Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"The Case for Stimulating a Planetary Protection Framework for Emerging Private Space Activities","authors":"G. Profitiliotis","doi":"10.38126/jspg160206","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.38126/jspg160206","url":null,"abstract":"The emergence of private space activities is pushing the boundaries of the space industry with technological innovations that may soon enable the targeting of the novel market segments of space research and exploration, space resources utilization, and human access to space. Planetary protection is defined as a set of guidelines that aim to prevent the forward contamination of celestial bodies with biological material from Earth and the backward contamination of the terrestrial biosphere with extraterrestrial biological material. Significant questions are expected to be raised in the future with respect to potential forward and backward contamination issues of emerging private space activities. Unfortunately, the jurisdiction over and the enforcement of forward and backward contamination prevention measures to private space endeavors are currently facing policy and regulatory gaps and ambiguities. The key challenges with the current planetary protection policy landscape indicate that these contamination issues of private space activities can indeed have lasting negative impacts on social, economic, and environmental equity, sustainable development on Earth, and the sustainable exploration and development of other celestial bodies. \u0000\u0000Drawing on its multidisciplinary expertise, the UN system is favorably positioned to play a key role in stimulating a novel planetary protection framework for emerging private space activities. Firstly, it can provide an international forum for the harmonization and agreement on such a framework. Secondly, it can create a financing mechanism to fund international research and development consortia of public and private organizations under a pre-competitive collaboration scheme for planetary protection technologies. Thirdly, it can establish a process of civic engagement to promote the meaningful participation of the civil society in the formulation of this framework. A prudent consideration of this matter may not only counteract the inequitable distribution of any unintended negative consequences, but may also facilitate economic development in a respectful, sustainable, and responsible manner.","PeriodicalId":171493,"journal":{"name":"Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128387508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Volume 16, Special Issue on the Impacts of Emerging Technologies Inequality and Sustainability","authors":"Christian Ross, Donovan Guttieres, Shalin R. Jyotishi","doi":"10.38126/jspg1602cm","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.38126/jspg1602cm","url":null,"abstract":"In the fall of 2019, the Journal of Science Policy & Governance and the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth teamed up to launch a joint call for submissions for a special topics issue around the “implications of emerging technologies on inequalities and sustainable development.” This is the cover memo to the \"Special Issue on the Impacts of Emerging Technologies Inequality and Sustainability\" with the guiding questions for the authors and commentary from distinguished leaders.","PeriodicalId":171493,"journal":{"name":"Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability","volume":"102 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127203057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preventing Racial Bias in Federal AI","authors":"M. Livingston","doi":"10.38126/jspg160205","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.38126/jspg160205","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly used by the US federal government to replace or support decision making. AI is a computer-based system trained to recognize patterns in data and to apply these patterns to form predictions about new data for a specific task. AI is often viewed as a neutral technological tool, bringing efficiency, objectivity and accuracy to administrative functions, citizen access to services, and regulatory enforcement. However, AI can also encode and amplify the biases of society. Choices on design, implementation, and use can embed existing racial inequalities into AI, leading to a racially biased AI system producing inaccurate predictions or to harmful consequences for racial groups. Racially discriminatory AI systems have already affected public systems such as criminal justice, healthcare, financial systems and housing. This memo addresses the primary causes for the development, deployment and use of racially biased AI systems and suggests three responses to ensure that federal agencies realize the benefits of AI and protect against racially disparate impact. There are three actions that federal agencies must take to prevent racial bias: 1) increase racial diversity in AI designers, 2) implement AI impact assessment, 3) establish procedures for staff to contest automated decisions. Each proposal addresses a different stage in the lifecycle of AI used by federal agencies and helps align US policy with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principles on Artificial Intelligence.","PeriodicalId":171493,"journal":{"name":"Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122183571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of the SaTo Pan Toilet Technologies in Advancing Progress in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector","authors":"J. Burton, J. Tidwell, J. Chipungu, R. Aunger","doi":"10.38126/jspg160203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.38126/jspg160203","url":null,"abstract":"The United Nation’s (UN) 6th Sustainable Development Goal seeks to enable the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030 (UN Sustainable Development Goals Platform). Lusaka, Zambia has thirteen peri-urban areas (PUAs), all with poor sanitation conditions (WHO / UNICEF). The SaToTM brand, created by the LIXIL Corporation, offers a suite of frontier sanitation technologies including various safe and affordable toilet products for use in lower-and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa and Asia. This study examines the potential market demand and environment for the SaToTM Pan Sit and Squat toilets in the Bauleni PUA. In Lusaka, landlords (LLs) hold the decision-making power regarding household-based infrastructure; therefore, this study measures LL interest in the SaToTM Pan Toilet technologies for the LL’s personal and familial use as well as for use by their tenants. 30 semi-structured interviews with conveniently sampled, adult LL residents of Bauleni were conducted to capture their demographic, sanitation, and toilet history status as well as their SaToTM Pan product interaction. Quantitative data was analyzed in Stata; qualitative data was analyzed via thematic content analysis. Results indicate that there is an overarching positive preference toward the SaToTM Pan Sit toilet compared to all other presented sanitation technology alternatives. Conducting a SaToTM Pan Sit toilet user trial and social marketing campaign pilot could potentially aid in efforts to effectively and affordably decrease the incidence of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)-related disease transmission in Zambia.","PeriodicalId":171493,"journal":{"name":"Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126741987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Governing Blocks: Building Interagency Consensus to Coordinate Humanitarian Aid","authors":"F. Awan, Soheib Nunhuck","doi":"10.38126/jspg160201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.38126/jspg160201","url":null,"abstract":"The conflict in Syria has led to one of the biggest refugee crises in history. An estimated 660,000 Syrian refugees have moved to neighbouring Jordan, many of whom are highly vulnerable to monetary poverty and food shortages. To reduce the daily inequalities faced by Syrian refugees, humanitarian agencies are progressively shifting to programmes that encourage financial inclusion and self-reliance. Operating since 2016, Building Blocks, a cash-based assistance programme created by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), uses blockchain technology rather than traditional financial service providers to supply monetary assistance for food purchases by Syrian refugees in Jordan. Beneficiaries have their identities confirmed though iris scanning when purchasing goods at supermarkets within the camps. Following authentication, monetary assistance is provided to complete the transaction. This system benefits over 100,000 Syrian refugees registered on the UNHCR’s PRIMES database and WFP has plans to scale up the programme to include more beneficiaries.\u0000\u0000This technology assessment focuses on understanding the governance of blockchain technology in Building Blocks (if any), and on finding opportunities for WFP operating partner agencies consisting of UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women, Oxfam and Mercy Corps, to coordinate with and join the programme. Scaling up Building Blocks will benefit refugees and displaced people by giving these individuals a semblance of normalcy in a situation of vulnerability and crises. We advise WFP to collaborate with its partners to form a blockchain humanitarian consortia governing Building Blocks to avoid duplicating efforts and to achieve their shared objectives of delivering humanitarian aid in a sustainable manner. Other recommendations include to have UNOCHA and UNHCR as data aggregator and coordinator, respectively, to grant joint access to PRIMES for non-UN operating partners, to coordinate efforts with UNHCR’s Common Cash Facility programme, to consider renewable energy sources and to build local technical capacity for women in refugee camps. The involvement of operating partners in governing technology used in such processes will ensure equity of aid delivery, resulting in a broader governance, thus reducing inequality.","PeriodicalId":171493,"journal":{"name":"Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128810258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}