Yes / Smart cities employ information and communication technologies to improve: the quality of life for its citizens, the local economy, transport, traffic management, environment, and interaction with government. Due to the relevance of smart cities (also referred using other related terms such as Digital City, Information City, Intelligent City, Knowledge-based City, Ubiquitous City, Wired City) to various stakeholders and the benefits and challenges associated with its implementation, the concept of smart cities has attracted significant attention from researchers within multiple fields, including information systems. This study provides a valuable synthesis of the relevant literature by analysing and discussing the key findings from existing research on issues related to smart cities from an Information Systems perspective. The research analysed and discussed in this study focuses on number of aspects of smart cities: smart mobility, smart living, smart environment, smart citizens, smart government, and smart architecture as well as related technologies and concepts. The discussion also focusses on the alignment of smart cities with the UN sustainable development goals. This comprehensive review offers critical insight to the key underlying research themes within smart cities, highlighting the limitations of current developments and potential future directions.

Yes / The economic and social impact of covid-19 pandemic both on developing and developed countries has been significant. In addition to the impact of the pandemic, the current Ukraine war has also led to severe supply chain disruptions leading to a sharp increase in food and commodity prices globally. Due to a combination of external shocks and the impact of the pandemic global economic growth is expected to slow down from 6.1% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2022 and further to 2.7% in 2023 (IMF 2022). The above factors have led to a sharp increase in government expenditure constraining both developed and developing countries' fiscal capacity. This has further implications for the achievement of SDGs especially for low-income countries. The challenge for developing countries in the current scenario is to mobilise adequate resources both from domestic and international sources, not just for the achievement of SDGs as such, but also to sustain the livelihoods, health, and welfare of people. This special issue aims to examine some of these issues in the context of developing countries.

No / This paper seeks to demonstrate how capability approach can be used as a framework for an active rule of law and good governance to reduce or eliminate mob justice practices to create a peaceful society for sustainable development in Africa. Thus, by adopting the capability approach, and the use of the rule of law and good governance to create peace for achieving sustainable development goals (SDG 16). This will also help provide access to justice including to the poor and most vulnerable. The chapter focuses on Africa, by using Ghana as a case study.

No / This book demonstrates how the capability approach to human development can contribute to the realisation of the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The capability approach dictates that success should not be measured by economic indicators, but by people leading meaningful, free, fulfilled, happy or satisfied lives. Drawing from a range of disciplinary perspectives, this book argues that it is vital that the focus for the SDGs should shift to benefiting the most vulnerable. Case studies from across Asia, Africa, Latin America (global south), and the USA, UK, and Australia (global north) consider how the capability approach can contribute as a practical framework to achieving the SDGs’ ambitions for social, economic, political, and legal progress. Drawing on insights from a range of disciplines, this book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners from law, politics, international relations, criminology, international development, sociology, public policy, area studies and others.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / The Millennium Development Goals were commissioned by the United Nations in 2002 under the auspices of the Millennium Project with the aim of addressing development challenges faced by countries around the world in the areas of health, education, infrastructure, hunger and poverty via a series of time-related targets with a deadline for full achievement by 2015. Energy has typically been shown to be significantly correlated with the Human Development Index for a given country. In a similar manner, it is postulated that the various millennium development goal indicators are significantly correlated with total energy and electricity consumption per capita for a given nation. This study commences with a literature review of the origins and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, followed by a review of the individual goals, targets and indicators. Some current literature regarding the intent and success to date of the Millennium Development Goals was reviewed to provide context. The link between the social and economic development of man, and access to and usage of energy was also explored. To understand the potential role that energy access and usage plays in economic and social development better, a systems thinking approach was adopted and related to how energy access and usage can impact on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Potential problem co-factors relating to economic, social and sustainable development were identified, following which a system dynamic model is presented, illustrating the interaction between the various co-factors and access to energy and its use. Finally, a quantitative evaluation was performed to determine whether energy usage indicators do exhibit a relationship with the indicators of the Millennium Development Goals as proposed. This is illustrated for goals one through six. Where relationships were visible, empirical models were fitted to the energy and millennium development goal indicator datasets, and the coefficient of determination, which represents the strength of the relationship, was calculated. For each of the millennium development goal and targets, the models which exhibited the strongest relationships were used to assess what change in energy or electricity consumption would be required to accompany the desired change to meet the targets outlined in the Millennium Development Goals. / Sasol

