Sustainability should be integrated as a leitmotif and goal of every policy formulated and implemented. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is a step towards this necessary focus, which will work towards finding solutions to the crises that perpetuate in the Mediterranean and Middle East as well as global population growth and increased urbanization.
With an expected world population of 9.2 billion by 2050, and much of this population growth centered around places like South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, urbanization will become more prevalent. By some estimated, urbanization will achieve 70% by this time, with the global population in rural areas decreasing significantly. We must work to avoid the Malthusian Trap of Demand, and determine a sustainable way to avoid outpacing the supply of our resources.