The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in the UN 2030 Agenda 

Summary

We argue the transition path to inclusive and environmental sustainable economic development must be Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) intensive. We outline an economic framework that demonstrates the need to transform the nature of STI and reorient it towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We outline the various public policy options that can reorient investment patterns in STIs towards achieving the SDGs.  The Means of Implementation (MoIs) of the UN 2030 agenda will need to blend to create new modalities of finance, governance and public policy at all levels if we are to reorient STI and induce the transformative changes in economic, social, environmental and political systems required to achieve the SDGs. We address the implications of our analysis for the UN global Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) which aims to promote STI access, transfer and capacities across nations to achieve the SDGs.

Readings

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2015). Chapter 5: Economic Growth, Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, and Sustainable Consumption and Production. In The Global Sustainable Development Report (2015 ed.). United Nations.

Technology and the UN 2030 Agenda: United Nations “Technology Facilitation Mechanism” (TFM) [browse through site]

Sutton, John (2012). “Competing in Capabilities: The Globalization Process”, Clarendon Lectures in Economics, Oxford University Press, 2012.

Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2016). “Joseph Stiglitz Says Standard Economics Is Wrong. Inequality and Unearned Income Kills the Economy,” adapted (with permission) from: Jacobs, Michael, and Mariana Mazzucato, eds. Rethinking capitalism: economics and policy for sustainable and inclusive growth. John Wiley & Sons, 2016.

Patrick Paul  Walsh (2015) “Industrial Policy and Sustainable Development“, United Nations Global Sustainable Development Report Policy Brief, 9 Mar 2015.

Week 1 Slides