"The world will fail to achieve the SDGs—here’s how business can fix that," 5 February 2018

The global community adopted... [climate action, safeguarding life below water, reducing inequalities, and promoting responsible consumption and production]... as part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) it wants to achieve by 2030, but is likely to fail to do so unless the business community steps up to deliver solutions that will help achieve the goals... This is the verdict of the latest Global Opportunity Report.

... But this disheartening forecast also presents major market opportunities for businesses to develop products and services which address risks such as environmental degradation and inequality... For SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequality, the two main solutions the report identified involved developing a formal mechanism to recognise and protect land rights, and making global supply chains more transparent so that it is easier to track products from raw materials to stores, and monitor for labour, environmental or human rights violations. When it comes to securing proof of land ownership—this is essential so that land cannot be snatched from its rightful owners via bribery, fraud, or other unethical practices—using blockchain technology can make it impossible to tamper with land registration, and make the process transparent, the report noted. However, it cautioned that blockchain must be accompanied by broader land reforms and policies which give women, the poor, and other marginalised people better access to land. 

... Another SDG that is unlikely to be met anywhere in the world by 2030 is goal 13, climate action. “With the cost of climate change estimated to be anywhere between US$12 and US$60 trillion, there is clearly a huge opportunity for businesses everywhere to innovate and deliver low-carbon solutions,” noted the report. [refers to BenBen, BiteBack, Chirps Chips, John West, Uhurulabs]