Search

Developing countries face challenges in using cross-border capital flows to fund investments in sustainable development. International financial institutions have a key role to play in minimizing risks to developing economies while ensuring more efficient allocation of public and private capital. However, the global financial architecture is not yet fit for the task. To advance sustainable financing, we recommend that the Japanese G20: (i) agree on measures to catalyze and mobilize private capital in support of the SDGs; (ii) promote measures to improve the allocation of development finance; and (iii) establish, and encourage commitment to, funding approaches for global public goods.

Global technology regimes and international organisations have played a significant role in facilitating Science, Techology and Innovation (STI) cooperation to cater to diverse needs in the areas of development and sustainability. However, the existing technology transfer models are found to be inadequate to meet the needs of developing countries. In this context, this Policy Brief examines the significance of Science and Technology (S&T) and availability of innovation driven solutions, to address sustainability challenges. Additionally, the Brief highlights role that G-20 may play in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through supporting the best practices adopted for technology cooperation. It also puts emphasis on building technological as well as financial capacities, facilitating intellectual property regimes for fostering STI partnerships.

1 Context South–South cooperation (SSC), or cooperation between low- and middle-income countries, has been high on the development agenda for decades, but there is now increased expectation that such cooperation will involve research that provides solutions to regional and global challenges. Multilateral fora, such as the United Nations, are calling for increased SSC as a strategy to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. With the growing economic might of emerging economies, there are ...

Profound transformations are affecting the research systems around the world. We witness the emergence of new or restructured organizations to steer public research or promote innovation, new programmatic directions within these organizations, increased funding dedicated to research in academic settings, and new domestic and international partnerships and collaborations. A multiplicity of organizations and funding sources have appeared, creating a complex web where resources circulate along with knowledge in ways that are reshaping research systems in the South. This book gathers a large sample of these changes presented during a symposium organized by IDRC, IRD, IFRIS, and OECD, seeking to better understand their institutional, political and economic drivers. These cases document the building of scientific capacity and the broader use of results from scientific research and presents lessons for public policy. A large variety of case studies of specific research organizations and comparative analysis of the wider research system are presented in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a major international agreement to ensure the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of various components of biological diversity, and fair and equitable access and benefit sharing of advances arising from the use of related genetic resources. The CBD excludes human genetic resources. In light of the rapid advances in biotechnology, genetic resources are increasingly being utilised by different types of users and in different industries. This usage is not confined to plants, animals or micro-organisms but includes human genetic resources and sometimes a mix of such resources. In the absence of any international agreement, various national governments are framing their own rules and guidelines. This patchwork of regulation may eventually impede global research efforts. This chapter argues that the CBD is qualified to be the central agency at the global level for the advance of broader benefit sharing frameworks. By implication, the scope of the CBD should be expanded to include human genetic resources.

In this chapter we present a framework for a comparative analysis of developments in the field of food technology, nanotechnology and synthetic biology in Europe, China and India. The focus of this framework is on science and technology discourses relating to innovation, risk, and power and control, and on ethics and public debate as reflective and crosscutting discourses. On the basis of these five discourses, developments in the different fields can be systematically described and compared across the three different regions. To illustrate our framework, we will discuss some major findings from the comparative case descriptions presented in the next three chapters of this book. In discussing these findings, we focus on the mediating role of the crosscutting discourses of reflective ethics and lay morality in science and technology policy-making in the three regions and highlight the main governance challenges arising in this context.

Centella asiatica Linn. Is a well-known medicinal herb used in various types of diseases, it was noticed that the herb is being heavily adulterated with the cheaper substances. A critical stud of the authentic and maker samples (available in powder for) s carried out to study current status of the drug in the local market. Powder analysis of the market samples shoes fragments of sclerenchymatous net, which is a characteristic feature of some umbelliferous fruits. Occurrence of prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate and large number of starch grains shows that the powdered materials are heavily adulterated with some cheaper substances. Fluorescence analysis of authentic and market samples exhibits 23.28% and 12.34% -18.13% respectively and there is a difference in curde fibre content also. Moreover there is remarkable difference in the quantitative value of Asiatic acid (3.25% - 0.12%) which is one of the chief constituents of C. asiatica.

In this paper authors have made an effort to take a stock of various FTAs in South Asia from the point of view of incorporation of TF measures in the text of FTAs. Authors also look into the individual initiatives being made by the South Asian countries for advancement of trade facilitation especially in context of Articles V, VIII and X.

India has introduced several trade facilitation related measures in the last couple of years. The pro-active strategy adopted by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has helped in introducing several policy measures which have not only streamlined the role of the customs department but has also helped industry in a major way without compromising collection of revenue.

The study finds that in case of Article X, which basically deals with the publication and administration of trade regulations, India has already implemented most of the requirements. However comprehensive efforts are required to implement, the provision related to single inquiry point which may require software compatibility among various agencies involved apart from addressing the infrastructural constraints. In case of GATT Article VIII which deals with issues related to fees and charges and import and export formalities and documentation requirements most of the provisions are in place but efforts are required to improve the border agency coordination. In case of Articles X and VIII, the minimum cost is estimated at around Re. 2,016 million. This includes a major expenditure on equipments and infrastructure (82 per cent). The installation of electronic cargo clearance units is a major requirement at most of the leading ports in India. In Article V there is lot to be expected from India, the infrastructure requirements, especially for the physical infrastructure, deserve huge and urgent funding. This includes additional efforts required to support and strengthen the level of communication at the border points. Most of the Land Customs Stations (LCSs) require better infrastructure. There is need to attach greater priority to include various provisions of GATT Article V in the bilateral trade and transit treaties especially with land locked countries for greater facilitation of transit trade.

The use of technology and innovation in developing long-term global food security, and ensuring sustainable and adequate food production, is contextualized by values and controversies associated with food technologies. The framing and context of these technologies may impact on consumer perceptions and acceptance. In some countries this can influence policy decisions. Analysis of the public discourses on the themes of innovation, risk, power and control, and their socio-economic and ethical implications, is applied to explain the utility of novel and emerging food technologies. Potential differences in stakeholder interests are taken into account in different economic and regulatory environments, contrasting Europe with the emerging economies of China and India. In the case of India, there is considerable public debate on finding a balance between various technological choices for food production, viz transgenic, traditional breeding and organic production. In China, the debate about technological innovation is driven largely by political and scientific elites with relatively little consumer debate. European agri-technological innovation is framed by ‘post-productivism’, which informs both implementation strategies and regulatory and governance issues. Economic values cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the European innovation process, in particular in relation to investment and scientific endeavour.