The first to arrive were the cameras Installed to protect both you and me In places where we weren’t that threatened And yet the people didn’t see

What followed were traffic restrictions To keep the roads quiet and clean The maths didn’t add up, or the science But still the people didn’t see

Next came the 15 minute neighbourhoods Make our lives easier, decreed To some, it seemed like restrictions But still the people didn’t see

Then came the Digital ID So convenient, easy and free! Your life in one chip on a mainframe And still the people didn’t see

The cars they sold were electric All wired to the government PC They switched off the driving on Sundays Yet still the people didn’t see

The banks moved their money to digital The government banned cash the next week The ability to fly was restricted Yet still the people didn’t see

They linked up your money and profile To the ID on the government PC Connected it to social media Yet still the people didn’t see

Then came a new cure, a new virus Safe and Effective, and free They linked these j&bs to your profile And connected the government PC

When the people were locked up in cities Policed by their digital ID Unable to visit their loved ones Now finally the people can see

Restricted and tracked with no money, To go further a permit you’ll need Contained in your digital city Oh why did the people not see?!

These steps they sold us a progress Never looked to be quite what they seemed If you don’t ask the questions and protest Then your children will never know FREE.

#Agenda2030 #ULEZ #15MinuteCity #London #Oxford
1 month, 3 weeks ago

spacer

REGIONAL ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

At the global level in 2015 countries set in motion the most far reaching and ambitious development agenda of our time, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In Asia and the Pacific, countries have already begun translating this ambitious agenda into action and many have already set up the national architecture for coordinating and promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the policy transformations required to put countries on track to achieve the SDGs have yet to take shape across this or any other region. Business as usual policies and investments are locking countries into unsustainable pathways that will create a gap between ambition and action.

…the countries of Asia and the Pacific have developed a regional road map for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to facilitate cooperation at the regional level supported by the ESCAP Secretariat and other United Nations entities. The road map was agreed on during the 4th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development and subsequently endorsed by the ESCAP Member States via Resolution 73/9 which was adopted during ESCAP’s 73th Commission Session. The road map identifies priority areas of regional cooperation for implementation of the 2030 Agenda. These priority areas underline the major challenges still faced in our region, including leaving no one behind; disaster risk reduction and resilience; climate change; management of natural resources; connectivity; and, energy. Priority actions under the means of implementation for the 2030 Agenda are also identified in the road map, including data and statistics, technology, finance, policy coherence and partnerships. ESCAP Member States and the Secretariat considered a number of overarching issues regarding sustainable development in the region and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda as a part of the road map drafting process.

REGIONAL ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

THE ROAD MAP

1 A. OBJECTIVES AND GUIDELINES

1. Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals requires national, regional and international cooperative endeavours. The aim of this regional road map is to facilitate cooperation at the regional level, supported by the secretariat and other United Nations entities through the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism as appropriate.

2. The road map places particular emphasis on supporting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by developing countries, in particular by least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States, countries in conflict situations and post-conflict countries and other countries with special needs.

3. The road map maintains the universality and transformative nature of the 2030 Agenda and takes into account different national and regional realities, capacities and levels of development, while respecting member States’ national development strategies, policy space and priorities, remaining consistent with relevant international rules and commitments and creating no new commitments or additional reporting requirements or obligations for Governments or new mechanisms, as requested by member States at the Third Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development.

4. In line with the 2030 Agenda, the objective of the road map is to promote the balanced integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development through regional cooperation in a set of priority areas that support effective pursuit of sustainable development by member States.

5. The road map also aims to place gender equality and women’s empowerment as a central issue of the regional policy agenda, in order to enhance women’s leadership and decision-making in all aspects of society. 1 As it was adopted in the 4th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development and endorsed via ESCAP resolution 73/97

6. The road map also recognizes that sustainable development must be underpinned by peaceful and inclusive societies, addressing inequality, and by good governance. The quality of governance and effectiveness of public institutions are critical factors to the process of sustainable development.

7. The expected impacts of the road map are as follows: (a) strengthened regional cooperation on priority issues as identified by member States; (b) continued and more efficient and coordinated support for member States provided by the secretariat, United Nations funds, programmes and specialized agencies and regional organizations through the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism; and (c) more effective knowledge-sharing among countries.

8. This road map stems from decisions of the Second and Third Asia-Pacific Forums on Sustainable Development. It is for members and associate members of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and identifies opportunities to cooperate at the regional level, guided by all the principles reaffirmed and agreed to in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific, as provided for by the General Assembly in its resolution 70/1 – in which it acknowledges the importance of the regional and subregional dimensions, regional economic integration and interconnectivity in sustainable development – and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development.

9. The regional road map contains priority areas of cooperation that could be supported using the secretariat’s existing expertise and resources, drawing on input from member States and the programme of work and strategic framework. The regional road map also draws on the thematic working groups of the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism and, at the national level, on input from the United Nations Development Group. The ESCAP conference structure and its ongoing activities, as well as activities of the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism member organizations, will be fully utilized in an effort to avoid duplication of work and increase efficiency.

B. PRIORITY AREAS OF COOPERATION

10. Regional and subregional cooperation in specific areas can support and complement the effectiveness of national mechanisms. The means of implementation – namely finance, technology, capacity-building, trade and systemic issues – are key to implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Regional discussion and cooperation, including through regional and subregional organizations,2 can facilitate access to normative work; support capacity-building, technical cooperation and sharing of good practices and homegrown approaches, including among countries that share similar characteristics (such as least developed countries, small island developing States or middle-income countries); and facilitate member States’ access to the means of implementation and efforts towards consolidating regional and global partnerships for sustainable development. Similarly, the externalities and spillover effects of many of the Sustainable Development Goals provide opportunities for regional approaches and engagement. The thematic areas of cooperation in this road map have been chosen for their multisectoral impact on sustainable development.

11. The opportunities for regional cooperation, including by leveraging regional and subregional organizations, draw upon the issues highlighted by member States within the conference structure of the Commission.

12. Member States have identified the following priority areas of cooperation, with particular emphasis on the practical means of implementation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Means of implementation and partnership

(a) Data and statistics Current status

13. Availability and access to high-quality data and statistics are essential to measuring and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, regional data are available for only approximately half of the defined indicators of the global 2 Including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Pacific subregional organizations.9 monitoring framework. The multidimensional nature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires integrated and disaggregated statistics that can support planning and analysis across the economic, social and environmental development pillars with a particular focus on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people. Data and statistics should also be able to ensure that no one is left behind, and disaggregated data should be made more available as required by the Sustainable Development Goal indicators. In order to meet such demands, national statistical capacities to provide high-quality, accessible, timely and reliable disaggregated data to users must be strengthened, and the capacity of Governments to utilize data and statistics for evidence-based policymaking and for follow-up and review must be enhanced, inter alia. National statistical systems therefore need to be strengthened to supply the statistical evidence necessary for monitoring of progress, integrated policy analysis and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Opportunities for regional cooperation

14. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Promote the need for national statistical systems to be responsive to the requirements of users arising from the 2030 Agenda, and the need to encourage investments in national statistical systems that are adequate to meet statistical requirements and to support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as appropriate; (b) Formulate and implement continuous, comprehensive and system-wide strategies for the development of statistics, including statistics for the 2030 Agenda; (c) Provide and promote capacity-building support to national statistical systems to increase the availability of high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated data, including to develop integrated measurement frameworks for Sustainable Development Goal statistics that integrate data from multiple sources, including big data, in a coherent and consistent manner to support integrated analysis of sustainable development issues; (d) Organize national statistical system business processes and modernize tools for strengthened quality, efficiency and effectiveness of statistical information management and exchange; (e) Build the skills of the staff and management of national statistical systems, including of relevant data producers, to enhance the human resources capacity for generating the statistical products and services required for monitoring of national development plans and the 2030 Agenda.

10 REGIONAL ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

(b) Technology Current status

15. Science, technology and innovation can play a vital role in supporting sustainable development and driving growth and productivity. The Asia-Pacific region is characterized by large disparities across countries: while many countries rank in the bottom quartile of the Global Innovation Index, a number of member States are leaders in science, technology and innovation, accounting for almost 45 per cent of global research and development expenditure. The challenge is to bridge these gaps and address the digital divide, to enable member States, particularly countries with special needs, to take advantage of technologies and to nurture an innovative environment. Given the guidance offered by the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation and the work under way on related ESCAP platforms, the use of policy on science, technology and innovation for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals can be promoted as follows. Opportunities for regional cooperation

16. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Facilitate the sharing of best practices and capacity-building across member countries through the development of social enterprise, impact investment markets and information and communications technology in support of implementation of the Goals; (b) Link regional needs and experience of international, regional and subregional organizations by acting as a bridge to facilitate cooperation for access to technology and know-how and joint action when necessary; (c) Promote public, public-private and civil society partnerships, as appropriate, in order to harness science, technology and innovation for inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.

(c) Finance Current status

17. Effective pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals requires stable forward-looking and long-term financing. However, the available financial resources are either not appropriately channelled or not sufficient to meet the ambitions of the 11 2030 Agenda. In 2014, Asia-Pacific developing countries mobilized 17.6 per cent of their gross domestic product in tax revenues, which is only half the average across the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Since these levels of public finances are insufficient to effectively pursue the Goals, it is therefore important to enhance the tax ratio while recognizing the role of cooperation among countries in the region in sharing good practices. The region’s financial markets are also not developed enough to channel regional savings into productive investments in support of sustainable development needs. Besides lacking efficient financial intermediation processes for development purposes, banks in the region’s developing countries provide more than two thirds of the overall financial credit, while developed countries mobilize up to 80 per cent from diversified financial vehicles such as bonds and equity. On the financial inclusion side, more than 1.1 billion people in the Asia-Pacific region are unbanked. Considerable policy adjustments are needed in terms of both reorienting available resources and identifying additional sources of financing. Bilateral or multilateral public-private partnerships to mobilize financial resources are also required, not only for infrastructure development but also for other sectors, such as education and health, including through knowledge-sharing on good practices.

Opportunities for regional cooperation

18. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Continue to undertake research, analysis and consensus-building initiatives in the area of financing for development to enhance regional knowledge of infrastructure financing, including public-private partnerships; (b) Provide capacity-building to mainstream financing for development issues in areas such as domestic resource mobilization; (c) Enhance the capacity for domestic and international resource mobilization; (d) Strengthen partnerships for effective development cooperation; (e) Promote financial inclusion.

12 REGIONAL ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

(d) Policy coherence Current status

19. In Asia and the Pacific, high levels of economic growth have lifted great numbers of people out of poverty. However, if the region is to sustain the growth needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to enhance resilience, it must shift to a growth trajectory that is more resource-efficient and more able to meet the needs of present and future generations. Successful implementation of the Goals will require policy coherence, integrated approaches and a move away from single-sector policies and investments, which in turn will need an allof-Government approach that promotes the balanced integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development. Regional cooperation will be critical to maximize the opportunities for building synergies between the economic, social and environmental dimensions and to overcome the first-mover risk that may be present in terms of short-term economic competitiveness.

Opportunities for regional cooperation

20. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Develop integrated approaches, models and tools with respect to each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development; (b) Support regional approaches to the prioritization of Goal interventions through the development of policy tools, methodologies and approaches; (c) Promote integrated policies based on systems approaches and methodologies; (d) Promote the valuation and quantification of the co-benefits of policy action addressing interconnected Goals and targets.

(e) North-South, South-South, international and regional partnerships

Current status

21. Comprehensive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will require partnerships and the deployment of new solutions between countries and across subregions. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region could benefit 13 from North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation as well as the sharing of good practices and home-grown approaches.

Opportunities for regional cooperation

22. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to:

(a) Build capacity in developing countries, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation;
(b) Share good practices through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, including through regional platforms such as the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development;
(c) Promote and scale up best practices.

2. Thematic issues (a) Leaving no one behind (social development)

Current status

23. Despite high and enduring economic growth and significant progress in terms of poverty eradication, inequality persists in the Asia-Pacific region, and in some instances has intensified. Growing disparities in income and wealth, as well as inequality of opportunity, disproportionately affect women and vulnerable groups. Currently, up to 70 per cent of the population lacks reliable access to good-quality and affordable health-care services, and less than one third of the working-age population are eligible for a pension in many countries of the region. The participation rate of women in the labour force remains low, at 48 per cent. Only 30 per cent of all persons with disabilities have enough income for self-support. Opportunities for regional cooperation

24. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Promote analytical studies and policy advocacy to address inequalities, reduce poverty and enhance social protection, including for persons with disabilities, to build socioeconomic resilience; (b) Continue regional and subregional dialogues to support multisectoral policies, strategies and programmes to implement the 2030 Agenda, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and advance gender equality and women’s empowerment; (c) Address unemployment and underemployment among youth, including by improving the match between the knowledge and skills of youth and labour market demands; (d) Facilitate regional and subregional dialogue on policies to address population ageing; (e) Implement the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific; (f) Strengthen the linkages between international migration and development, including through more effective management of migration. (b) Disaster risk reduction and resilience Current status 2

5. Since 2005, the Asia-Pacific region has recorded almost 60 per cent of total global deaths, 80 per cent of affected people and 45 per cent of total economic damage due to disasters. Currently, over 500 million poor people are living at medium or high disaster risk. Disasters in the region are becoming more complex, often tending to affect multiple countries, and bring about cascading impacts. Many of these disasters are transboundary in nature, such as floods, El Niño, droughts, tropical cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis and sand and dust storms. For instance, the 2015-2016 El Niño affected entire swathes of the Asia-Pacific region, including South Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific. There is scope for strengthened regional cooperation in relation to specific hazards such as transboundary river basin floods, flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods and landslides.

Opportunities for regional cooperation

26. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Promote effective regional and subregional efforts to strengthen disaster risk modelling, assessment, mapping, monitoring and multi-hazard early warning systems of common and transboundary disasters; 15 (b) Facilitate regional dialogue and cooperation in integrating disaster risk reduction into related development activities; (c) Maximize the efficiency of existing regional cooperation mechanisms, including the World Meteorological Organization/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones and the Regional Cooperative Drought Mechanism for Drought Monitoring and Early Warning; (d) Improve analysis to enhance regional knowledge on disaster risk and resilience, promote the wide dissemination of such knowledge, identify challenges and opportunities for data-sharing and provide the analytical basis for regional cooperation; (e) Promote capacity-building regarding climate resilience, including climate-related disaster risk reduction, through policy dialogues and the sharing of experiences and information; (f) Develop and implement holistic and participatory disaster risk management at all levels, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2016 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; (g) Promote a “Build Back Better” approach in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction, as well as implementation of the health aspects of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, including the Bangkok Principles, with a view to ensuring more systematic cooperation, coherence and integration between disaster and health risk management.

(c) Climate change

Current status

27. Climate change has already taken hold in the Asia-Pacific region. Higher temperatures, the rise in sea level and extreme weather events related to climate change are likely having a major impact on the region, increasing risks to economies and natural and physical assets and potentially compounding development challenges, including with respect to poverty, food and energy security and health. Future climate change in the region may cause more frequent and severe coastal inundation and erosion, salinization, wildfires, heavy precipitation and drought. Climate change is a long-term threat to future generations, and given the significant past growth in greenhouse gas emissions in the region and the potential for an acceleration of that growth in the near future, it is vital that Asia-Pacific countries take strong action to transition to more efficient, low-carbon economies to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. A recent World Bank study estimated that without further climate change adaptation and mitigation action, climate change could force more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030, many in the Asia-Pacific region. There is a need to enhance finance related to climate change and the capacity of countries in the region to access it. Opportunities for regional cooperation

28. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Promote capacity-building for climate action through policy dialogue and the sharing of experiences and information by utilizing existing institutions, forums and platforms; (b) Promote capacity-building of member States regarding climate change, climate resilience, including climate-related disaster risk reduction.

(d) Management of natural resources

Current status

29. As humankind’s livelihoods, nutrition and economic opportunities all fundamentally depend upon utilizing the terrestrial and marine resources and ecosystems of our planet, the Asia-Pacific region’s continuing survival and prosperity depends on managing these resources to be sustainable. The region consumes more than half of the world’s natural resources with increasing rates of absolute resource use and increasing resource use per person. This combination puts pressure on the natural environment and increases the possibilities of irreversible environmental damage, with direct social and economic consequences. At the same time, there is huge potential to improve the resource efficiency of the economies in the region’s countries as there are vast variations of resource efficiency between countries. For example, developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region use five times more materials per dollar of gross domestic product than the rest of the world, and 10 times more than industrialized countries in the region. Opportunities for regional cooperation

30. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Promote policies and strategies with respect to resource efficiency and environmentally sound technologies;17 (b) Share experiences and cooperate on management of natural resources including oceans and seas with a view to increasing food security, conserving the environment, protecting biodiversity and enhancing the welfare of the community; (c) Develop and share best practices related to increasing agricultural productivity, sustainable agriculture, food security and rural welfare while reducing negative environmental impacts and degradation of the ecosystem. (e) Connectivity for the 2030 Agenda

Current status

31. While trade has been a key engine of growth and development, there is growing recognition of the need to make it more inclusive and ensure that its benefits are spread more widely. Transport development has been road-oriented and has not optimized the comparative advantages of each mode of transport from the perspective of the three dimensions of sustainable development, but transport remains a main driver of growth. While transport is the second largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions globally, the sector has the potential to significantly contribute to sustainable development by optimizing the environmental and social comparative advantages of various transport modes. While Internet access is high across the region, there is also a widening digital divide. Improvements in regional connectivity in terms of transport, information and communications technology and trade will boost economic growth and are of critical significance in achieving sustainable development. Opportunities for regional cooperation

32. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Expand and integrate the Asian Highway network, the Trans-Asian Railway network and the network of dry ports to allow maximum modal integration and expansion of connectivity to rural areas; develop and integrate maritime connectivity and implement regional transport facilitation frameworks and other technical standards for operationalizing transport connectivity; develop regional standards including harmonization of technical standards of transport infrastructure, sustainable urban transport index, regional road safety goals, targets and indicators and handbooks on road safety; (b) Implement the Asia-Pacific information superhighway;3 (c) Enable paperless trade and e-commerce and review the current approaches towards regional integration to improve their efficacy, in particular to simplify and harmonize trade and supporting regulations and procedures to make the benefits of trade accessible for all.

(f) Energy

Current status

33. Nearly half a billion people in Asia and the Pacific still lack access to electricity. More than 80 per cent of the countries in the region have targets to improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy in the region. More than assisting in energy supply needs, renewable sources of energy are receiving further impetus from the climate agenda. While the region has emerged as the producer and provider of most of the world’s renewable energy technology, the overall trend within the region is diversification of the domestic energy mix, depending on national and subregional context. Given the uneven distribution of energy resources in the Asia-Pacific region and the need for transition of the energy sector towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7, there is good scope for coordinated regional action to achieve optimal deployment and utilization of energy resources through enhanced connectivity, economic cooperation and integration.

Opportunities for regional cooperation

34. Opportunities for regional cooperation are to: (a) Support the work of the Asian and Pacific Energy Forum and other regional mandates as well as the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 7; (b) Promote policy dialogues and networking among member States to develop a regional cooperation framework to enhance energy security, with a view to promoting greater use of sustainable energy resources, including universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, energy services, energy efficiency, advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies and renewable energy as well as energy connectivity, in particular transboundary power trade; 3 See E/ESCAP/CICTSTI(1)/10.19 (c) Identify complementary approaches for small-scale energy solutions, including in smaller or remote regions; (d) Assist in the development of strategies towards attaining internationally agreed development goals on energy.

C. IMPLEMENTATION

35. As noted by the Third Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, the secretariat will facilitate cooperation among members and associate members of ESCAP under the regional road map, including by doing the following: (a) Promote multi-stakeholder engagement by facilitating input and views from various stakeholders as appropriate; (b) Mobilize support from, among other sources, the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations by leveraging the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism and its thematic working groups to play an active role; (c) Undertake, in consultation with member States, a needs assessment and gap analysis during 2017, if necessary, including mapping of countries that need support in certain areas.

36. The above priority areas of cooperation will be facilitated through the conference structure of the Commission, as well as through existing expertise within ESCAP subprogrammes, the regional institutes and the thematic working groups of the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism. Cooperation in these priority areas is also intended to allow member States and the secretariat to contextualize global commitments and national priorities to harmonize dynamic social and economic conditions in the region.

