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Visualizing broadband speeds in Asia and the Pacific
Get PDFThe COVID-19 global pandemic restrictions that intensified in 2020 highlighted the critical role of digital connectivity on ensuring continued operations of critical infrastructure and services, as well as working and schooling from home. While previous research analyses have highlighted the digital divide (lack of access to broadband (fixed and mobile)) as an important challenge that risks creating new inequalities, less attention has been given to the quality (speed and latency) of broadband access. Using a new geospatial data from the speed test by Ookla on broadband speed, this working paper examines the broadband download speed differences within Asia-Pacific countries (urban and rural areas) and between Asia-Pacific subregions.
The working paper findings indicate that broadband speed differs significantly between Asia-Pacific countries during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In addition, stark differences were identified on urban and rural broadband download speed within many Asia-Pacific countries, and Asia-Pacific landlocked countries were found to have lower broadband download speed compared to other Asia-Pacific subregions. These findings have important policy implications for Asia-Pacific countries on ensuring quality and affordable broadband access is achieved for sustainable development
Asia-Pacific tech monitor. Vol. 25, No. 5, Sep - Oct 2008
No full textBalancing the hydrological system : A Japanese approach to sustaining urban areas / Masahiro Imbe, Hiroyuki Okui and Jouichi Kouso
Rainwater harvesting in dry areas : The case of rural Gansu in China / Qiang Zhu
Management of aquifer recharge : Groundwater storage in the sand dunes of Viet Nam / Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, Giuseppe Arduino, Paolo Bono, Nguyen Van Giang, Phan Thi Kim Van and Bui Tran Vuong
Macroscopic rainwater harvesting : Measures in industrial premises in Mumbai / P. K. Srivastava and H. G. Pate
Transport and communications bulletin for Asia and the Pacific. No. 45
No full textTransport and communications bulletin for Asia and the Far East. (0041-1396
Understanding the climate finance landscape and how to scale it up in Pacific small island developing states
Get PDFClimate Finance is an important catalyst for providing and leveraging actions necessary for mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts. Pacific small island developing States (SIDS) are some of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change yet accessing climate finance for most of these countries continue to be an ongoing challenge. Pacific SIDS also continue to lag behind other developing countries in scaling-up their climate finance from other sources, particularly from the private sector. This paper seeks to shed light on the climate finance architecture and experience of the Pacific SIDS as well as provide some way forward that donors and development partners in the region could consider in strengthening Pacific SIDS; abilities to scale-up climate finance. This study adopts a desk review approach, synthesizing relevant climate finance related literature from within the Pacific and as well as external sources
Smart railway solutions for trans-asian railway network in the times of COVID-19 pandemic
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic is changing the dynamics of international freight transport as no single event has probably done before in the recent past. The outbreak of the pandemic has adversely impacted freight transported by all other modes other than by rail.
The increase in freight carried by railways is not surprising, given its distinct features, that are working to its advantage in the current situation. International railway transport uses less manpower over long distance and accordingly there are fewer health checks, unlike, for example, in road transport where checks and congestions at border crossings cause more frequent human interactions. Each freight train can carry between 40 to 70 times equivalent of lorry loads of goods in a much more safe and secure environment giving rail a distinct advantage.
The opportunities for switching more cargo to rail during the COVID-19 recovery phase and making shift towards railways more enduring in national and international transport- would require enhanced competitiveness of railway transport compared to other modes.
To support trade and transport connectivity globally in times of pandemic the United Nation agencies have jointly launched a project titled- Trade and transport connectivity in times of pandemics: with overarching objective of developing contactless, seamless and collaborative solutions to preserve and further enhance the trade and transport connectivity. In Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP is leading the project and has initiated series of studies aimed at supporting countries in this direction.
The present study on smart railway solutions has been carried out under the project with aim to identify smart railway solutions that are proven to be successful elsewhere and are potentially replicable and scalable. Not all solutions would have equal importance or relevance for the railways of the region.
Each railway could assess its own situation and determine which smart solutions would be more beneficial and applicable for them. In this regard, the study may also be seen as an inventory of smart railway solutions that would expand the knowledge of railways of the region on the range of options available to deal with emerging challenges and opportunities in the era of pandemic.
First part of the study provides context for smart railway solutions along the Trans-Asian Railway Network. It provides insight into the emerging trends in international railway transport followed by analysis of the impact of pandemic on the railway freight flows along the Trans-Asian Railway network. Identification of common priorities of the railways of region and the focus areas for specialized railway organizations follow next.
The objective of this part is to underscore the importance of using the current crisis as an opportunity to further enhance the comparative advantages of railway transport through use of smart railway solutions that would enhance the competitiveness of the railways in the post pandemic environment.
The second part of the study provides six modules on smart railway solutions. These modules are smart railway operations, smart railway maintenance, smart train driving, smart railway border crossing, smart railway customer orientation and smart railway investing. Each module has submodules that explain the range of smart railway solutions with details.
The study is complemented by the Annexes providing information on new rail freight services in 2016-2020 and key priorities of the TARN member countries as defined in official national strategic documents as well as smart railway solutions. </p
Pacific: an analysis of the Beijing+25 review reports
Get PDFThe present document contains a summary of the identified achievements, challenges, and key actions taken by the ESCAP members and associate members of the Pacific sub-region to advance gender equality and women's empowerment. The countries that submitted their national review reports, and are therefore included in this report, are: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The following countries have not submitted their national review report: American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, and Papua New Guinea. Furthermore, the key priority areas for action for countries in the region for the next five years are identified, with a view to accelerate the achievement of gender equality in the region of progress in implementing the Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda