The role and challenges of governments in promoting sustainable development

Abstract

This paper provides a review of the existing research on governments’ role towards sustainable development. The paper applies a literature review method and focuses first on general issues of sustainable development, followed by a more in-depth review on governments’ role in promoting sustainability. Finally, the study addresses the assessment of governments’ challenges and proposes actions towards sustainable goals. The paper also highlights the connection between sustainability and sustainable development. This study finds that governments are the main actors that can create and successfully promote a sustainable society. Governments, however, face many challenges in attempting to achieve this goal. One of the main challenges is the coordination between different actors that are part of the implementation of SDGs. These obstacles are of environmental, social, economic, and institutional in nature. Yet, governments are one of the main driving forces that organize and motivate all other responsible factors in promoting a sustainable society. Regardless of the enormous attention in academia towards sustainability and sustainable development, studies on governments’ role and challenges towards SDGs are still limited. In this context, this paper provides an overview of the role of governments in sustainable development, and it also describes the challenges to be overcome in achieving sustainable goals. Finally, suggestions on future research areas are presented.