Can Blockchain Really Help the Poor?

Author(s):  
Jane Thomason ◽  
Sonja Bernhardt ◽  
Tia Kansara ◽  
Nichola Cooper

It is the firm belief of the authors that Blockchain and other frontier technologies will be an important tool for social impact globally. It is now possible, with technology, to envision a world where everyone has an identity, where everyone can be connected to the economic system, where farmers get fair deals for their crops, and land registration is incorruptible. Advances in solar, battery, and digital commerce make it possible to imagine even the smallest village in Africa being able to produce and trade small amounts of energy. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were a visionary leap to a future state where the world can be a better place for humankind. However, they will not be achieved without harnessing the potential of technology. Nor will they be reached alone. In this chapter, the authors profile innovative case studies in Blockchain, which, if brought to scale, may realise the technology's potential. It is through this learning and experimentation that we will learn how to deploy this technology globally for social impact.

It is the firm belief of the authors that Blockchain and other frontier technologies will be an important tool for social impact globally. It is now possible, with technology, to envision a world where everyone has an identity, where everyone can be connected to the economic system, where farmers get fair deals for their crops, and land registration is incorruptible. Advances in solar, battery, and digital commerce make it possible to imagine even the smallest village in Africa being able to produce and trade small amounts of energy. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were a visionary leap to a future state where the world can be a better place for humankind. However, they will not be achieved without harnessing the potential of technology. Nor will they be reached alone. In this chapter, the authors profile innovative case studies in Blockchain, which, if brought to scale, may realise the technology's potential. It is through this learning and experimentation that we will learn how to deploy this technology globally for social impact.


Author(s):  
Andrew Harmer ◽  
Jonathan Kennedy

This chapter explores the relationship between international development and global health. Contrary to the view that development implies ‘good change’, this chapter argues that the discourse of development masks the destructive and exploitative practices of wealthy countries at the expense of poorer ones. These practices, and the unregulated capitalist economic system that they are part of, have created massive inequalities between and within countries, and potentially catastrophic climate change. Both of these outcomes are detrimental to global health and the millennium development goals and sustainable development goals do not challenge these dynamics. While the Sustainable Development Goals acknowledge that inequality and climate change are serious threats to the future of humanity, they fail to address the economic system that created them. Notwithstanding, it is possible that the enormity and proximity of the threat posed by inequality and global warming will energise a counter movement to create what Kate Raworth terms ‘an ecologically safe and socially just space’ for the global population while there is still time.


Author(s):  
Chris G. Pope ◽  
Meng Ji ◽  
Xuemei Bai

The chapter argues that whether or not the world is successful in attaining sustainability, political systems are in a process of epoch-defining change as a result of the unsustainable demands of our social systems. This chapter theorizes a framework for analyzing the political “translation” of sustainability norms within national polities. Translation, in this sense, denotes the political reinterpretation of sustainable development as well as the national capacities and contexts which impact how sustainability agendas can be instrumentalized. This requires an examination into the political architecture of a national polity, the norms that inform a political process, socioecological contexts, the main communicative channels involved in the dissemination of political discourse and other key structures and agencies, and the kinds of approaches toward sustainability that inform the political process. This framework aims to draw attention to the ways in which global economic, political, and social systems are adapting and transforming as a result of unsustainability and to further understanding of the effectiveness of globally diffused sustainability norms in directing that change.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Sang Ayu Made Regitha Megaartha

