Prof. Shrivastava: If We Don’t Transition to a Sustainable Economy Now, It Will Be Too Late in a Few Years

What makes a society sustainable in the 21st century? How can we strike a balance between economic growth and environmental and social responsibility? According to Paul Shrivastava, an international expert on sustainability and honorary doctor of Corvinus University of Budapest, regenerative systems and long-term thinking play a key role. The professor emphasizes that the business sector must realize that long-term survival and sustainability are inseparable. While regenerative practices may lead to short-term profit declines, they significantly reduce risks and ensure sustainable growth. Time is running out: the next 15–20 years will be critical for both the climate and society. 

In the interview, Shrivastava explained: Over the past century, economic growth has created many billionaires, yet two billion people still go hungry. The goal is not merely to balance traditional economic growth with sustainability, but to create a new economic model that fosters broader sharing of prosperity. 

Universities play a pivotal role in advancing sustainability. They must lead by example, not only through education and research but also in their own operations. Integrating earth sciences and sustainability knowledge into the education of all students is essential. Understanding new economic and social models requires starting from the basics: if we want to live on Earth, we must understand how Earth works. 

The full interview is available here (in Hungarian). To translate the text into English, it is recommended using translation programs built into browsers.