Sustainable Industrialialisation

Image: A collage of Tim Peake, an astronaut of the International Space Station by the British/European Space Agency (timpeake.com), with a special apple tree grown from seeds taken into space. The tree was planted on the Vienna International Centre (VIC) grounds on 26 September 2021 to inspire future generations of space scientists.

Bringing the Benefits and Peace of Space to Humanity

A new UNOOSA head is to be appointed soon

By Aurora Weiss

VIENNA (IDN) — Legend has it that a young Isaac Newton was sitting beneath an apple tree contemplating the mysterious universe. Suddenly —"boink!''—an apple unexpectedly hit him on the head. He experienced his "aha moment!". In a flash of light, he understood that the same force that brought the apple crashing toward the ground also keeps the moon falling toward the Earth and the Earth falling toward the sun: gravity. We are talking about real space Affairs in practice, which debuted in his book Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1869).

: UN Bureau; UN INSIDER; 16 August 2022

New UN Report Calls on African Countries to Rethink Export Diversification

By Jaya Ramachandran with UNCTAD Report

GENEVA (IDN) — African countries must diversify their exports to survive economic shocks from global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, says the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

In its Economic Development in Africa Report 2022, published on July 14, UNCTAD says African countries can diversify their economies through boosting exports of high-value services, expanding private businesses’ access to financial services, tapping into new financial technologies and implementing effective policies.

: Jaya Ramachandran; SUSTAINABILITY; Decent Work & Economic Growth; 16 July 2022

Image: Indian woman sifts grain. / Photo: World Bank (Ray Witlin)

'Asian Century' Won’t Come Until Global Governance Becomes More Inclusiv

Viewpoint by Dawei Wang, Economist, UNCTAD

This article was first issued by China Daily and republished by UNCTAD.

GENEVA (IDN) — Claims that the “Asian century” has arrived or is set to begin frequently appear in the media and public fora.

For example, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated during the 2018 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank conference: “Now the continent finds itself at the centre of global economic activity…It has become the main growth engine of the world. In fact, we are now living through what many have termed the Asian century.”

: UN Bureau; UN INSIDER; 14 July 2022

Photo: Beautiful morning view of Padma Bridge under construction, in a November Morning. CC BY-SA 4.0

Bangladesh’s New Mega-Infrastructure to Impact Ruling Party’s Popularity

By Bahauddin Foizee

DHAKA (IDN) — A historic infrastructure milestone for Bangladesh and now the longest bridge of the country, the newly-built Padma Multipurpose Bridge would now help grow Bangladesh’s GDP by 1.3% annually.

The US$ 3.86 billion worth mega-infrastructure was inaugurated on June 25 and is forecast to increase jobs, service sector activity and tourism in the country’s southwestern districts, connectivity to which was poor even a day before the opening of this bridge.

: Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 09 July 2022

Russia Abandons Zimbabwe's Biggest Platinum Project

By Kester Kenn Klomegah*

MOSCOW | HARARE (IDN) — Several reports monitored this month confirmed that Russians have abandoned their lucrative platinum project contract that was signed for US$3 billion in September 2014, the platinum mine in the sun-scorched location about 50 km northwest of Harare, the Zimbabwean capital. Reasons for the abrupt termination of the bilateral contract have still not been made public, but Zimbabwe's Centre for Natural Resource Governance pointed to a lack of capital for the project. So, the site has been abandoned since early 2021.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 10 June 2022

From Limits to Growth to Regeneration 2030

Viewpoint by Jeffrey D. Sachs

This article was published in Il Sole 24 Ore for the Trento Festival of Economics, June 4, 2022, and is being republished with the authors’ permission

NEW YORK (IDN) — Fifty years ago, Italian business leaders in the Club of Rome gave a jolt to the world in their path-breaking report Limits to Growth. That thought leadership continues today as Italian business leaders launch Regeneration 2030, a powerful call for more holistic, ethical, and sustainable business practices to help the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 05 June 2022

Photo: E-waste management seminar. Credit: UNIDO.

Global Forum Explores Circular Electronics

By Reinhard Jacobsen

VIENNA (IDN) — How to enhance decision-making for sustainable e-waste management systems while fostering cooperation at the national, regional and global levels? This was the theme of a four-day event, which over 340 participants and a wide range of international experts explored from May 23 to 26. [E-waste are discarded products or components that need a power or battery supply in order to perform their functions.]

: Reinhard Jacobsen; SUSTAINABILITY; Sustainable Industrialisation; 28 May 2022

Photo: Anti-eviction protest. Source: Global Information Network

Hunt for Minerals Leads to Growing Number of Accidents and Evictions by Mining Companies

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — Seydi Sow, a landowner in Djogo, Senegal, contemplated his eviction by a mining company with joint headquarters in Australia and France and which mines zircon in central Senegal.

The elderly landowner said he was wronged in the compensation process.

With two fields over two hectares in size, he complained he received a small payment, much less than others with smaller farms.

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Decent Work & Economic Growth; 03 May 2022

Photo Credit: The Financial Express, Nigeria

Explosion At Illegal Oil Refinery in Southeast Nigeria Kills Scores

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — In one of the deadliest explosions in years, fire and blast shook south-eastern Nigeria, Imo state, possibly the result of illegal oil refining of stolen crude or “kpofire”.

News reports described charred bodies left scattered among burnt palms, cars and vans after the weekend explosion which killed more than 100 people at an illegal depot on the border of Nigeria's Rivers and Imo states.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 26 April 2022

BIMSTEC—Can It Take a Giant Leap Forward?

By Sugeeswara Senadhira

COLOMBO (IDN) — This week, Sri Lanka is hosting the fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in the backdrop of member nations struggling to shake-off the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The summit would provide the leaders of the seven members—India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka—to finalise the much delayed BIMSTEC Charter and initiate tangible measures for economic cooperation.