The  The World Environment Conference in Stockholm in 1972 became clear evidence that environmental problems began to be a concern of various countries around the world, including Indonesia. Humans can not continue to exploit environment for resources and landfills. Environmental project management includes sustainable development aimed at improving the welfare of the community, conserving available natural resources, and ensuring the sustainability of the life of the surrounding environment. This concept is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals which are peace and prosperity for humans and earth, for now and in the future. Indonesia is not the only country that cares about the environment in accordance with the goals of the SGDs. Philippines divides project-affected communities into direct and indirect affected communities. United Kingdom has The European Union (EU) biodiversity strategy which aims to maintain and restore ecosystems. Denmark has The Innovation Network for Environmental Technology (Inno-MT) which is a partnership that supports projects related to waste, air, water and soil. This study aims to understand the principles of sustainable development related to environmental project management and its implementation in Indonesia. In addition, the researcher lists the actions taken by other countries regarding environmental project management to get a wider perspective.   Konferensi Lingkungan Hidup Sedunia di Stockholm tahun 1972 menjadi bukti nyata permasalahan lingkungan mulai menjadi perhatian dari berbagai negara di seluruh dunia, termasuk Indonesia. Manusia tidak dapat terus mengeksploitasi lingkungan untuk sumber daya dan tempat pembuangan limbah. Manajemen proyek lingkungan mencakup pembangunan  berkelanjutan yang bertujuan meningkatkan kesejahteraan  masyarakat,  melestarikan  sumber daya alam  yang tersedia, dan  menjamin   keberlangsungan   kehidupan   lingkungan   disekitarnya. Konsep ini sejalan dengan tujuan Sustainable Development Goals yaitu perdamaian dan kemakmuran bagi manusia dan bumi, baik saat ini maupun di masa mendatang. Indonesia bukan satu-satunya negara yang peduli mengenai lingkungan sesuai dengan tujuan SGDs. Negara-negara yang menandatangani PBB juga melakukan hal yang sama. Filipina membagi masyarakat terdampak proyek menjadi masyarakat terkena dampak langsung dan tidak langsung.  Inggris memiliki The Eurpean Union (EU) biodiversity strategy yang bertujuan untuk mempertahankan dan memulihkan ekosistem. Denmark memiliki The Innovation Network for Environmental Technology (Inno-MT) yaitu kemitraan yang mendukung proyek yang berhubungan dengan limbah, udara, air dan tanah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk  memahami prinsip-prinsip yang digunakan  dalam rangka pembangunan berkelanjutan yang berkaitan dengan manajemen proyek lingkungan dan pengimplementasiannya di Indonesia. Selain itu, peneliti mencantumkan tindakan-tindakan yang dilakukan oleh negara lain terkait manajemen proyek lingkungan untuk mendapatkan sudut pandang yang lebih luas


Author(s):  
Virginia Munro

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, incorporating the Business and Sustainable Development Commission (BSDC), has stated more rapid attention needs to be directed to implementation of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (also known as Global Goals) by 2030, and this is particularly the case in developing countries. Strategy with this type of inclusion is at the forefront of the solution to current global climatic change and escalating social problems such as poverty, hunger, and inequality. This chapter argues that multinational enterprises (MNEs) are in an excellent position to implement Social Initiatives (SIs) as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework and incorporate this into their CSR strategy. This will allow MNEs to be key instigators of SDG implementation and collaboration across sectors, governments, and public and private entities. This chapter provides an explanation of the various frameworks that support MNEs to implement SDGs, and describes the requirements for implementation, followed by a summary of 15 case studies where SDGs have been successfully implemented within a Shared Value and CSR context.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Noura Abdel Maksoud Eissa

The objective of this article is to (1) posit indicators to measure the performance of Egypt in achieving United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals one, to end poverty in all its forms and two, zero hunger, and (2) develop policy recommendations with regards to reducing poverty. Research methods include a systematic macro-process, general to narrow analysis, offering indicators and policy recommendations for governments to follow in achieving the sustainable development goals on poverty. The article is significant since it links between macroeconomics of poverty, an analysis of the quality and quantity of research conducted on the topic, the poor economics individual perspective, examples of pre and post-covid sustainable development goals one and two actual performance. Conclusions convey that poverty alleviation requires a combined public, private, and institutional collaboration to enhance the poor community capacity building, domestic resource mobilization techniques, efficient resource allocation and an awareness of the importance of implementing the sustainable development goals. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun Mee Kim

