳、有目的地朝可持续发展的转型看起来已不再可能。事实上，纵观人类历史，如此巨大的变化常常是环境迫使世界做出改变，而领导人总是专注短期考虑，如政治动荡和经济停滞等，直到他们的经济和社会面临严重破坏。