Unequal access to sustainable technology
Here is why there is currently unequal access to sustainable technology, and what Europe can do/is doing to change this:
https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/closing-technology-gap-least-developed-countries
As much as we would love for every country to have equal access to new technologies that support sustainable initiatives around the world, we simply cannot ignore that there are vast discrepancies in how developing countries have access to such innovation. The 28th July marks World Nature Conservation Day 2021 which recognizes that a healthy environment is the foundation for a stable and productive society. It is vital for us to reflect on such an important notion and understand how we can achieve equal access to sustainable technology and improve the global environment together.
Waste2Fresh is committed to increasing the accessibility of its sustainable technology to counter dye pollution and damage to international ecosystems, and we anticipate that more will be done to improve accessibility to technology like ours in the future. While Europe is attempting to improve access to sustainable technology, they could go further to ensure access for all- benefitting both local communities and the manufacturing sector.
Due to structural limitations concerning science, technology and innovation, developing countries are struggling to keep up with technological advancements. Furthermore, the lack of foreign investment consequently makes research and development in these countries sparse. This has resulted in low enrolment rates in higher education and thus workforces lacks competencies in understanding and adopting new technology. Research has found that if students in developing countries have a limited set of skills, even if appropriate for today’s jobs, they might find that they are less adaptable to new technologies that are introduced. This skill shortage ergo makes it increasingly difficult to adopt emerging sustainable technologies and for such innovation to be used effectively.
New technology can be expensive. This disincentivises developing countries from splurging on new technology that benefit local communities, meaning that sustainable technology may fall behind government investment in other types of tech. Economic capital inevitably exacerbates this inaccessibility, and many countries are forced to rely upon obsolete technologies and lack high-speed-connectivity. This prevents access to cutting edge broadband applications for the education, health and manufacturing sectors, and reflects why there is a skill shortage in some countries, but also demonstrates the lack of infrastructure required to effectively adopt sustainable technology. Broadband and high-speed-connectivity are essential in the practical use of some technologies, as well as for the initial training and development of staff. The lack of infrastructure makes it inevitably difficult for some countries to access sustainable technology, particularly where technology has been developed with Western audiences in mind and where an expectation has been placed on a functioning broadband and high-speed-connectivity.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, government expense has shifted from investment in sustainable technology, to medical supplies and health technology. While the pandemic has had devastating effects globally, nations with less infrastructure and healthcare provision have fared the worst, witnessing soaring death rates, a lack of appropriate medical equipment, in addition to a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). This has influenced how government money is spent, and for the countries with flailing economies, it is a case of health technology or sustainable technology, not both. Purchasing vaccines, ventilators, oxygen supplies and facemasks has taken a significant amount of economic output for countries, resulting in little money left over for investment in sustainable technology. As the pandemic continues, most developing countries do not have the economic resource to invest in new technology, despite their positive impact on the environment.
What is being done to change it
While there are many obstacles preventing developing countries from accessing sustainable technology, there are initiatives in place to increase accessibility. The UN established the Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (2017), to encourage research in developing countries as well as assisting with the transfer of appropriate technologies. The Technology Bank further addresses skills shortages by promoting access to research, strengthening national academies of science and undertaking technology needs assessments. Moreover, the EU has taken into account the current global learning crisis by investing in quality teachers with particular skills necessitated by a digital economy and by supporting various education initiatives. These initiatives include contributing 27.5million Euros to Education Cannot Wait, 475million to the Global Partnership for Education and responding to regional situations which include the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Education is considered a fundamental reason as to why there is inaccessibility of sustainable technology globally, but supranational organisations are putting emphasis on equipping international workforces with the skills required for digitalisation, which improves accessibility of sustainable technology. Further to promoting accessibility through education, the EU is also investing in sustainable technology to be used globally, focusing on countries with significant manufacturing sectors. This can be seen with continued investment and support for Waste2Fresh, which seeks to provide a simple solution to the international issue of water supply chains and dye pollution.