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) began in 2016 with great hopes that they will promote social development, economic development, and environmentally sustainable development with the motto, “Leave No One Behind” (UN 2016). In particular, SDGs’ goal 5, “Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls” (UN 2016). However, persistently high gender gap was found in many countries around the world whether they are developed or developing. The 2016 Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI), which examines gender inequality across four key areas of health, education, economy and politics, showed that the gender gap widened in many countries, and the gap in “economic participation and opportunity” showed the largest gender gap compared to health, education and political participation (World Economic Forum 2016). Interestingly, the GGGI do not match the global ranking of countries based on their GDP size, GDP per capita, or even the level of poverty. Thus, in order to deal with the underlying causes of deep-rooted and persistent gender inequality we must develop more culturally nuanced and contextualized approaches in the SDGs to tackle gender inequality (Song & Kim 2013). Gender inequality is simply not acceptable in the world where half of the world’s citizens are not provided with the same rights as the other half. It is also economically less productive to rely on only half of the world’s labor force to help eradicate poverty. Education, employment, and full empowerment of women and girls must be a priority for the SDGs.


Author(s):  
Alif Khuwarazmi Maulana Julendra ◽  
Silvi Sri Mulyani ◽  
Arfi Mulyasa Insani

The SDGs outline 17 goals that are part of the sustainable development agenda. One of the efforts that can be made to alleviate poverty around the world is by utilizing "endowment funds". In Indonesia, financing innovation to alleviate poverty can be done through cash waqf. However, the facts on the ground show that the huge potential for cash waqf cannot be optimally absorbed. Therefore, this study aims to explore and test empirically the extent to which the Indonesian people intend to optimize the potential of cash waqf in an effort to support financing and achieve the goal of poverty alleviation in Indonesia. This is done by identifying the factors that influence the intention of the Indonesian people to distribute cash waqf and correlating this with the influence of public knowledge about waqf, especially the cash waqf itself. The method used in this study is a quantitative method by collecting primary data from as many as 316 Muslim respondents throughout Indonesia. The questionnaire used is the adoption of Theory Planned Behavior (TPB) with the addition of several variables that affect intention. This approach is used to determine the community's intention to distribute cash waqf. The results of the study indicate the consideration of Indonesian Muslim knowledge in the influence of the intention to do cash waqf, and the results show that there is no significant influence between attitudes (attitudes towards) and people's intention to donate money.


Author(s):  
Ekaterina K. Chirkunova ◽  
Nataliya V. Shekhova

The article is devoted to the creation of an effective institutional system for sustainable development as the most important issue of the modern scientific, political and public agenda. Sustainable development paradigm was adopted by the world community by general consent several decades ago, but nevertheless not a single country in the world, including Russia, has an efficient technology to achieve the corresponding goals today. The article reveals the content of the definition sustainable development, describes the preconditions and a brief history of the operationalization of the sustainable development concept, identifies the main problems of the practical implementation of different countries policy instruments, including Russia, to achieve sustainable development goals. The authors conduct a brief analysis of modern national strategic documents on sustainable development, elaborate recommendations for the innovative approaches application to the sustainable development goals implementation in Russia, as well as for ensuring effective institutional conditions for their practical implementation. At the same time, special note taken of a radical change in the value paradigm of public consciousness, adequate regulatory support and the development of composite indicators and criteria for sustainable development.


Author(s):  
Siti Fatimahwati Pehin Dato Musa ◽  
Khairul Hidayatullah Basir ◽  
Edna Luah

This paper intends to explore the development of agriculture in to smart farming and how smart farming can contribute to the sustainable development goals. The paper focuses on how smart farming can be imparted in sustainable agriculture by analyzing the environmental, economic and social impact. This paper applied a systematic literature review technique to assess published academic literature on smart farming and sustainable agriculture in Southeast Asia. The review identified that smart farming can lead to less environmental damage, lower cost and higher productivity and has the potential to create decent jobs for the youth ultimately leading to a sustainable food system.


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