%{search_type} search results

"The scientific evidence draws a clear picture: To limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, Green House Gas (GHG) emissions need to peak before 2025 and be reduced by 43 per cent by 2030, while net zero emissions need to be achieved globally in the early 2050s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)). The international climate change legal framework is also clear. It requires all countries to adopt climate change mitigation measures in order to achieve the common objective of limiting the increase in global temperatures to "well below" 2°C but leaves each country free to choose the specific measures and policies to meet their individual emissions reduction targets. This report focuses on carbon pricing as one policy strand used to tackle global GHG emissions. It gives an overview of implemented and forthcoming domestic and cross-border carbon pricing mechanisms, as well as their implications for GHG emissions, international trade and development. It lays out the characteristics of various approaches, including the potential pitfalls and unintended economic and environmental side effects which need to be addressed for these approaches to work."-- Publisher's website

"Access to safe water and adequate sanitation is a basic human right. While progress has been made towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal on water and sanitation (SDG 6), the trends and current status of access to water and sanitation provide cause for concern. There is an urgent need to devise solutions that accelerate progress and ensure that no one is left behind. Nearly every other Sustainable Development Goal relies in some way on the achievement of SDG 6. Together with good hygiene practices, for instance, it is essential for the achievement of good health and well-being (SDG 3) and gender equality (SDG 5) as well eliminating poverty (SDG 1) and reducing inequalities (SDG 10). As a determinant of success in areas including agriculture, energy, and disaster resilience, it has vast and consistently underestimated socio-economic impacts. Whilst factors including better policies and governance, increased funding, improved infrastructure, and increased data availability for better decision-making are central to resolving water and sanitation issues, there is no doubt that Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) can play a particularly significant role. Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the vital role of STI in delivering solutions to critical challenges. Countries are now more attentive to the development and deployment of new technologies and processes. New applications of existing technology and techniques have great potential to increase the efficiency of existing water and sanitation systems and to secure water and sanitation for all. STI for water has thus played a central role in discussion at recent international water policy events. It will be a key focus in the upcoming 2023 UN Water Conference and the 2022 International Water Association Congress in Copenhagen. This paper explores the role of STI as key enablers of catalytic actions toward achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation. The second chapter will discuss the progress in implementing SDG 6 and challenges in meeting its targets. The third chapter will provide an analytical framework for and examples of practical STI solutions which address issues in providing water and sanitation services. Chapter four highlights the global effort to build partnerships and cooperation in achieving SDG 6. Finally, chapter five will propose recommendations to be considered by policymakers and the international community."--

"Digital entrepreneurship can be a powerful avenue for women's inclusion in the digital economy,with new business opportunities, efficiency gains, and better access to markets and global value chains.Yet, women entrepreneurs are much less represented in the digital economy than men, especially in developing economies. This gap translates into missed economic opportunities and may aggravate existing gender inequalities. To understand how to increase women's participation in the digital economy and reduce the digital gender divide - in line with Sustainable Development Goals 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work and economic growth) - it is critical to investigate the specific needs and constraints that women face as entrepreneurs, as well as the enabling factors that can further support the growth of women-led digital businesses. Building on the experience of UNCTAD's eTrade for Women initiative, and more specifically on the first cohort of eTrade for Women Advocates, this paper reviews the main obstacles that women digital entrepreneurs encounter in developing countries. It sheds lights on the entrepreneurial paths of the Advocates, who have been at the forefront of the digital transformation in their respective regions, and highlights some of the factors that have been instrumental to their success as business leaders. It also explores actionable measures that could be put in place to help more women follow in the footsteps of the Advocates to grow successful digital businesses and be influential players in the digital economy."--Introduction, page v.

"The Glossary is prepared under the guidance of the Working Party on Inland Water Transport (SC.3). It comprises over 700 terms with synonyms and their definitions used in international conventions and agreements administered by the ECE Inland Transport Committee, SC.3 resolutions and ECE publications. The glossary builds on the terminology used by SC.3 and other ECE Working Parties in the field of inland transport, trade facilitation and environment, international organizations and river commissions."--Page 4 of cover

"The Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies (WP.6) was founded in the 1970s as a forum for exchange on the harmonization of non-agricultural product regulations. WP.6 aims to promote regulatory cooperation, standardization policies and activities which contribute towards reducing technical barriers to trade, promoting sustainable development in its all dimensions including, for example, gender equality, climate and environmental protection, circular economy and the adaptation to new technologies. The Advisory Group on Market Surveillance (MARS) was established in 2003, resulting from the UNECE International Forum on Market Surveillance (29 October 2002, Geneva). It brings together market players such as public authorities, manufacturers, retailers, importers,and consumers/users. It aims to develop consistent and effective procedures in the field of the protection of consumers and workers. Through its deliverables, it provides improved coordination and creation of best practices for market surveillance authorities. This work is hosted under the UNECE Market Access Section within the UNECE Economic Cooperation and Trade Division (ECTD). The ECTD assists member States with economic integration and in promoting and enabling a better policy, financial and regulatory environment. These support an inclusive and sustainable post-COVID-19 recovery, a transition to a more circular economy, e.g. through digital and green transformations."--Page 4 of cover

"The purpose of the eTIR technical specifications is to translate the eTIR functional specifications into technical requirements, architectures, guidelines, procedures and detailed descriptions of all messages exchanged between the eTIR international system and the eTIR stakeholders. This document is relevant for stakeholders (customs authorities, guarantee chains and holders) which need to interconnect their information systems with the eTIR international system. All aspects of these specifications must be considered as mandatory, unless specific otherwise. The main purpose of this document is twofold: to define the technical aspects of the eTIR international system and to define unambiguously how information is exchanged between the eTIR international system and the eTIR stakeholders"--General Introduction, page 1

