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Asia-Pacific sustainable development journal. Vol. 31, No. 2, November 2024
No full textSpecial theme: Structural
Transformation of Least Developed
Countries (LDCs) – Recent
Developments and New ChallengesThe Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Journal, Vol. 31, No. 2, November 2024 focuses on the theme "Structural transformation of least developed countries: recent developments and new challenges." This issue includes:
- Survey Paper Section: Discusses sustainable development challenges, emerging trends, and opportunities for Asia-Pacific LDCs, advocating for a comprehensive approach to development.
- Thematic Section: Seven thematic articles providing insights into the structural challenges and potential pathways for sustainable development in least developed countries (LDCs) in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Submitted Paper Section: Four articles covering a wide range of challenges confronting least developed countries and small island developing States, in particular those in the Asia-Pacific region, including statistical development, diabetes, environmental impacts of chemical fertilizers, and credit rating. Editorial viii
Survey paper
Nyingtob Norbu & Yusuke Tateno Asia-Pacific Least Developed Countries: Sustainable
development challenges, emerging trends and
opportunities
Special theme: Structural
Transformation of Least Developed
Countries (LDCs) – Recent
Developments and New Challenges
Debapriya Bhattachariya Progress and challenges of structural transformation
in LDCs: A note from the guest editor
27
Rolf Traeger Structural transformation of LDCs: Past performance
and future challenges
31
Daniel Gay The need for a new approach to trade and structural
transformation in LDCs
61
Neil Balchin, Salamat Ali & Kyle
de Klerk
Services exports and structural transformation
in Asia-Pacific LDCs: Stubborn challenges, new
opportunities
91
Jodie Keane Navigating new greening trade measures and avoiding
a green squeeze: Implications for LDCs
125
Janesh Sami, Neelesh Gounder,
Keshmeer Makun & Ronal Chand
International tourism and economic vulnerability in
Small Island Developing States
141
Mohammad Mainul Islam &
Muhammad Saifullah Akib
Data availability and challenges to achieve sustainable
development goals in Bangladesh
161
Submitted papers
Devendra Kumar Jain, Rup Singh,
Henali Kumar & Avanish Shukla
Macro-financial risk indicators for Small Developing
States: A case study of statistical development in Fiji
181
Akisi Ravono, Jenny Carryer,
Rochelle Stewart-Withers & Tracie
Mafile'o
Managing the tidal wave of diabetes: Barriers to
effective management of diabetes in Fiji
205
Md. Toriqul Islam, Noor-E Sabiha,
Zeenatul Islam, Md. Abdur Rashid
Sarker & Ruhul Salim
Evaluating farmers’ insights into environmental
impacts of chemical fertilizers and their overdose:
Evidence from Bangladesh
225
Amit B Chakrabarti & Kaveri
Krishnan
Impact of institutional ownership heterogeneity
on sustainability spending of portfolio firms: The
moderating role of credit rating
257
Acknowledgements 28
Regional Digital Trade Integration Index (RDTII) 2.0 economy profile 2024 : Brunei Darussalam
Get PDFThis brief provides a concise summary of Brunei Darussalam's digital trade policy profile, benchmarked against the regional average based on data from 21 Asia-Pacific economies included in the ESCAP-ECA-ECLAC Regional Digital Trade Integration Index, version 2 (RDTII 2.0).
It highlights that Brunei Darussalam is generally among the economies with low regulatory compliance costs for cross-border digital trade. Compared to the group average, based on data up to 2023, Brunei Darussalam’s digital trade policies related to cross-border data policies, tariffs and trade defence on ICT goods, online sales and transactions, and non-technical non-tariff measures (NTMs) are relatively enabling. However, compliance costs are relatively high concerning policies on internet intermediary liability, domestic data policies, and content access. Additionally, it highlights new policy measures, proposals related to digital trade, and Brunei Darussalam’s participation in trade negotiations involving digital trade.
For more information, please visit Initiative on Digital Trade Regulatory Integration
Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2024: Assessing Implementation of the Global Compact for Migration
Get PDFThis report aims to assess the state of GCM
implementation in the region, its progress and
its challenges since the first Asia-Pacific Regional
Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for
Migration in 2021, in which a Chair’s summary was
adopted. Chapters 2 to 5 each consider clusters of
GCM objectives, as presented in General Assembly
resolution 73/326 and following the same groupings
as in the Asia-Pacific Migration Report (APMR)
2020. These chapters open with a summary of the
discussions from the first regional review of the GCM,
held in 2021, drawing from the Chair’s summary.
