Straight Talk: Bring Back Growth… of the Sustainable Kind

The news this week is ringing the alarm about stagnant population growth in our region.  The chief quandary is what to do about it.  Deliberate actions following the principles of sustainable development will deliver on the Pittsburgh region’s promise to be America’s place of choice to live, work, and play.  The sustainability recipe is quite simple.  And the region already has a great start.  But, we need to follow leading metros around the world and double down now in order to win the competition for investment and people.  The doable formula includes imperatives such as:

– a demonstrable, shared regional vision for an economic future that is different from days of old in its distinct focus on clean, green, and socially equitable strategies and investments such that opportunity abounds for new comers and those already here;

– regional goals and measures that substantiate that vision for sustainability and provide catalytic motivation and accountability;

– palpable and verified commitment to diversity, inclusion, and opportunity for all;

– a culture of public/private partnerships at the metro, city, town, and neighborhood levels where people are welcomed and expected to fix what’s broken;

– intensifying of market signals that reward sustainable development;

– and civic imperatives of unparalleled health care, teachers, cultural and recreation amenities, and of course clean air, clean water, and verdant ecology.

Want to turn around the trend of population decline?  Accept only Sustainable Development!