Sustainable Human Development

In September 2015, 193 member states of the United Nations adopted the action plan Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which outlines 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Agenda recognizes the need to look beyond narrow economic measures of progress and consider all aspects of well-being for current and future generations, to eradicate poverty worldwide, and to safeguard the planet. This collection of research from around the world shows that the SDGs need to be addressed in a holistic manner and that psychologists play an important role in their effective implementation, having expertise in addressing questions of how to make national policies work for diverse individuals, how to work with vulnerable persons, and how to track individuals’ development over time in the face of societal changes. In particular, the importance of investment in positive child and youth development, the role of life span theories, and the use of longitudinal data are discussed in this volume. Three commentaries explore different aspects of the research presented and help us further understand the complexities of meeting the Agenda.