ESCAP Repository (United Nations ESCAP)
Not a member yet
8868 research outputs found
Sort by
Kazakhstan climate change and disaster risk profile
No full text
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world. It is an upper-middle-income country with a population of 18.7 million. Nursultan (capital) and Almaty are the country’s major cities. The geographical terrain is 90% flat with high mountains located only in the South Eastern and Eastern parts of the country. A leading producer and exporter of wheat in the region, the country is the largest economy of Central Asia, generating 60% of the region's GDP (USAID, 2017). More than 50% of its employment is generated by 4 economic sectors: 16 % by agriculture, forestry and fishery; 15% from repair of vehicles and motorcycles; 13% from the industry sector and 12% from the education sector (Third Biennial Report, 2017).
Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources such as coal, oil and natural gas. Due to its high dependence on coal and oil, the country’s GDP growth is closely correlated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The geographical location and climatic conditions of Kazakhstan make it prone to natural disasters such as floods, mudflows and landslides. According to a World Bank assessment, 75% of the country is at an increasing risk of adverse climate change impact (CCKP World Bank, 2021).</p
Readiness assessment for cross-border paperless trade : Tonga
No full textThis report provides an assessment of Tonga’s readiness for cross-border paperless trade, i.e., the conducting of international trade on the basis of electronic data and documents. The report provides a brief overview of trade facilitation implementation in Tonga, followed by findings from the technical and legal readiness assessments for cross-border paperless trade. This report continues with recommendations on both technical and legal aspects of cross-border paperless trade, followed by an action plan as a way forward for Tonga.
The team started conducting the readiness assessment with a preparatory national consultation in August 2021. Based on the collected checklists data and the research conducted on the technical and legal environments, the experts drafted a readiness assessment report. A national consultation on facilitating cross-border paperless trade was co-organized with the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development on 10 March 2022, when the preliminary findings as well as recommendations and the draft action plan were further reviewed, consolidated and validated. All inputs from these interviews and consultations are incorporated in this report. The complete set of Cross-Border Paperless Trade Readiness Assessment reports can be accessed : Readiness Assessments for Cross-Border Paperless Trade.</p
Asia-Pacific digital transformation report 2022 : shaping our digital future
No full textThe Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2022 is the first edition of a biennial flagship publication series of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The Report aims to deepen our understanding of the rapid and complex digital transformation in the Asia-Pacific region, which resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the drive to mitigate the spread of the pandemic and its adverse impacts, many governments, businesses and people began to rapidly adopt digital technologies, becoming “digital by default”, thereby detonating a “digital big bang”.
The Report emphasizes the urgent need for policymakers and stakeholders to monitor the changing landscape of digital transformation at regional and country levels, and coordinate policies and actions for digital transformation.
The Report highlights the importance of political leadership and commitment at the highest level. It suggests three pathways that are aligned with the ESCAP Action Plan 2022-2026 of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS), which is a useful regional cooperative mechanism for promoting policy dialogue, cooperation and partnerships.</p
Delegate assessment of the Committee on Environment and Development at the Ministerial Level, Seventh Session, 29 November-1 December 2022
No full textThe Committee on Environment and Development (CED) is convened every two years to review regional trends, identify priorities for action, promote dialogue, consider common regional positions and promote a collaborative approach to addressing the development challenges of the region between Governments and civil society, the private sector and the UN System and other international organizations. The CED provides recommendations to the Commission as a body – made up of 53 members and 9 associate members.
In 2022, the Committee was convened at Ministerial level on the theme: Protecting our planet through regional cooperation and solidarity in Asia and the Pacific.
