Jeffrey Sachs

Jeffrey Sachs Speaker Biography

World-Renowned Economist
and Expert on Global Development

Jeffrey D. Sachs is a world-renowned economics professor, bestselling author, innovative educator, and global leader in sustainable development.

Development

He is widely recognized for bold and effective strategies to address complex challenges including debt crises, hyperinflations, the transition from central planning to market economies, the control of AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, the escape from extreme poverty, and the battle against human-induced climate change.

Columbia Professor

Sachs serves as the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, where he holds the rank of University Professor, the university’s highest academic rank. Sachs held the position of Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University from 2002 to 2016. He is President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, and an SDG Advocate for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. From 2001-18, Sachs served as Special Advisor to UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan (2001-7), Ban Ki-moon (2008-16), and António Guterres (2017-18).

Books

Sachs has authored and edited numerous books, including three New York Times bestsellers: The End of Poverty (2005), Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (2008), and The Price of Civilization (2011). Other books include To Move the World: JFK’s Quest for Peace (2013), The Age of Sustainable Development (2015), Building the New American Economy: Smart, Fair & Sustainable (2017), A New Foreign Policy: Beyond American Exceptionalism (2018), The Ages of Globalization: Geography, Technology, and Institutions (2020), and most recently, Ethics in Action for Sustainable Development (2022)..

Awards and Honors

Sachs is the 2022 recipient of the Tang Prize in Sustainable Development and was the co-recipient of the 2015 Blue Planet Prize, the leading global prize for environmental leadership. He was twice named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders. Sachs has received 42 honorary doctorates, and his recent awards include the 2022 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development, the Legion of Honor by decree of the President of the Republic of France, and the Order of the Cross from the President of Estonia.

Education

Prior to joining Columbia, Sachs spent over twenty years as a professor at Harvard University, most recently as the Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade. Sachs received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard. Sachs is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and currently resides in New York City.

Jeffrey Sachs Speaking Topics

Globalization, Poverty Reduction, and Sustainable Development

Jeffrey Sachs argues that the future of humanity and the planet is at risk. As the global population approaches 8 billion, individuals and nations are vying for economic position, connected through new technologies, trade, and migration, while facing the growing and alarming threat of environmental disasters. Sachs contends that it is crucial to take immediate action and implement reforms to ensure our survival and that of the planet. Sachs posits that governments should prioritize sustainable economic growth and development. He suggests that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 should serve as the framework for addressing the pressing issues of poverty reduction, social inclusion, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability. Sachs believes that these goals are necessary to ensure a better future for generations to come.

Building the New American Economy: Smart, Fair, and Sustainable

Sachs provides a action plan, although it can be applied to other countries as well, for the United States to achieve sustainable development. In an era of political division, marked by the rise of populism and denial of climate change, Sachs emphasizes the importance of addressing not only economic, but also social and environmental objectives in policymaking. He argues that if countries continue to prioritize unchecked economic growth at the expense of social inequality and environmental concerns, they risk undermining growth itself. Sachs highlights these dangers and offers specific strategies and solutions to achieve economic progress that is equitable, environmentally conscious, and addresses societal disparities. The future may be uncertain, but action must be taken now.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time

Jeffrey Sachs presents a plan for achieving a more prosperous, poverty-free, and secure world. Sachs argues that for the first time in history, our generation has the capability to eliminate extreme poverty in the most disadvantaged countries and regions. He questions whether it is possible to break the vicious cycle of disease, systemic debt, and natural disasters that trap billions of people in poverty. Drawing on his extensive experience as an economic advisor to governments, politicians, and international organizations, and working in over 100 countries, Sachs combines his expertise with his reputation as one of the leading economists of our time to offer a current understanding of poverty in the world and why the gap between rich and poor countries continues to widen. By identifying the causes of economic prosperity, Sachs provides data-driven economic solutions that take into account political, environmental, ethical, and social factors to propose policies that will help the poorest countries break free from poverty in the coming decades.