ICT enabling the transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Background

Background

International Telecommunication Union The digital transformation is having an unparalleled disruptive impact on society, both positive and negative. As the potential contribution of digital technologies is becoming ever more evident for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the side event will explore how information and communication technologies (ICT), as enabling technologies, are transforming and making our societies more resilient. ICTs have the extraordinary potential to improve social and economic development as well as environmental protection. The smart phone, smart sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), among many other game-changing technologies are making our cities smarter and more sustainable, transforming our workforces and consumption and production patterns and processes that drive today’s digital economy and economic growth. Indeed, these technologies are a key driver and essential for Fourth Industrial Revolution to be fully realized. Digital technologies are improving productivity and competitiveness. Recent studies confirm that digitalization has the immense potential that could deliver around $100 trillion in value to business and society over the next decade . Digital solutions have the potential to enhance resource optimization and efficiency in water (up to 15 per cent water consumption reduction ) and energy consumption (>1.3 billion MWh savings in 2030 ). Digitalization has the potential to contribute to the transition to a circular economy (20 per cent food waste savings in 2030 from smart agriculture ), assisting in protecting our environment and mitigating climate change (around 20 per cent of global CO₂e emissions can be saved in 2030 ). There are key challenges that need to be addressed, especially true in many developing countries and economies in transition, which include lack of, obsolete or scarce physical and digital infrastructure, limited and affordable connectivity, non-existent local content, inadequate digital skills and unapplied data standards. In addition more than 3.9 billion people — which corresponds to slightly more than half of the world population — have no or minimal access to the internet. The existing digital divides among and within countries and regions, including the gender digital divide, need to be addressed in order for everyone to reap the full benefits of these technological advances and leave no one behind. A selected multi-stakeholder panel, including government, business and the UN will delve on how digital solutions can lead to more inclusive, safe, resilient, efficient and sustainable societies, as well as the need for partnerships among key stakeholders to leverage the full potential of ICTs to deliver on the SDGs. In addition, as the effective implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Lines can help accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, as demonstrated by WSIS SDG Matrix , WSIS Prize winners will be invited to present the innovative project using ICT towards the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines/SDGs to better the world. Programme 6:30 – 6:40 Welcoming and screening of short video of ICTs for SDGs - Dr. Chaesub Lee, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau 6:40 – 7:40 Moderated by: Ms. Ursula Wynhoven, Head of the ITU Liaison Office to the United Nations Country perspectives  Mr. Saud Hamad Ghanem Hamad Alshamsi, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations  Ms. Norma Munguia Aldaraca, Director General for Global Issues at the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Mexico ( representing Viceminister Ruiz Cabañas) Business perspectives  Mr. James Gowen, Chairman of the GeSI Board, VP Global Supply Chain / Chief Sustainability Officer at Verizon  Ms. Dominique Lazanski, Director, Public Policy and International Relations, GSMA UN perspective  Mr. Takeshi Nagasawa, Senior Programme Management Expert, UNIDO Department of Energy WSIS Prize Winners  Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland: Nationwide Education Network (OSE) – Fast Internet for all schools – Mr. Rafal Bartoszewski  Internet Society (ISOC): “Digital schools! “ Chapterthon – Ms. Shuli Hallak 7:40 –7:55 Interactive Panel discussion / Q&A 7:55 – 8:00 Closing