37. Cooperation will be undertaken in coordination with regional and subregional organizations to ensure that activities contribute to subregional priorities, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

38. The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development is convened annually as an inclusive intergovernmental platform preparatory to the high-level political 20

REGIONAL ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC forum on sustainable development and will provide an opportunity for review of and dialogue on the road map. The priority areas of cooperation in this road map are flexible in nature and subject to review and revision. The phases of review of the regional road map may be aligned through the Forum with the four-year cycle of the high-level political forum on sustainable development. The relationship between the Forum and the road map will be further defined pending agreement by member States on the form and function of the Forum.

D. TRACKING THE PROGRESS OF THE REGIONAL ROAD MAP THROUGH THE ASIA-PACIFIC FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

39. Reviews of progress on implementation of the regional road map will take place annually at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, with reference to the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goal indicator framework. This process will not create additional reporting requirements for member States and will be conducted within existing resources.

40. The review process may include member States and other relevant stakeholders, as appropriate.

The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is the most comprehensive regional inclusive inter-governmental forum supporting the implementation, follow up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development. Convened by ESCAP for the last four years, and now institutionalized as an annual forum under the conference structure of ESCAP, it offers a platform for member States, stakeholders and United Nations entities to:

• Identify regional trends and consolidate and share best practices and lessons learned;
• Assess regional progress and provide opportunities for peer learning related to the theme and goals that are reviewed every year at the Highlevel Political Forum on Sustainable Development;
• Support the presentation of Voluntary National Reviews; and
• Undertake periodic review of progress of the Road Map for Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific

The Fourth Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development and its follow up are guided by the following Bureau members: • Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Minister of Planning and Development, Pakistan (Chair)

• Mr. Thinley Namgyel, Secretary, Gross National Happiness Commission, Bhutan22 REGIONAL ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
• Mr. Semi Koroilavesau, Minister for Fisheries, Fiji • Mr. Subandi Sardjoko, Deputy for Human, Community and Cultural Development, Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency, Indonesia
• Ms. Zhyldyz Polotova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Development, Kyrgyzstan
• Mr. Min Bahadur Shrestha, Vice Chairman, National Planning Commission, Nepal
• Mr. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Sri Lanka
• Mr. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, State Minister of International Trade, Sri Lanka
• Mr. Ezizgeldi Annamuhammedov Deputy Minister of Economy and Development, Turkmenistan
• Ms. Rosemarie G. Edillon, Deputy Director General, National Economic and Development Authority, Philippines (Rapporteur)

Previous session of the Asia Pacific Form on Sustainable Development has been guided by the following chairs:

Third Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development:

• Mr. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Sri Lanka

Second Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (co-chairs):

• Mr. Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice President and head of Environmental Protection Organization, Iran (Islamic Republic of)
• Mr. Siaosi ‘Ofa ki Vahafola Sovaleni, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment, Tonga23
• Mr. Soichiro Seki, Vice Minister for Global Environment, Japan
• First Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (co-chairs):
• Mr. Bektas Mukhametjanov, Vice Minister of Environment and Water Resources, Kazakhstan,
• Mrs. Kanchana Patarachoke, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand

spacer

Map of US for what is planned for the USA under Agenda 21/2030. 179 countries have agreed to similar plans without their population knowing anything.   (I changed the proportions of the map, squeezed in at the sides and stretched north and south to make to make it easier to read.)

spacer

spacer

Global Map

Global Mapis a major international initiative to develop digital geographic information at the scale of 1:1 million to help with environmental and sustainable development decision making. There are eight data layers. Four layers are vector: transportation; boundaries; drainage; and population centres, and four are raster: land cover; land use; vegetation; and elevation. The initiative includes the heads of the national mapping organizations of the world and 181 national mapping agencies and regional bodies are participating. Global Map was a response to the Agenda 21 which resulted from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.It is an integral and formally recognized part of the UN Agenda 21 program.

Global Map is coordinated by the International Steering Committee for Global Map (ISCGM). The Steering Committee was established in February 1996 and since that time the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan has provided and supports a large secretariat. Steering Committee members include the heads of 20 of the worlds national mapping organizationsand there are also two advisors and 11 representatives of international organizations (NGOs) to ensure liaison with other initiatives.

In May 2012 participation in Global Map covered over 96% of the world’s land surface, including Antarctica. Data for 76 countries and6 regions have now been released. Version 2 of Global Map using new specifications is now under production. Read more on the ISCGM site.