As a response to the ‘Grand Challenges’ of the 21st century such as climate change and social inequalities, the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), released by the United Nations in 2015, became a matter of urgency. The SDGs are a continuation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aiming to cover an even broader scope of social, environmental and economic challenges. To ensure that the 2030 Agenda, represented by 17 goals and 169 underlying targets, becomes a positive force for all available resources have to act in concert. Governments, NGOs, civil society and the private sector bear the responsibility to guide the way of transformation towards a more sustainable future. However, the most significant shift regarding the development of the SDGs has been the central role of the private sector that is considered to be a key player towards the accomplishment of the 2030 Agenda. In order examine the role and contribution of the private sector, the thesis aims to contribute to previous research within a five-step investigation: (1) analysis of which business opportunities or challenges emerge out of active involvement with the SDGs, (2) how partnerships or collaborations can contribute to a more effective implementation process, (3) whether goal prioritization is of relevance to advance the progress of SDG implementation, (4) how the SDG progress can be measured, reported and communicated and lastly (5) how effectively (Swedish) companies have currently managed to implement the Global Goals into their business operations. Based on the review of the literature and the identified research gaps, the following research question has been formulated to gain in-depth knowledge and investigate the phenomenon of the overall research purpose:   RQ: How do companies in the private sector implement the SDGs into their business operations and what are the determinants that drive the progress of the implementation? This study has been conducted through a qualitative research approach consisting of interviews with private sector representatives, governmental and non-governmental organizations. The framework for this study is based on three elements of theory: (1) Stakeholder Theory by Edward Freeman (1984), outlining how sustainable development can be approached with a stakeholder mindset, (2) the Triple-Bottom-Line approach by Elkington (1997) characterized by efforts to localize universal concepts of sustainability and (3) Sustainable Business Model Innovation represented by the Flourishing Business Model Canvas (Upward 2013, 2016) and the Triple Layered Business Model Canvas (Joyce and Paquin, 2016) supporting individuals and organizations seeking competitive sustainability-oriented change. The main conclusion of this research includes the requirement of a shift of how the Global Goals are approached by the private sector. SDG implementation or sustainable actions in general are not to be seen as an add on but need to be actively integrated into core business operations. However, to initiate fruitful change the expected role of the private sector needs to be clearly communicated. Identified actions to drive the progress of SDG implementation range from increased partnership engagement, the prioritization of goals up to the measurement and reporting on sustainable efforts taken. Finally, Credible Sustainability Standards turned out to be the most promising solution to eradicate many of the by our participants identified shortcomings of the Global Goals.

In this thesis I argue that access to an adequate quantity and quality of safe water in sustainable ways is a basic moral human right, one that has been legally recognized by the international community through UN Resolution 15/9. As a result of water’s being a basic moral human right, governments, institutions, and individuals are obligated to avoid depriving, protect from deprivation, and aid those deprived of access to safe drinking water. Using this as a foundation, I examine the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals, and water pricing as strategies used to fulfill the right to safe drinking water. I also provide arguments in favour of (national and international) tax schemes that cover the cost of providing 50L of safe water per person per day. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

