On 22 September 2022 the Japan Times published an interview with Mahesti Okitasari (Research Associate, UNU-IAS) on the topic Policymaking to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Published in both print and online editions, the interview is part of the Japan Times Roundtable series, focusing on people located in Japan that are contributing to a more sustainable society.
Dr. Okitasari introduced her background, her motivations for being involved in sustainability research at UNU-IAS, as well as her current work on assessing policy processes to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She identified the lack of consistent approach among the actors in the development space as the biggest obstacle to achieving a more sustainable world, highlighting the need for coherence rather than uniformity to achieve the SDGs.
The interview was conducted earlier in September by Ross Rowbury, a long-term Japan resident and Senior Managing Director at Nomura Holdings.
The editorial piece based on the interview content and the recorded video interview are available on the Sustainable Japan by The Japan Times website.