Member states adopted two main outcomes: A Ministerial declaration on Asia-Pacific environment and development challenges and regional responses, as well as an Asia-Pacific programme on air pollution, as a platform for cooperation for improved air quality management.<p
A climate resilient energy sector in the Kyrgyz Republic : action plan and policy recommendations framework
No full textThe Kyrgyz Republic is the third most vulnerable country to climate change impacts in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (UNDP, 2013). Climate change and extreme weather events annually cost the country’s economy 1% to 1.5% of GDP (ADB, 2018). According to UNDP estimates, if disaster damage increases at the rate of the annual population growth (1.1% per year), a conservative assumption is that climate-related disasters could total USD 156 million by 2032 (UNDP, 2013)
SDG 4 : Quality education
No full textAccess to and participation in education continue to increase in the Asia-Pacific region. Challenges remain, however, in the delivery of quality education at every level. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to reverse progress achieved in the last decade, exacerbating the pre-existing learning crisis and further deepening inequities in the region. COVID-19-related school closures, as well as the inadequate reach and quality of remote learning, have caused learning loss at unprecedented levels, requiring significant attention and mitigation efforts in the short and medium term. Teachers play a key role in improving learning outcomes; this reality accentuates the need for greater pedagogical, administrative, and psychosocial training, as well as professional development and support for them to teach in digital and blended learning ecosystems. To reach the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children, as well as the growing number of children out of school, will require multi-sectoral strategies, for example related to school health, nutrition, and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant fiscal policy challenges and gaps especially for low-income and lower-middle-income countries. To achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by 2030, countries in Asia and the Pacific must ensure that education expenditure is sufficient to meet the commitments of their Governments. To get back on track to achieve SDG 4, education expenditures must be increased from 4 to 6 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) and 15 to 20 per cent of their total public expenditure. Countries in the region lack comprehensive, good-quality education data systems, which are or could be linked to other sectors such as health, child protection, nutrition, labour, industry, and agriculture, as well as to climate change projections
Readiness assessment for cross-border paperless trade : Azerbaijan
Get PDFThis report provides an assessment of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s readiness for cross-border paperless trade, i.e., the conduct of international trade on the basis of electronic data and documents. Following a brief review of the state of play in trade facilitation implementation in the Republic of Azerbaijan, findings from the technical and legal readiness assessments for cross-border paperless trade are presented. Recommendations on both technical and legal aspects of cross-border paperless trade are then provided, followed by an initial action plan for the Republic of Azerbaijan to move forward.
A national consultation on facilitating cross-border paperless trade was co-organized by ESCAP, the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Centre for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communications of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 10 February 2022. At the workshop, the results from the self-assessment on technical and legal aspects of cross-border trade facilitation in Azerbaijan were presented and the recommendations and the initial action plan were reviewed.
The complete set of Cross-Border Paperless Trade Readiness Assessment reports can be accessed : Readiness Assessments for Cross-Border Paperless Trade.</p
Advancing Pacific priorities 2022
Get PDFAcknowledgementsThe Advancing Pacific Priorities 2022 is a publication of the Subregional Office for the Pacific of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The publication was produced under the overall direction of Andie Fong Toy, Head of the Subregional Office for the Pacific of ESCAP.
This 2022 edition of the publication was prepared by a core team led by Sudip Ranjan Basu, including Nobuko Kajiura, Sanjesh Naidu, Jasmine Wai Mun Hong, Christopher Ryan, Khanh Ha Tran, Ranhee Kim and Peter Emberson of the ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific. Patricia Momoivalu, Leba Petersen and Orisi Samoce provided administrative assistance and valuable logistical support for the publication. The layout and graphic design were created by Daniel Feary. Mark Borg and Nikhil Lal supported the review and dissemination of the publication.Advancing Pacific Priorities highlights ESCAP’s work in the Pacific in the past year. It communicates efforts by the ESCAP Pacific Office in supporting the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) in their implementation of the SDGs, the SAMOA Pathway, and effectively their own national development plans and nationally determined contributions. Advancing Pacific Priorities lists the key initiatives the Office has implemented in 2022 in close collaboration with the UN family, Pacific member States, regional and subregional organisations, civil society, private sector, youth and academia in the Pacific. The publication covers the range of ESCAP’s work and support in the Pacific, including those related to climate change and resilience, trade and e-commerce, Voluntary National Reviews, SDG 7 Energy Roadmaps, National SDG Tracker, and to the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Strategy particularly in regard to the Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development. Advancing Pacific Priorities describes how ESCAP in the Pacific facilitates multilateral dialogue, knowledge sharing and networking at the national, subregional and regional levels; conducts research and develops analytical knowledge products for policy advice and technical assistance; provides capacity building programmes; and supports the Pacific regional architecture including through cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and other CROP agencies.While looking back at the work undertaken by the ESCAP Pacific Office during the past year, it emphasises how these multitude of activities are inter-linked and how they all contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and regional cooperation in the Pacific.</p
Pathways to adaptation and resilience in Pacific SIDS : subregional report
No full textPathways to Adaptation and Resilience in the Pacific takes forward analysis of the Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2021 and showcases how the subregion is being affected by various risk parameters, and where new hotspots of exposure and vulnerability to climate-induced, cascading multi-hazard scenarios are being created. Moving forward, ESCAP recommends that the Pacific implements customized adaptation and resilience pathways with emphasis on risk-informed development policies and investments, technological innovations and subregional cooperation approaches. These measures can accelerate the progress of countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. </p