"Producers of official statistics face a complicated task in managing users' access to the data they collect, as they must maintain the confidentiality of the individuals or businesses who have provided their data to them, while being under pressure to release ever more detailed datasets in order to provide greater analytical insight to those who wish to use such data. Traditionally, national statistical offices have provided trusted users (such as academics) access to some micro-level data at the level of individuals or businesses, while publishing aggregate statistical tables to other users. This approach is not a perfect solution to managing access to data, as many users will not obtain the amount of detail they are seeking, while vetting and managing trusted users is time consuming, and does not guarantee that they will never misuse or lose the data they access. However, there is another way of providing users with analytical insight, by providing them with Synthetic Data, which may be advantageous for certain use case scenarios. Synthetic data can be simulated in such a way as to have many of the same properties as the original dataset, and to allow derivation of the same results and insights, but with a much lower risk of revealing information about individuals to which that data relate. If you are involved in managing users' access to official statistics, and would like to have another option for dealing with your data access dilemmas, this guide will give you what you need to get started."-- Page 4 of cover

"The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), requires Parties to establish and implement joint programmes for monitoring transboundary waters, to carry out joint or coordinated assessments of the conditions of transboundary waters, and to exchange data and information to enable sustainable management and protection of shared water resources. The Updated Strategies for Monitoring and Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters provide strategic guidance on monitoring, assessment and data sharing in a transboundary context, building on global experience on these issues. The publication is intended to assist policy and decision-makers, representatives of joint bodies for transboundary water cooperation, and water managers responsible for establishing and carrying out cooperation between riparian countries in operationalizing cooperation over transboundary waters. It aims to contribute to effective implementation of the Water Convention and improved transboundary water cooperation worldwide"-- Page 4 of cover

"Governments are increasingly negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and mega-regionals to create and expand market access for their economies. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the latest attempt in the region. Only recently, Governments have realized the importance of using utilization rates to monitor the effective use of FTAs by their firms. The utilization of trade preferences is an instrument to measure how firms effectively use an FTA. As such, it is an essential tool that assists policymakers and administrations in establishing the effectiveness of trade agreements; and firms to realize the extent of the missed trade opportunities. This study stems from a long-standing relationship between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the UNCTAD Secretariat in trade and trade facilitation. It aims at shedding light on one important aspect of regional integration, namely, the effective use of the trade preferences provided by free trade agreements (FTAs) such as the COMESA FTA and other preferential trade arrangements (PTAs) granted by QUAD Developed countries1 such as AGOA, EBA, and GSP preferences. In this scenario, monitoring the effective utilization of trade preferences granted under North-South preferential trading arrangements as well as those under the existing Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and, soon, the AfCFTA is a priority. This will ensure that these latter trade agreements are functioning correctly to boost intra- African trade and deliver the trading opportunities and the economic growth that motivated the political will to launch such trade initiatives. This joint publication seeks to inform COMESA's governing bodies of the measures needed to ensure that the COMESA FTA is effectively used. Furthermore, the findings should guide the planning and implementation of the necessary reforms and actions to address underutilization; this is especially true when COMESA Member States engage in the AfCFTA. The findings of this study should be addressed by positive actions and reforms especially of rules of origin and their administrative procedures as well as effective dissemination efforts among stakeholders. The data and the related findings from utilization rates are reported from QUAD databases and notifications of COMESA Member States to the COMESA Secretariat."--Publisher's website

"A third of all entrepreneurs in the world are women. Their contribution to development is clear: as their business grow, they inspire, create jobs, and offer themselves, their families, and their communities a chance for a better, more inclusive future. But a third is still too low and women businesses face intersectional challenges that limit their potential, and require bold and collective action to be overcome. The main goal of UNCTAD´s Empretec Programme is to support women entrepreneurs reach their full potential through capacity building, skill development, and business transformation. The Women in Business award is part of the programme. Stories included in this edition showcase women breaking into what had been considered men dominated industries, like mechanics, agriculture, security, and construction. Through them, we learn how women entrepreneurs can face and defeat prejudice with professionalism, technical skill training and advisory. "--Summary from publisher's website

Europe's Environment - the seventh pan-European environmental assessment, is the latest in the series of regional assessments conducted since 1995. The environmental assessments of the pan-European region provide up-to-date and policy-relevant information on the interactions between the environment and society. The assessments have been a consistent feature of the Environment for Europe process from 1995 to 2022. At its twenty-fifth session (Geneva, 13-15 November 2019), the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy selected a limited indicator-based and thematic assessment from among the options for the seventh pan-European environmental assessment. The main objective of the seventh assessment is to provide decision-makers with adequate information to take informed policy decisions at the Ninth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference (Nicosia, 5-7 October 2022), both on broader environmental issues and trends and on the two conference themes on (a) 'Greening the economy in the pan-European region: working towards sustainable infrastructure' and (b) 'Applying principles of circular economy to sustainable tourism'. The seventh edition of the pan-European environmental assessment provides an overview of the current state and trends of the environment in Europe and Central Asia based on selected indicators, and of the challenges that are faced. It also provides policy recommendations to UNECE member States. Its release gives an opportunity for tracking progress achieved in meeting global and regional policy goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, and offers information to enable a societal transition towards more sustainable and circular economies in the face of an alarming planetary change.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

This guidance aims to improve the availability, quality, and comparability of statistics on children. It provides information about the data sources, definitions, standards, and methods used in the collection of data and production of statistics on children and youth in countries participating in the Conference of European Statisticians. Focus is on three policy-relevant areas with methodological gaps: violence against children, children in alternative care, and children with disabilities. The Guidance includes recommendations to national statistical offices and suggests further work that could be undertaken at the international level for improving statistics on children.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)