Chapter 6 provides overarching recommendations to
support and accelerate GCM implementation in Asia
and the Pacific. At the end of the report are annexes
with information on the GCM objectives and guiding
principles, references to migration in Voluntary
National Reviews to the High-Level Political Forum
on Sustainable Development, and GCM pledges at
the level of the State or City, Municipality and Local
Authority
Policies to promote private sector engagement in Science, Technology and Innovation : Workbook
Get PDFThis policy workbook provides a comprehensive guide to fostering private sector engagement in science, technology, and innovation (STI) within the context of developing economies, focusing on the experiences of Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam (CLTV). It aims to provide policymakers with practical tools, examples, insights, and lessons learned to encourage private sector participation in STI. The workbook addresses two critical challenges:
Policy support for the growth of startups: It emphasizes the importance of creating a conducive ecosystem for startups, considering the specific challenges in supporting startups as they move beyond the initial seed-funding phase and seek to participate in public procurement.
Building human resource capacity through private sector involvement, exploring two specific opportunities to enhance STI human resources: a) engaging large corporations to invest in STI capabilities; and b) developing talent mobility programmes to facilitate the movement of STI personnel, particularly between academia and industry.
The workbook compiles a collection of policies and strategies from the CLTV region and beyond, along with insights from policymakers, industry leaders, and academics. It presents strategic considerations for engaging the private sector in building robust STI ecosystems, such as leveraging networks for policy implementation and the critical role of intermediaries.</p
Asia-Pacific tech monitor. Vol. 43, No. 1, Jan-Mar 2024
No full textSpecial Theme: Digital innovations for sustainable development in Asia and the PacificThe Asia-Pacific Tech Monitor, Jan-Mar 2024 focuses on “Digital innovation for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”. It features articles that will provide different perspectives and insights on the developments in policies towards better use of digital technologies in different sectors. For example, an article highlighting the journey of Thailand toward digital education stresses the importance of government-built supporting policies while planning for digital infrastructure. Another article discusses the potentials and challenges of AI in different Asia-Pacific cities and proposes key considerations for the responsible deployment of AI in urban environments fostering sustainable development. Another interesting article is on the role of digital technology, especially crowdfunding, in addressing financial access issues. The study reveals that crowdfunding and digital innovation significantly enhance the efficiency, transparency, and impact of projects targeting the SDGs, despite challenges such as regulatory hurdles, market readiness, and technological access.</p
Review of developments in transport in Asia and the Pacific 2024 : transition towards sustainable transport solutions
No full textThe Review of Developments in Transport in Asia and the Pacific 2024: Transition Towards Sustainable Transport Solutions includes an overview of progress made across seven transport thematic areas included in the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Regional Action Programme for Sustainable Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific (2022–2026), which are (a) regional land transport connectivity and logistics; (b) maritime and interregional transport connectivity; (c) digitalization of transport; (d) low carbon mobility and logistics; (e) urban transport; (f) road safety, and (g) inclusive transport and mobility. These transport thematic areas are also directly linked to the advancement of five specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they can enhance accessibility to essential services and facilities, such as education, health care, employment, and public services, and thus reduce inequalities (Goal 5, Goal 11). Sustainable and resilient transport infrastructure development can further support industry, innovation and connectivity, including associated supply chain networks and cross-border freight transport, which will also lead to higher levels of efficiency in the system, especially with the deployment of information and communications technology (ICT) and real-time data sharing across a supply chain in the long term, as well as increases in competitiveness in the region (Goal 9). By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through low-carbon technologies, mode shifts, alternative fuels and route optimization, sustainable passenger and freight transport can mitigate the climate change impact (Goal 13), while improving public health (Goal 3) at the same time. Additionally, improved public transport systems serve as a core function of sustainable cities (Goal 11), while minimizing resource use and the environmental impact in the transport sector. Common sustainable transport solutions include the need to enhance capacity, match sustainable transport infrastructure needs with appropriate financing mechanisms, strengthen data collection and analysis, build greater regional collaboration and cross-sectoral cooperation, and develop, implement and enforce sustainable transport policies
Assessing the policy environment for digital connectivity and accessibility in the Asia-Pacific region
Get PDFThe digital connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region is primarily shaped by the availability of ICT infrastructure, the nature of regulatory policies, and the dynamics of competition among service providers. This paper explores the policies and regulations that affect the costs and accessibility of digital infrastructure in the 21 Asia-Pacific economies included in the ESCAP’s Regional Digital Trade Integration (RDTII) Database: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Thailand, Türkiye, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, and Hong Kong, China. It specifically focuses on trade and investment policies, as well as regional cooperation initiatives in Asia and the Pacific, that have an impact on (1) telecommunications infrastructure and services, and (2) ICT products.
