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1. Unpacking the UN’s Development System Reform

Author:
Lesley Connolly and Jimena Leiva Roesch
Publication Date:
07-2020
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
International Peace Institute
Abstract:
On January 1, 2019, a far-reaching reform of the UN development system went into effect. This was referred to by the deputy secretary-general as “the most ambitious reform of the United Nations development system in decades.” While this reform has only briefly been in place, questions have already arisen about its implementation and implications. This issue brief aims to contribute to the understanding of this ongoing reform and its significance. It provides a detailed overview of the UN development system reform at the headquarters, regional, and country levels, highlighting why it was undertaken and identifying some of the political and bureaucratic complexities it entails. The report concludes that more than a year into the reform of the UN development system, significant progress has been made, but it is too early to assess the reform’s long-term impact. What is clear, however, is that bringing about change of this scope will require the UN to adapt not only its structure but also its way of working.
Topic:
Development, United Nations, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Global Focus

2. Making Peace with Climate Adaptation

Author:
Louise Van Schaik, Camilla Born, Elizabeth Sellwood, and Sophie de Bruin
Publication Date:
03-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:
Climate change poses risks to poor and rich communities alike, although impacts on the availability and distribution of essential resources such as water, food, energy and land will differ. These changes, combined with other social, political and economic stresses and shocks, can increase tensions within and between states, which, if unmanaged, can lead to violence. Climate-related changes to transboundary waters, food security and trade patterns, sea levels, and Arctic ice, as well as the transition to a low-carbon economy, have profound geopolitical implications. Largescale climate-related migration may also affect the stability of states, and relations between states. Climate action itself may prove destabilizing: (mal)adaptation can disrupt economic and social relations, particularly if implemented without appropriate political economy analysis and risk assessments. In response to analyses linking climate change to security, peace and security actors increasingly realize that interventions to promote peace and stability are more likely to be effective if they incorporate such analyses. At the United Nations, member states have agreed to shift towards a “preventive” approach to conflict risks, grounded in sustainable development. The UN leadership is adjusting institutional structures to better understand and respond to climate-related security risks at all levels, including a newly established climate security mechanism in New York. Many regional intergovernmental institutions have also recognized the links between climate change, peace and security. Some, such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in East Africa and the European Union, have incorporated climate-related factors into their conflict early-warning mechanisms. We are only just beginning to understand the realities of adapting to unprecedented climate change, however. Climate-related factors will need to be incorporated systematically into political analysis, risk assessment, and early warning, accompanied by deeper integration of climate-security risk assessment into planning and political engagement in the field. Similarly, more consistent analysis of climate-related security risks must contribute to politically informed, conflict-sensitive adaptation strategies.
Topic:
Conflict Prevention, Climate Change, International Political Economy, Peace, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Global Focus

3. Sustainable Drive, Sustainable Supply: Priorities to Improve the Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain

Author:
Patrick Heller, Ethan Elkind, and Ted Lamm
Publication Date:
07-2020
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Natural Resource Governance Institute
Abstract:
The global transition from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) will require hundreds of millions of batteries. The need for such massive production raises questions from the general public and critics alike about the sustainability of the battery supply chain, from mining impacts to vehicle carbon emissions. Growing demand for the mineral inputs for battery production can provide an opportunity for mineral-rich countries to generate fiscal revenues and other economic opportunities. But where extraction takes place in countries with weak governance, the benefits expected by citizens and leaders may not materialize; in some cases extraction can exacerbate corruption, human rights abuses and environmental risks. To address these questions, the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at U.C.-Berkeley and NRGI are conducting a stakeholder-led research initiative focused on identifying strategies to improve sustainability and governance across the EV battery supply chain. CLEE and NRGI convened leaders from across the mining, battery manufacturing, automaker, and governance observer/advocate sectors, to develop policy and industry responses to human rights, governance, environmental, and other risks facing the supply chain. This report "Sustainable Drive, Sustainable Supply: Priorities to Improve the Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain" shares the major conclusions of this multi-stakeholder convening and accompanying outreach to experts in the field: Lack of coordinated action, accountability, and access to information across the supply chain hinder sustainability efforts Inadequate coordination and data sharing across multiple supply chain standards limit adherence Regulatory and logistical barriers inhibit battery life extension, reuse, and recycling The report recommends the following priorities as industry, government and nonprofit leaders respond to these challenges: Industry leaders, governments and civil society could strengthen mechanisms to improve data transparency and promote neutral and reliable information-sharing to level the playing field between actors across the supply chain and between governments and companies Industry leaders, governments and civil society could ensure greater application of supply chain sustainability best practices by defining and categorizing existing standards and initiatives to develop essential criteria, facilitate comparison and equivalency, and streamline adherence for each segment of the supply chain Governments and industry leaders could create new incentives for supply chain actors to participate in and adhere to existing standards and initiatives, which may include sustainability labeling and certification initiatives Industry leaders could design batteries proactively for disassembly (enabling recycling and reuse), and industry leaders and governments could collaborate to build regional infrastructure for battery recycling and transportation and create regulatory certainty for recycling
Topic:
Energy Policy, Sustainability, and Supply Chains
Political Geography:
Global Focus

