Running in Circles
Manasi Gupta, reporting from the United Nations Commission on Science and Development (CSTD), details the proceedings of the committee.
Prevention is better than cure. Following on the lines of the same, the delegates of the committee deliberated upon the shortcomings of the Millennial Development Goals (MDGs) and discussed how it has led to the formation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Delegate of the Republic of Turkey emphasised on the importance of defining the word ‘sustainable’ as the way in which this term is inferred differs from nation to nation. In agreement with the same, the Delegate of South Africa added that the perspective or stance on the goals is also different for every country. Hence, they agreed that a mechanism is needed to prioritise these goals and targets. The Delegate of the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reiterated that SDGs are not legally binding and hence require a comprehensive plan for implementation. Pondering over the achievement of the same, the Delegate of People’s Republic of China shed light on the fact that countries lack the capacity to deliver the work that they are expected to. This issue, as suggested, could be resolved by the formation of multilateral treaties and initiatives.
Another point that multiple delegates seemed to find pertinent was the necessity of accountability and the identification of stakeholders. Overpopulation was recognised as a major contributor to poverty, unemployment, and unavailability of resources by the Delegate of the Republic of the Philippines. Seeking insight from the challenges faced in implementing these goals, few delegates also proposed a couple of solutions. The Delegate of Latvia necessitated the use of technology in providing innovative results. Further, the Delegate of Japan introduced the idea of five walls on which a country should construct their perspective: legal systems, ministry and agencies, technology, human resources, and social acceptance.
The mutual understanding of the committee was that until words could be put into action, a superficial discussion on the various aspects of the agenda may bear no fruit.
(Edited by Shruthi Subramanian.)
Where’s the Money?
Nikita Rebecca, reporting from the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), traces the discussion pertaining to tackling of economic and financial issues that pose a barrier for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Delegate of the People’s Republic of China stated that China had, in the past, been giving out loans to developing nations with no explicit strings attached and thus plans to continue in doing so. The Delegate of China also spoke about the One Belt One Road policy or OBOR policy and how it has contributed economically to the developing countries by strengthening trade and economic relations along the Silk route. This is quite a contradiction, as the 12 December 2017 report by The New York Times paints a very different picture of the Chinese government and its intentions, with reference to the 300 million dollars it loaned to Sri Lanka to help out with the losses that has occurred due to the 26-year-long civil war. China ended up gaining control of the Hambantota sea port.
The Delegate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stated that China always seemed to have a hidden agenda when it came to aiding countries in financial distress. The Delegate of the Belgium supported the statements made by the Delegate of Saudi Arabia and also added that the developed countries seemed to be burdening the developing nations by draining both their economic and other natural resources; this, according to the delegate, posed a major setback in long-term process of attaining the SDGs. The Delegate of Belgium also pointed out the flaws pertaining to funding by the UN institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG).
With this being said, the entire committee started raising questions that ranged from the funding for developing nations and post-conflict zones to the lack of interest shown by other countries towards the fulfilment of the Agenda 2030, i.e., the achievement of the 17 SDGs. The Delegate of the Republic of Korea stated that this can be done only if the power of bodies IMF and WBG are equally distributed to all the nations while ensuring that the interests of the developing nations take precedence over their own. The Delegate of the Republic of South Africa further substantiated the statements made by the Delegate of South Korea by bringing out the inefficiency of the UN in tackling poverty, hunger, and inequality, which could be resolved if there was proper financial aid. The delegate further brought about the loopholes in the financial systems that exist in developing countries that cause a strain on the already crumbling economy. The Delegates of South Africa and Guatemala agreed that the main reason for financial ruin and economic crisis was the problem of the developed nations being too invested in their own agenda. This left the rest of the committee wondering “Where’s the Money?”; this only raised more questions than answers.
Sources:
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/world/asia/sri-lanka-china-port.html
(Edited by Shruthi Subramanian.)
To Bee or Not to Bee
Manasi Gupta, reporting from the United Nations Commission on Science and Development (UNCSTD), describes the innovative ideas brought to light by the delegates of the committee.
