UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Liu ZhenMin, stated that advance of science and technology will be a powerful support towards achieving the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Liu emphasized that benefits of science and technology can only be fully effective when the agenda is oriented towards pro-poor growth and impartiality.
He supports his opinion by giving possible outcomes of the society supported under strong technology. Firstly, he mentioned that with precise technological measurement of climate change adaptation, global warming, one of the most hazardous environment threatening problem, can be mitigated by going through more green and resilient development than the current carbon-reliant growth. In a similar way, technology enables sustainable fishing, tight over watch of ocean acidification and both cleaning up and prevention of water pollution. He also briefly mentioned that technology and science provide accessible jobs for disadvantaged minorities and make cities eco-friendly and smart; it allows operations of new transportation system and better management of natural resources.
Liu did not forget to mention that such efforts must be inclusive and made in support of local levels for these approaches to properly work in favor of the communities. He also added that taking integrated approach and breaking the barrier is necessary as soon as possible.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1008702
APPA UN NGO Intern & Young Research Fellow
University of Illinois-Urban Champaign
Jeongbin Kim