4. Military Spending and Official Development Assistance in Recipient States: Is there a Relationship?

Author:
Nan Tian and Diego Lopes da Silva
Publication Date:
08-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Abstract:
Official development assistance (ODA) plays an important and complementary role in promoting development in low- and middle-income states. Previous research in the literature has shown that ODA can have unintended con­sequences by enabling recipient states to shift ‘freed-up’ resources away from activities now funded by ODA to other spending categories. This literature has argued that the ‘freed-up’ resources could be funding military spending. This SIPRI Insights on Peace and Security queries these con­clusions and contributes to the debate by placing the relation­ship between ODA and military spending in context. The results show that, for low-income states, armed conflict is a major explanatory factor in determin­ing the positive association between increases in ODA and increases in military spending. While the existence of armed conflict drives both higher military spending and the need for higher levels of ODA, peace helps to lower military spending and states’ reliance on external aid.
Topic:
Development, Military Spending, Conflict, Peace, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5. Human Centric Data For Sustainable City – Part: 5

Author:
Teemu Ropponen
Publication Date:
11-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
In the interview that has been made under Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS) supported TESEV project called Improving Data Ecosystems for Sustainable City, Teemu Ropponen (General Manager of MyData Global) answers the question of “How do you think this work can be improved in the future?”.
Topic:
Development, Governance, Urbanization, Urban, Sustainability, and Data
Political Geography:
Global Focus

6. Human Centric Data For Sustainable City – Part: 4

Author:
Teemu Ropponen
Publication Date:
11-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
In the interview that has been made under Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS) supported TESEV project called Improving Data Ecosystems for Sustainable City, Teemu Ropponen (General Manager of MyData Global) answers the question of “How does your ecosystem contribute to sustainable city?”.
Topic:
Governance, Urbanization, Urban, Cities, Sustainability, and Data
Political Geography:
Global Focus

7. Human Centric Data For Sustainable City – Part: 3

Author:
Teemu Ropponen
Publication Date:
11-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
In the interview that has been made under Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS) supported TESEV project called Improving Data Ecosystems for Sustainable City, Teemu Ropponen (General Manager of MyData Global) answers the question of “How do citizens and other city stakeholders benefit from your work?”.
Topic:
Governance, Urbanization, Citizenship, Urban, Sustainability, and Data
Political Geography:
Turkey and Global Focus

8. Human Centric Data For Sustainable City – Part: 2

Author:
Teemu Ropponen
Publication Date:
11-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
In the interview that has been made under Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS) supported TESEV project called Improving Data Ecosystems for Sustainable City, Teemu Ropponen (General Manager of MyData Global) answers the question of “In this project we define data ecosystem as a network of stakeholders operating in one or more of the processes of creating, collecting, processing, and sharing data. MyData Global seems, in that perspective, to be a data ecosystem. How do cities benefit from your work?”.
Topic:
Governance, Urbanization, Urban, Sustainability, and Data
Political Geography:
Turkey and Global Focus

9. Human Centric Data for Sustainable City – Part: 1

Author:
Teemu Ropponen
Publication Date:
11-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
In the interview that has been made under Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS) supported TESEV project called Improving Data Ecosystems for Sustainable City, Teemu Ropponen (General Manager of MyData Global) answers the question of “MyData Global’s mission is ‘empowering individuals by improving their right to self-determination regarding their personal data’. Why does human centric data matter?”.
Topic:
Governance, Urbanization, Urban, Sustainability, and Data
Political Geography:
Turkey and Global Focus

10. TESEV Interviews: Data Sharing for Urban Governance Part 8

Author:
Rob Kitchin
Publication Date:
08-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
With the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS), the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) has been running the program titled “Supporting Sustainable Cities” since 2016. This year’s project is designed to highlight the need for effective networks that connect key actors for maintaining a workable “data-ecosystem”. In order to bring expert opinion to the discussion, TESEV has conducted a video interview with Prof. Rob Kitchin of Maynooth University with the aim of producing a series of short clips providing key insights. Having served as the principal investigator in the project that gave rise to the Dublin Dashboard among numerous other data initiatives that he led, and as a widely published scholar in open data and data-ecosystems, Kitchin’s comments serve as a guide for potential models of partnership to build effective data-ecosystems. Key pieces of information from our interview are presented in this eight-part mini-series. Part 8: What is a “Data-Ecosystem” and why do we need it for building sustainable cities?
Topic:
Governance, Partnerships, Urban, Sustainability, and Digital Policy
Political Geography:
Turkey and Global Focus