The second day of the conference saw a plethora of ideas ranging from planting mangroves to reducing radiation to the use of nanotechnology in healthcare. In order to analyse effectively, the Sustainable Development Goals were divided into three groups, i.e., economic, social, and universal. The SDGs under each group were deliberated and discussed upon in an extensive manner.
“Without bees, the world will come to a standstill, but not anymore.” The Delegate of the Republic of Singapore was appreciated for his innovative idea of using drones to carry out pollination. He suggested that the future of technology is so bright that one day even bees can be replaced by robots. The delegates seemed to be buzzing with innovations.
The committees agreed that the technological advancements in the world are so rapid that even the most natural of biological processes could be carried by machines. The Delegate of the Republic of Serbia highlighted the invention of an automatic pancreas which secretes and monitors the levels of glucose, which has been developed at nominal costs to conquer diabetes. The delegate spoke about its beneficial implications in the field of healthcare.
Several delegates agreed on the fact that these innovations cannot be implemented by developing countries, as they do not possess the financial resources to incorporate artificial intelligence and other elaborate technologies.
The Delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany on the other hand believed that nations must adopt these technologies in the most simplistic manner possible; countries could draw inspiration from the financially adept nations and come up with ground-level solutions for the same.
The role of private organisations in the delivery of these targets was brought forward by the Delegate of the People’s Republic of China who also recommended the formation of multilateral treaties on internet policies. The viability of the Corporate Social Responsibility, which is a contract signed by private actors to ensure sustainability was analysed.
Although the developments in the committee seem very promising, only time will tell if actions do speak louder than words.
(Edited by Shruthi Subramanian.)
For Brighter Horizons
Technology has led to innovation and growth in all spheres. Nikita Rebecca, reporting from the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), details the views of the different delegates in the committee with special emphasis on Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).
The various ideas brought up by the delegates about the technological advancements pointed towards innovation and growth in different spheres to ensure the proper implementation of the Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) pertaining to it. The statements made by the delegates were ranging from the advancements in genetic engineering to big data, as previously stated in a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), held in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Delegate of Portugal stated that it would like to increase the use of more renewable and pollution-free sources of fuels like biofuels, which are less harmful and more environmental friendly, because unlike fossil fuels, they do not get exhausted over a due course of time. The delegate listed out the ways in which Portugal was contributing to the achievement of the SDGs by using eco-friendly technologies like solar power and replacement of combustible fuel sources that are known to cause air pollution. The Delegate of Guatemala also recognised the efforts made by the Delegate of Portugal and extended their support to the nation. The Delegate of Guatemala also stated that the replacement of diesel engines with electrical or solar powered engines would be a better and cheaper alternative. The Delegate of French Republic (France) stated that their Government had been funding the research and development of cheaper solar panels for domestic purposes. It is to be noted that this is a direct collaboration with the Republic of India. The Delegate of France also stated that it is a more sustainable and accessible source of energy.
The Delegate of the People’s Republic of China had come up with an exceptional approach that would lead to the improvement of agricultural and farming practices, which would in turn lead to the betterment of the economy with special emphasis on developing nations. This approach involved the employment of a combination of technologies—Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT)—in soil testing which is done to reveal the nutrient value and moisture of the soil in a particular area. This in turn determines whether the soil in a certain place at a certain time is suitable for the cultivation of a certain type of crop or not. This was clearly aimed at achieving the SDGs pertaining to zero hunger and eradication of poverty. The Delegate of India also feels that the usage of Genetically Modified Crops better known as GM crops could be used for better yield, as the genetic modification of indigenous species with the desirable traits derived from some other species resulted in certain desirable characteristics. Some qualities that are desirable are longer shelf-life, resistance to pests, increase in yield etc. Further, the delegate suggested that the same technology—AI in specific could be employed for the growth of industries that would be more efficient and accurate.
The Delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany also stated that their nation had been a strongly advocating for automation, as it has created more job opportunities and opened up an entirely new avenue for research and development. The delegate also stated that the government of Germany was planning to automate the entire automobile and design sector.
With all these ideas flowing in and out of the room in a dizzying speed, each representative in the committee strived towards achieving the SDGs using technology which would open up brighter horizons.
(Edited by Shruthi Subramanian.)