Bill Gates has teamed up with the Japan Sports Agency and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in an effort to boost global sustainability efforts. Gates announced the partnership at an event in Tokyo last Friday, and urged Japan to become a leader in aiding global health initiatives.
A total of 17 sustainable development goals were set by the United Nations in 2015. They consist of objectives such as ending extreme poverty and effectively combating climate change by 2030. Gates said at last week’s event that Japan currently spends around three to five percent of its aid budget on global health, but that the upcoming Summer Games presents an opportunity for the country to increase awareness of the UN’s sustainable development goals and take a lead in solving global health issues.