O presente trabalho visa analisar o impacto da agenda de Objetivos do Milênio (ODM) definida pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) na criação e no desdobramento de projetos voltados para o desenvolvimento sustentável, com foco na ótica dos pequenos agricultores brasileiros. Para que este objetivo pudesse ser alcançado, foi empenhada uma pesquisa qualitativa exploratória por meio de estudos de caso sobre os projetos \"Rede de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional\" e \"Clima da Caatinga\", promovidos pela Prefeitura de Maracanaú (CE) e pela Associação Caatinga, respectivamente. A amostra foi selecionada tendo por critério de representatividade a condecoração dos projetos na edição de 2013 do Prêmio ODM Brasil, a sua localização no estado mais premiado (Ceará), e a divisão do prêmio nas categorias \"Governos Municipais\" e \"Organizações Sociais\". A pesquisa contou com a realização de entrevistas em profundidade e entrevistas em grupo com lideranças e beneficiários dos dois projetos que, somadas às análises de documentos de fontes primárias e secundárias e observação não estruturada dentro do contexto de execução dos projetos, propiciou a elucidação dos papel e influência da ONU e das políticas públicas para o desenvolvimento e amadurecimento dos projetos estudados. Verificou-se que as iniciativas da ONU no âmbito do programa Objetivos do Milênio, apesar de produzirem baixo impacto na motivação que levou à criação dos projetos analisados, assumiram papel relevante para os seus respectivos desdobramentos, contribuindo para a sua reorientação ao planejamento de longo prazo e facilitando o estabelecimento de parcerias estratégicas. Além disso, as políticas públicas de incentivo se mostraram uma relevante ferramenta no processo de intervenção e transformação de realidades de vulnerabilidade social e degradação ambiental. Ante a isto, concluímos que os incentivos promovidos pelas organizações internacionais na esteira da definição de agendas sustentáveis, como os ODM, possuem grande potencial contributivo para a consolidação de projetos que visem a promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável. / This paper aims to analyze the impact of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) defined by the United Nations (UN) on the creation and deployment of projects focused on sustainable development, focusing on the perspective of small Brazilian farmers. In order to achieve this objective, a qualitative exploratory research was undertaken through case studies on the \"Food and Nutrition Security Network\" and \"Caatinga Climate\" projects, promoted by the City Hall of Maracanaú (CE) and the Caatinga Association , respectively. The sample was selected considering the presence of the projects in the 2013 edition of the Brazil ODM Award, its location in the most contemplated state (Ceará), and the division of the award in the categories \"Municipal Governments\" and \"Social Organizations\". The research included in-depth interviews and group interviews with leaders and beneficiaries of the two projects, which, together with the analysis of documents from primary and secondary sources and unstructured observation within the context of project execution, provided the elucidation of the roles and influence of the UN and public policies for the development and maturing of the studied projects. Following the investigation, it was found that UN initiatives under the Millennium Development Goals, although having a low impact on the motivation that led to the creation of the projects analyzed, have played a relevant role in their respective developments, contributing to their reorientation to the long-term planning and facilitating the establishment of strategic partnerships. In addition, the public policies have proved to be an important tool in the process of intervention and transformation of realities of social vulnerability and environmental degradation. It was concluded that the incentives promoted by international organizations through the definition of sustainable agendas, such as the MDGs, have great contributory potential for the consolidation of projects regarding the promotion of sustainable development.