Despite trends towards liberalization, the telecom and ICT sectors in Asia-Pacific economies are generally found to be heavily regulated. The predominance of state monopolies and diverse regulatory approaches across different economies potentially result in high digital connectivity costs and a lack of a competitive environment. This potentially contributes to a significant divide in digital infrastructure quality and accessibility observed across the region.
Drawing on data from ESCAP's Regional Digital Trade Integration (RDTII) Database, this paper discusses a variety of trade and investment policies that shape competition in the telecom market. These policies range from the liberalization of telecommunications services and participation in regional trade agreements and cooperation initiatives, to rules governing foreign entry and foreign participation in public procurement.
In addition, the paper underscores the significance of adhering to the WTO Telecom Reference Paper as well as capitalizing on opportunities from regional trade agreements to establish guidelines for regulatory coherence, interoperability and the resolution of telecommunication disputes. Although numerous regional arrangements exist, the scope of commitments varies widely. Notably, except for the CPTPP, RCEP and North-South agreements, the obligations tend to be vague and more limited in scope.
Furthermore, the significance of reducing trade barriers on ICT equipment and services in enhancing the affordability and efficiency of digital infrastructure for connectivity cannot be overstated. The region has generally reduced tariff barriers encountered by businesses and end-users in accessing ICT products. Although many Asia-Pacific economies have not yet joined the ITA or its expanded version, several have lowered tariffs on ICT goods through regional trade agreements, thereby achieving substantial coverage of zero-duty tariff lines. However, ICT products are extensively subject to non-tariff measures (NTMs), such as licensing, certification and labelling requirements. Here lies a considerable opportunity for improvement, particularly in simplifying the extensive certification processes for imported ICT products and diverse technical standards applied. </p
Evaluation of the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM)
Get PDFCommissioned by ESCAPThe United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) commissioned the
independent evaluation of the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM), one of the
five regional institutes of ESCAP, in accordance with ESCAP Monitoring and Evaluation Policy and
Guidelines (2023). CSAM supports regional initiatives in agricultural mechanization through four
flagship initiatives comprising regional forum on sustainable agricultural mechanization, the Asia and
Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM), the Regional Council of Agricultural
Machinery Associations in Asia and the Pacific (ReCAMA), and climate resilient practices comprising
conservation agriculture and integrated straw residue management. The Centre’s work programme
and budget is guided by a five-year strategy approved by its Governing Council. The evaluation covers
CSAM’s operations under its strategy for 2020-2024 implemented with the support of voluntary
contributions from the host country China and participating ESCAP member States in CSAM initiatives
Understanding and improving adult mortality measurement in a changing demographic landscape
Get PDFThe proportion of adult deaths is rising due to declining child mortality and lower fertility rates, shifting the burden of premature deaths to ages 15-59, which are mostly preventable. Simultaneously, deaths among those over 60 are increasing, as this age group is projected to constitute a quarter of the global population by 2100. Understanding adult mortality is crucial for effective public health investment. Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are the most reliable for measuring adult mortality, though many countries lack complete systems. Alternative methods like surveys and censuses are used, but they have limitations, including infrequency and potential inaccuracies. This Stats Brief explores the different ways of estimating adult mortality and how this can be improved.
This Brief is part of ESCAP’s work on civil registration and vital statistics funded under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative (D4H) Project.
-----------------------
This Stats Brief was prepared by Ashira Menashe Oren, Consultant, ESCAP Statistics Division, under the supervision of Petra Nahmias, Chief of Population and Social Statistics Section, ESCAP Statistics Division, with valuable inputs from Tanja Sejersen, Statistician, ESCAP Statistics Division, Afsaneh Yazdani, Statistician, ESCAP Statistics Division and Haoyi Chen, Statistician, United Nations Statistics Division. The brief is issued without formal editing.Summary
I: Introduction
II: Established methods for measuring adult mortality
III: Challenges and gaps in measuring adult mortality
IV: Prospects and methods addressing the challenges
V: Validation and comparison of adult mortality estimates 19
VI: Outloo
