September 2020 marks the 5^th birthday of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. If it were a child and given the right circumstances, it would now have developed fine motor skills, be able to stand on one foot for 10 seconds, have long conversations, and start to develop independence and responsibility. With the 8^th World Sustainability Forum, we are not only celebrating a birthday, but are also taking stock of where we are in relation to a more sustainable world, what has worked, what has not yet worked, and where we need to go next.

Sustainability has gained considerable traction: Many countries have integrated sustainability and environmental protection as part of their national development agenda, many businesses have realized the considerable long-term potential in sustainable development, and many research agendas have aligned with sustainability goals. It is now time for the research, policy, and business communities to enter into enduring dialog and to embrace greater global responsibilities. With this event, we hope to contribute to building a platform and network for a sustainability agenda that fosters partnerships among stakeholders beyond the boundaries of academic disciplines, narrow national agendas, and quarterly spreadsheets. The quest is to conceive of ways to assure long-term sustainable development for our people, our planet, as well as societal and corporate profit.

In light of the importance of developing institutional partnerships and networks, this forum will be coordinated by MDPI, the Global Footprint Network, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.