In 2003 Dr. Taylor was honoured by being elected as Chair of the International Steering Committee for Global Map. He has since been re-elected twice and stepped down from this position in 2013.

Dr. Taylor’s involvement with Global Map was supported by the Government of Japan and also with financial support from GeoConnections, a national program initiative led by Natural Resources Canada. GeoConnections and its program participants are working to enhance the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure, an on-line resource that enables decision-makers to access, combine, and apply geographic information to gain new insight into social, environmental and economic issues.

Global Map is supported by the Government of Japan and the Secretariat is in the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) in Tsukuba.

spacer

spacer

That place is Tsukuba, widely known as Japan’s “science city”. Located northeast of Tokyo, in Ibaraki Prefecture, Tsukuba is reachable in no more than 45 minutes from Akihabara by the convenient Tsukuba Express!

Picture courtesy of Ibaraki Prefecture
What’s amazing about this city is that it’s the home of Mount Tsukuba, a mountain strongly connected to the two deities who, according to the national creation myth, created the Japanese archipelago at the beginning of time. At the same time, it is the place where facilities such as JAXA – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba University and its research centers, and many research and technology development facilities are located!

Following the creation of Heaven and Earth and the appearance of these primordial gods, Izanagi and Izanami went on to create the Japanese archipelago (Kuniumi) and gave birth to a large number of gods (Kamiumi).

A Summary of the Kojiki’s Creation Myth and the Story of Izanagi and Izanami

The most convenient way to reach Tsukuba from Tokyo is to take the Tsukuba Express, a train line that will bring you directly from Akihabara to Tsukuba. The entrance to the Tsukuba Express Akihabara Station is right next to the JR Akihabara Station.

 Tsukubasan Jinja Iriguchi (the entrance to Tsukubasan Shrine). A magnificent torii gate marks the entrance to the shrine and to the mountain itself. This is where your visit to the myth-enshrouded Mount Tsukuba begins!

Tsukubasan Shrine

Picture courtesy of Ibaraki Prefecture

Mount Tsukuba is regarded as a sacred mountain and Tsukubasan Jinja is a shrine dedicated to worshipping this mountain and all the deities protecting it. The Nantaisan peak (871 m) is regarded as the male deity Izanagi, while the Nyotaisan peak (877 m) is regarded as the female deity Izanami. These two deities are married to each other and, according to Japan’s ancient myths, they are the parents of all the other deities in the Japanese pantheon and of all the islands in the Japanese archipelago.

Since ancient times, mountains have been the objects of religious worship in the Shinto tradition. This is why there are shrines and places marked as sacred on each and every mountain in Japan.

Tsukubasan Jinja is a large shrine located at the foot of the mountain. Dedicated to the two deities and boasting hundreds of years of history, this shrine is said to answer prayers regarding marital relationships and human connections. Tsukubasan Jinja is even more exciting when you think that this is actually one of the oldest shrines in eastern Japan!

Tsukubasan Shrine

1-1 Tsukuba, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture 300-4352

Everywhere you look, you’ll see cute frog characters and frog-themed souvenirs. Why frogs? You might ask. Well, it just happens that frogs are the symbol of Mount Tsukuba. The key to the mystery behind Mount Tsukuba’s frogs awaits you on the summit!

Enjoy the View and Lunch on the Summit of Mt. Tsukuba!

On the marked path leading to Nyotaisan, you’ll see a mysterious-looking rock. Doesn’t it look like a frog with its mouth open? It is said that if you have a wish, you should try to throw a small stone in its open mouth. If the stone lands in the opening, your wish would be granted! How about giving it a try?

This rock stands at the origin of the relationship between Mt. Tsukuba and the good-luck bringing frogs! Now that you know this, do consider taking back a frog-themed souvenir from Mt. Tsukuba.  I strongly suggest you do not!

Spiritual Meaning Of Frog In The Bible SDA: Power Of God!  spiritualdesk.com Sep 11, 2023 — Frogs symbolize unclean spirits: In the book of revelation, frogs are described as spirits of demons performing signs.

