Harnessing Science Technology And Innovation For Inclusive And Sustainable Development In Asia And The Pacific

The Study calls for governments to put in place action-orientated science, technology and innovation (STI) programmes aligned to development strategies to meet the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It proposes a conceptual framework for STI that is bound by the principles of openness, inclusivity and collaboration, and moves the focus beyond the economic to integrate the social and environmental pillars of sustainable development. The Study concludes by recommending areas for action by Member States to create an enabling environment for STI, fully integrating the three pillars in to STI policy, and to facilitate regional STI collaboration.

The Study calls for governments to put in place action-orientated science, technology and innovation (STI) programmes aligned to development strategies to meet the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It proposes a conceptual framework for STI that is bound by the principles of openness, inclusivity and collaboration, and moves the focus beyond the economic to integrate the social and environmental pillars of sustainable development. The Study concludes by recommending areas for action by Member States to create an enabling environment for STI, fully integrating the three pillars in to STI policy, and to facilitate regional STI collaboration.

Despite consensus on the transformative potential of STI, there remains a lack of clarity on how Least Developed Countries (LDCs) can effectively implement it for inclusive and sustainable development. With limited financial resources it is not feasible for LDCs to simply invest significantly in research and development (R&D) activity and develop world-class universities and infrastructure. This publication highlights key innovation polices which have the potential to enable LDCs to reap the benefits of innovation in a cost effective manner.

This book aims to give policy makers an overview of the evolution of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies in a selected number of East Asian countries. China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore have transformed their economies and societies in recent decades. From STI policies that enabled catch-up growth, these countries have evolved towards policies that are more aligned with sustainable development through integrating social, economic and environmental dimensions into their STI policies. The forthcoming Fourth Industrial Revolution is also reshaping STI policies in these countries as governments prepare to support the development of frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, as well as respond to the impacts of these technologies on their societies and economies. Governments are also evolving themselves as the public sector opens up to integrating innovations from civil society and the private sector and further strengthen the innovation capacity of the public sector to improve policy making processes and deliver services to their constituents. All three themes are explored in this book in separate chapters, through a comparative analysis of the STI policies of China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore. The experiences of these countries can serve as useful references for other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond that are interested in utilizing national level STI policies to achieve sustainable development, particularly in the context of the emergence of frontier technologies.

The Annual Report chronicles the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s achievements and future goals, against a backdrop of major global shifts sweeping across the economic, social and environmental landscape. UNESCAP promotes rigorous analysis and peer learning through its seven core areas of work: macroeconomic policy and development, trade and investment, social development, transport, statistics, environment and development, information communications technology and disaster risk reduction.

Global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals will depend to a large extent on the collective action of South Asia to implement them. The sub-region indeed accounts for almost one fourth of the world's population, 36 per cent of the world's poor and nearly half of the world's malnourished children. The sub-region's success in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, however, hinges on addressing current capacity gaps and strengthening the means of implementation. Recognizing the host of challenges faced by the sub-region, UNESCAP has attempted in the present Report, to unpack the 2030 Agenda at the sub-regional level, outlining tangible, high priority and relevant policy actions that are critical to achieve sustainable development in South Asia. The Report identifies seven key priorities that can help accelerate the SDG achievement in South Asia by leveraging the relationships between the Goals. Based on rigorous policy simulations and evidence, it offers insight into ways a regionally coordinated sustainable industrialization strategy could generate more than 56 million new jobs by 2030 in South Asia, and lift 71 million additional people out of poverty, relative to a business-as-usual scenario. It is hoped that this Report will be useful for analysts and practitioners of development policy in the sub-region and beyond, in stimulating a debate on the ways and means of bringing sustainable prosperity to all in the dynamic and population subregion of South Asia.

The Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) is a major annual publication of the Trade, Investment and Innovation Division of United Nations ESCAP. It aims to deepen understanding of trends and developments in trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region; emerging issues in trade, investment and trade facilitation policies, and impacts of these policies on countries' abilities to meet the challenges of achieving inclusive and sustainable development. It offers innovative policy options to meet the challenges of achieving sustainable trade and investment. APTIR 2016 shows that 2015-2016 has been a worrying period for trade and investment n the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide, and there are few signs that the current economic and trade slowdown is simply a temporary phenomenon. Instead, this pattern may be the result of a change in the fundamental structure of world trade, which might lead to a persistent trade stagnation. On the other hand, good progress was made, especially at the regional level, with furthering cross-border paperless trade as one of the approached to deal with the upward pressure on the trade costs. Special feature of this volume is a chapter on digital trade in Asia-Pacific. Accepting the rising importance of e-commerce as a new trade platform, there is opening for the possible changes in the focus of trade and investment policies in order to leverage the potential of e-commerce to support intraregional trade.

The Europa Directory of International Organizations 2020 serves as an unequalled one-volume guide to the contemporary international system. Within a clear, unique framework the recent activities of all major international organizations are described in detail. Given alongside extensive background information the reader is able to assess the role and evolving functions of these organizations in today's world. The contact details, key personnel and activities of more than 2,000 international and regional entities have again been thoroughly researched and updated for this 20th edition. Highlights in this edition include: - a fully revised Who's Who section with biographical details of the key players in the international system. - the response of the international community to crises and conflicts throughout the world. - introductory essays, written and updated by experts in their field, which consider topics including global environmental governance, the international criminal justice system, international humanitarian co-operation, and governance of the global economy.