O presente trabalho visa analisar o impacto da agenda de Objetivos do Milênio (ODM) definida pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) na criação e no desdobramento de projetos voltados para o desenvolvimento sustentável, com foco na ótica dos pequenos agricultores brasileiros. Para que este objetivo pudesse ser alcançado, foi empenhada uma pesquisa qualitativa exploratória por meio de estudos de caso sobre os projetos \"Rede de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional\" e \"Clima da Caatinga\", promovidos pela Prefeitura de Maracanaú (CE) e pela Associação Caatinga, respectivamente. A amostra foi selecionada tendo por critério de representatividade a condecoração dos projetos na edição de 2013 do Prêmio ODM Brasil, a sua localização no estado mais premiado (Ceará), e a divisão do prêmio nas categorias \"Governos Municipais\" e \"Organizações Sociais\". A pesquisa contou com a realização de entrevistas em profundidade e entrevistas em grupo com lideranças e beneficiários dos dois projetos que, somadas às análises de documentos de fontes primárias e secundárias e observação não estruturada dentro do contexto de execução dos projetos, propiciou a elucidação dos papel e influência da ONU e das políticas públicas para o desenvolvimento e amadurecimento dos projetos estudados. Verificou-se que as iniciativas da ONU no âmbito do programa Objetivos do Milênio, apesar de produzirem baixo impacto na motivação que levou à criação dos projetos analisados, assumiram papel relevante para os seus respectivos desdobramentos, contribuindo para a sua reorientação ao planejamento de longo prazo e facilitando o estabelecimento de parcerias estratégicas. Além disso, as políticas públicas de incentivo se mostraram uma relevante ferramenta no processo de intervenção e transformação de realidades de vulnerabilidade social e degradação ambiental. Ante a isto, concluímos que os incentivos promovidos pelas organizações internacionais na esteira da definição de agendas sustentáveis, como os ODM, possuem grande potencial contributivo para a consolidação de projetos que visem a promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável. / This paper aims to analyze the impact of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) defined by the United Nations (UN) on the creation and deployment of projects focused on sustainable development, focusing on the perspective of small Brazilian farmers. In order to achieve this objective, a qualitative exploratory research was undertaken through case studies on the \"Food and Nutrition Security Network\" and \"Caatinga Climate\" projects, promoted by the City Hall of Maracanaú (CE) and the Caatinga Association , respectively. The sample was selected considering the presence of the projects in the 2013 edition of the Brazil ODM Award, its location in the most contemplated state (Ceará), and the division of the award in the categories \"Municipal Governments\" and \"Social Organizations\". The research included in-depth interviews and group interviews with leaders and beneficiaries of the two projects, which, together with the analysis of documents from primary and secondary sources and unstructured observation within the context of project execution, provided the elucidation of the roles and influence of the UN and public policies for the development and maturing of the studied projects. Following the investigation, it was found that UN initiatives under the Millennium Development Goals, although having a low impact on the motivation that led to the creation of the projects analyzed, have played a relevant role in their respective developments, contributing to their reorientation to the long-term planning and facilitating the establishment of strategic partnerships. In addition, the public policies have proved to be an important tool in the process of intervention and transformation of realities of social vulnerability and environmental degradation. It was concluded that the incentives promoted by international organizations through the definition of sustainable agendas, such as the MDGs, have great contributory potential for the consolidation of projects regarding the promotion of sustainable development.

This paper has concluded that the Diaspora contribute to the development of social, economic and political fields, which also means a high level of poverty reduction. This has been largely possible not least because of developments in computing and telecommunications, but also through the Diaspora's grassroots involvement. By being the only player who can get access to specific locations, and through their local knowledge the Diaspora can easily be seen as legitimate actors and therefore also play a unique role in peace processes. They are also not tied to bureaucratic structures on which they can act with direct effect. For example, they can assist quickly to different kinds of crisis situations, such as environmental disasters. Many governments and organizations are interested in cooperating with the Diaspora, but they also see many challenges with it. Further on, Diaspora can feel that their voices are not always heard. The essay has also reached a conclusion that a balance between the UN's two main conventions International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights increasingly may arise. This is thanks to the co-operations between liberal organizations and the Diaspora whose efforts may be in the private markets to create jobs and development, and their contributions in construction of social infrastructure. Other impacts on the organizational level may be towards more complex models of organization and partnerships, where not least the private sector may be included to a greater extent, which also demonstrates the enhanced globalization trends, where the private market is seen to be the answer to the solution of poverty. As regards to States and the role of various actors in these somewhat newer landscapes, they can also be a result from the processes of globalization and shifts in power from the state to the different levels at which non-state actors gets a stronger role. These processes may also have contributed to greater regionalization; forces which this paper found over time may be a competitor to a weak UN (and the EU) and therefore attract the Diaspora who also may find themselves to be better received there.