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Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG Pulse 2024
The Pulse of Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals
The SDG Pulse Series is UNCTAD’s annual statistical publication reporting on developments relating to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of this series is to: provide an update on the evolution of a selection of official SDG indicators and complementary data and statistics; provide progress reports on the development of new concepts and methodologies for UNCTAD custodian indicators. This series aims to showcase beyond the perspective of the formal SDG indicators how UNCTAD is contributing to the implementation of 2030 Agenda. Released annually each version of the SDG Pulse highlights a thematic issue of immediate relevance to the 2030 Agenda.
Introduction (English)
The objective of this publication is to present currentmonthly economic and social statistics for most of the countriesand territories of the world. In addition each month a selectionof tables shows annual and/or quarterly data on subjectsillustrating important socio-economic trends and developments.
Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, July 2024
Each issue of the Monthly Bulletin of Statistics (MBS) presents current economic and social statistics for more than 200 countries and territories of the world. Written in French and English it contains over 50 tables of monthly and/or annual and quarterly data on a variety of subjects illustrating important economic trends and developments including population prices employment and earnings energy manufacturing transport construction international merchandise trade and finance. The annual subscription rate for the Monthly Bulletin of Statistics in print includes access to the MBS Online.
Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2024
Digital Innovations for Smarter Climate Action
In Asia and the Pacific the climate crisis intersects with digital transformations through a complex mix of challenges and opportunities creating a series of vicious but also potentially virtuous cycles. The Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2024 considers how digital transformations will structurally and irreversibly affect the trajectory of climate change. It presents a digital-growth-climate nexus to better understand the diverse and dynamic picture and considers ways in which the region can follow the most positive trajectory to avert a climate catastrophe. The Report showcases good practices and country examples of digital applications in addressing climate change in terms of mitigation and adaptation. These can involve the use of artificial intelligence the Internet of Things big data digital twins geospatial technologies and others which have been employed in infrastructure government mobility industry and trade digital data centres disaster risk reduction agriculture and biodiversity ecosystems. The Report then explores key drivers of digital transformation for climate change and outlines three future scenarios. It concludes with the key findings of the Report and proposes policy actions aligned with the five actors of the Digital Transformation Index Framework.
Foreword
In Asia and the Pacific the climate crisis intersects with digital transformations through a complex mix of challenges and opportunities creating a series of vicious but also potentially virtuous cycles. The Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2024 considers how digital transformations will structurally and irreversibly affect the trajectory of climate change. It presents a digital-growth-climate nexus to better understand the diverse and dynamic picture and considers ways in which the region can follow the most positive trajectory to avert a climate catastrophe.
Digital destinations: Key findings and policy recommendations
Digital technologies have brought multiple economic and social benefits yet their implications for climate change are not immediately obvious or too specifically considered depending on various factors. This Report has tried to draw attention to the need to redress the balance and trigger the digital-growth-climate nexus.
Digital big bang in a climate crisis
Climate change and digital transformations may appear distinct phenomena but the two forces are intricately interlinked and remarkably transforming our society and economy. In Asia and the Pacific as in the rest of the world the climate crisis and technological advances intersect and interconnect through a complex mix of hazards and opportunities creating a series of vicious but also potentially virtuous cycles.
Acknowledgements
The Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2024 is a biennial flagship publication of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). This second edition was prepared under the leadership and guidance of Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP. Lin Yang Deputy Executive Secretary supported by ESCAP’s Editorial Board and Tiziana Bonapace Director of the ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division provided direction and advice.
Digital applications for climate action
Digital technologies are game changers not just for achieving economic growth but also for addressing climate change. Artificial intelligence machine learning the Internet of Things digital twins cloud-enabled tools and other emerging technologies are helping to scale up innovations and solutions even in the hardest-to-abate sectors that can boost efficiency optimize energy infrastructure and reduce carbon emissions.
Envisioning future scenarios
Asia-Pacific countries can use digital transformations to decouple economic growth from carbon emissions. Beyond a certain level of income technological advances and productivity can reduce the levels of CO2 production or at least slow the rate of emissions growth by applying a good package of policies. This chapter outlines three possible scenarios and the ways of steering transformations to address climate risks.
The digital-growth-climate nexus
This chapter builds on ESCAP’s Digital Transformation Framework to examine the relationships between digital transformations and climate change. It considers the correlations between digital transformations and economic growth then adds a climate-change dimension to arrive at the digital-growth-climate nexus.
Mind the AI Divide
Shaping a Global Perspective on the Future of Work
This report co-authored by the United Nations and the International Labour Organization addresses the critical issue of the uneven adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications for global equity fairness and social justice. Disparities in access to digital infrastructure advanced technology quality education and training are deepening existing inequalities particularly as the global economy shifts towards AI-driven production and innovation. Less developed countries risk being left behind exacerbating economic and social divides. The report stresses the importance of targeted and concerted efforts to bridge this digital divide to ensure AI's potential to foster sustainable development and alleviate poverty. It highlights the role of the workplace in AI adoption where productivity gains and improved working conditions can be achieved with the right conditions including digital infrastructure skills and a culture of social dialogue. Promoting inclusive growth requires proactive strategies to support AI development in disadvantaged regions enhance digital infrastructure build AI skills and ensure good quality jobs along the AI value chain. International collaboration in AI capacity building is crucial to create a more equitable and resilient AI ecosystem unlocking opportunities for shared prosperity and human advancement worldwide. The report calls for continued collaborative efforts to shape global AI governance uphold human dignity and labour standards and expand economic opportunities for all.
Africa: From SDG assessment to policy solutions
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) assessment conducted in this chapter reveals that Africa is at a crucial turning point with substantial gaps in several key areas compared to other developing regions. However Africa also holds enormous potential for transformative growth. The continent has made significant progress in some areas such as infrastructure energy and resource efficiency. To bridge existing gaps and accelerate progress Africa should focus on adopting clean energy accelerating economic growth creating decent jobs developing industry and fostering innovation. This chapter explores how industrial policy can play a crucial role in achieving progress in these priority areas and showcases examples of effective policies across the continent with a specific focus on opportunities related to the energy transition digitalization trade and regional integration. By implementing these strategies Africa can bridge the SDG gaps and at the same time position itself as a competitive innovative and resilient player in the global arena. The chapter also assesses the situation in least developed countries (LDCs) and highlights significant gaps in their progress towards the SDG targets related to energy access resource efficiency industry and innovation. These gaps are particularly acute in African LDCs where industrialization has progressed much more slowly compared to LDCs in the Asia-Pacific region.