In his talk, Prof. Patrick Walsh discusses the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda as an agenda of the people, with the responsibility for implementation by the people, using their influence on Livelihoods, Civil Society, and Governance, to induce successful stakeholder partnership at local, national, regional and global levels. Patrick Paul Walsh is a Professor of International Development Studies in UCD, Ireland. He was a Senior Adviser to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York during its input to the post 2015 Development Agenda, formally mandated by the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon. He also represented the UN Major Group for Science and Technology during the Inter-Governmental Negotiations that produced the UN 2030 Agenda Outcome Document in September 2015.

In his interview during the UNU-WIDER 30th Anniversary Conference 'Mapping the Future of Development Economics' Nobel laureate in economics Professor Joseph Stiglitz gave an interview on the past and future challenges to development. When asked about the SDGs Professor Stiglitz said that he welcomes the new goals as they apply to all countries and embrace a wider meaning of development than simply growth in GDP. He also welcomes the number of goals, which are a testament to the influence this framework has in setting global norms that will underpin international development efforts.