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"The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years."

"Green with envy Published: 8 Apr 2013 at 00.00Newspaper section: Life I'm sure there are people out there who aren't aware that there is a 500-rai tract of lush green land sitting smack in the middle of the city. You might even drive past it, or around it, every day, but it has always eluded you. It's the big plot of land belonging to the State Railway of Thailand in Makkasan, bordered on one side by the Airport Link, and on the other by the Chaturatis Road that connects Si Ayutthaya Road with Rama IX Road. No one paid any attention to it until recently when the SRT announced it was considering developing the land into a commercial complex to boost its books, which always stand in the red. I do sympathise with them in a way, having to give away all those free train rides as part of the government's populist policies. As far as state enterprises go, the SRT incurs the highest losses _ over 7 billion baht a year, equivalent to 50% of its annual budget. But suddenly there looms the spectre of yet another commercial complex in Bangkok. The SRT governor was quoted as saying that he envisions a "new Bangkok landmark where people can use the facilities for important events to be seen around the world", citing the New Year's countdown and Songkran festivities among these. He also expects the complex to dwarf the nearby CentralWorld. According to the SRT governor, some 200 rai of the plot will be used for building new roads, and the remaining 300 rai or so will be for commercial development. He does say, however, that 15-20% of this _ approximately 60 rai _ will be landscaped as green areas. He makes it sound so generous I could cry. The way other cities calculate a per capita park area, it seems Bangkok thrives on a per capita shopping centre area. I'm sure we can be proud of the number of upmarket commercial complexes in the city. On the 4.5km stretch of road between Sukhumvit Soi 24 and Pathumwan intersection, I can already count almost 20 shopping centres ranging

"For sustainability-workers and UN-watchers, today was a big day. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered his long-awaited report to the General Assembly, with his take on the future of sustainable development. The big surprise? The fact that it's all in there … from tackling climate change, to moving beyond GDP, to ensuring human rights and dignity for all, to … well, everything. Sustainability, according to the SG, should basically be everywhere. "Simply put," he writes, "this generation is charged with a duty to transform our societies.""

"Inner Bangkok is going through big changes. New public transport routes and rapid property development means that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is having to reorganize traditional neighborhood boundaries. Here, BK visits the communities at threat and speaks to residents about their fears for the future."

"he paradox: "Transport is the only development sector that worsens as incomes rise. While sanitation, health, education and employment tend to improve through economic development, traffic congestion tends to worsen." So writes Michael Engelskirchen in his Sourcebook on Sustainable Transport. It's hard to disagree when you look around and see supercars, songtaew, taxis, buses, bikes, pick-ups, and tuk tuks trundling bumper-to-bumper along the Bangkok's clogged arteries. But in 15 years, maybe it won't be so bad. That's when the city could (and should) be the proud owner of a rail system promising change at the fabric of its being. "