The Frog is considered a supernatural being that inhabits the human, as well as the spirits world. Social and vocal, the Frog communicates between the two worlds. He can adapt easily to his environment, often switching between water and land. Symbolically, the Frog represents abundance, wealth, wisdom, good luck, renewal and the changing of the seasons. In Tsimshian culture the Frog is known as the communicator between mother earth and man. To the Coast Salish peoples the Frog is honoured as the keeper of the seasons. In the early spring when the frogs begin to croak they are announcing the beginning of a new cycle –  it is time to put aside the things of winter and to begin a new year. Some believe that when the last snowflakes of winter touch the ground they turn into frogs.    Source

Explore the World of Space Research at JAXA!

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the country’s leading research facility in the field of space science, satellite development, and aeronautical technology research.

 

Picture courtesy of Ibaraki Prefecture    (FLAT EARTH MODEL??) 

But wait to see what’s on display in their main exhibition hall, the Space Dome! Starting from a 1/1,000,000 scale miniature of the Earth with some of the major artificial satellites surveying the planet, to displays of rockets, satellites developed and launched by JAXA and even a replica of the International Space Station, there are hundreds of amazing exhibits! If you’ve ever been fascinated by the idea of space exploration, the ultimate dream of humanity, the exhibits in JAXA’s Space Dome are a must-see!

If you have not seen the following related post, please check it out.

JAPAN GETS FIRST CREDIT

After enjoying the exhibits, don’t forget to stop by the Space Center Museum Shop UNiBO to collect JAXA and space-related souvenirs.

We especially recommend the space food items like Space bread (650 yen/pack) and Space Curry (540 yen), which are authentic food items used by astronauts on space exploration missions.

[Official] Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Tsukuba Space Cente…

305-8505 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture

Tsukuba Space Center was established in 1972 as a base for Japan’s space development project. We carry out research and development and deve…

Have Fun with Robots at Cyberdyne Studio!

For the second half of the afternoon, we recommend an incursion into the world of advanced technology and robots! The best place to find them is Cyberdyne Studio, which is located in iias Tsukuba, a department store near the Kenkyu Gakuen Station (one station away from Tsukuba Station on the Tsukuba Express line).

Cyberdyne Studio is a facility where visitors can interact with robots. This facility is run by CYBERDYNE, INC., a company famous for its achievements in the field of robot technology.

At Cyberdyne Studio, you can enjoy a display of robots that appeared in works of fiction, or robots that have been created for international exhibitions. You can even see an Edo era (1603 – 1868) automaton, a mechanical puppet that is thought to be the precursor of modern day robotics.

Cyberdyne is best known for developing the robotic suit HAL® (Hybrid Assistive Limb), a technology that assists the recovery of patients with brain-nerve-muscle diseases. In addition to the technology used in medical treatment, there are also HAL suits developed to support the activity of the human body to mitigate the risk of back injury.

ＣＹＢＥＲＤＹＮＥ・ＳＴＵＤＩＯ

〒305-0817 5-19 Kenkyugakuen, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture Iias Ts…

Japan map – island country in East Asia	Red dragon Japanese culture symbol

  spacer

How will we navigate towards 2030? We’ll be using MAPS!

JANUARY 31, 2018

Authors

CATHARINA KLINGSPOR Knowledge and Advocacy Officer, Strategic Policy Unit, UNDP

NICOLE IGLOI Policy Specialist in Sustainable Development, Strategic Policy Unit, UNDP

 Thisis how the UN moves the SDGs from paper to Practice

Join me for a pretty explosive and eye opening video as I explain what I found during an evening of internet sleuthing.

Prepare to meet all the usual suspects and some seriously shady businesses posing as planet protectors.

The Hewlett Foundation: The Liberal Mega-Funder You Should Watch Out For

L’Oreal Ethical Consumer

Open Society Foundations – Founded by George Soros

KR Foundation

Novo Nordisk Lawsuit

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Sir Jeremy Farrar said he had ‘tremendous responsibility to be accountable’ He claimed scientists ‘know’ Covid not created in lab and theory is ‘conspiracy’The Mail on Sunday can reveal emails from US diseases chief, Anthony Fauci

Clinton Foundation

London medical school benefited from colonial exploitation, report finds

World Bank   –    An entire can of worms
9 months, 2 weeks ago

With the increasing inflation, current global recession and impending financial collapse, why not try to get yourself financially secure before things get really bad?
3 months, 3 weeks ago