Centre for Sustainable International Development Launch

14th September 2010

www.abdn.ac.uk/sustainable-international-development

Overview

• Global situation• What the Centre proposes to achieve• Foundations laid• Future directions

Sustainable development

Economic, social and environment process are inter-connected

Rio Summit on Environment and Development, 1992

Millennium Development Goals

Progress towards achievement of the goals

• Overall global levels of poverty• Marked improvements in many

continents/countries• BUT poverty remains very high in

– sub-Saharan Africa (across the board chronically deprived)

– South Asia (partially chronically deprived)urban slum dwellers in these regions

www.chronicpoverty.org

Lessons learned

• Trickle down theory does not work • World’s richest 2% hold over 50% of wealth• Inequalities in access to resources are

increasing• Income is not the only measure that affects

well-being• Importance of social cohesion & social inclusion• Humanitarian situations can seriously

undermine development

Progress towards achievement of the goals

• Sub-Saharan Africa – very high child and maternal mortality – high adolescent birth rate– high HIV prevalence– very low access to reproductive health services (22%

women using contraception), clean water, sanitation • Less that half of women in sub-Saharan Africa

and South Asia attended by a skilled birth attendant

Key messagesLinkages – progress in one MDG goal affects othersNeed for local policy commitment and coherent international enabling environment

in agricultural productivity responsible for a decrease in poverty and hunger

Elimination of user charges

Need investments in skilled health workers and birth attendants, water and sanitation in slums

Importance of girls access to education, health and productive assets

Need for targeted interventions, including social protection & employment

Diversification of livelihoods – clean energy, reduction in indoor air pollution

Changes to domestic resource allocation

Overview

• Global situation• What the Centre proposes to achieve• Foundations laid• Future directions

Mark Reed

Vision

The Centre’s vision is to make a significant contribution to the sustainable achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other international development targets.

Uganda, Robin Waugh

Guiding principles (1)

1. Commitment to equity and social inclusion and the promotion of equality of access to sustainable development for all citizens (including persons with temporary residence) with special attention to socially excluded persons (including national minorities, persons with disabilities, migrants, displaced persons and refugees).

2. Enhancement of human dignity and protection of the human rights of all persons.

Street children, Bishkek, Homans

Guiding principles (2)

3. Interdisciplinary evidence-informed, needs based and results-oriented research, monitoring and evaluation contributing to policy and sustainable development.

4. Multi-sectoral age, gender and diversity-sensitive innovative approaches, involving partners at all levels within public, private and non-profit sectors.

5. Consistent with the global and national development agenda

Overview• Global situation• What the Centre proposes to achieve• Foundations laid• Future directions

• Created data base of expertise and research programmes, scoping exercise

• Prioritised areas for future work• Developed Strategy in conjunction with

University Steering Group• 44 Associates (are you interested ?)• 4 Fellows (are you interested ?)• Advisory Board – 6 members

Progress so far (1)

Centre for Sustainable International Development data base (CSID Info) of where staff are working and on what topics (by MDGs and Research Councils UK priorities)

Number of projects by college - CASS Total

Number of projects by college - CLSM Total

Number of projects by college - COPS Total

Millennium Development Goals

Progress so far (2)• Building strategic partnerships in

– the University ACES, Centre for Energy and Law, Gender Studies Centre

– local community Cafe Internationale– external organisations International Centre for Migration

Health and Development, discussions with World Chronic Poverty Centre and ? YOU

• Building capacity of – Staff sessions to over 150 staff– researchers e.g. Gender and development

• Support to funding proposals• Communicating and disseminating knowledge (webpage)

Overview

• Global situation• What the Centre proposes to achieve• Foundations laid• Future directions

Photoshare,K4Health

Priorities identifiedPrioritisation exercise - build on existing excellence: • maternal mortality reduction and public health

(organisation & delivery of health care, HIV & neglected diseases) & the effects of pollution on health

• environmental sustainability/living with environmental change (climate change, deforestation, desertification, drought resistant crops, ecosystems services, urbanisation & water security)

• energy for development (bio-energy, renewable energy, the World

Energy Cities Partnerships, the Centre for Energy Law). Aberdeen - the only oil city within the UK “Energy city of Europe”

“Unless assets below the ground are invested above the ground you have a depletion of

resources”

OpportunitiesOpportunities to apply and expand nationally focused research to developing country contexts

– Digital Economy Research Hub funded by the Research Councils United Kingdom

– Rowett Institute of Health and Nutrition– Sustainable rural development /land reform– Transport Centre– Application of scientific & technological innovations

for development

University contribution to the achievement of the MDGs

• Knowledge generation - “creating a learning society” about the development context & constraints

• Inter-disciplinary approaches to development• Develop a critical mass of expertise –staff, students,

Scholarships, exchange programmes• Community/user responsive• Strategic partnerships, including public/private ,

commercial• Demonstrate impact – research into policy and

practice

Robin Waugh, Uganda

www.abdn.ac.uk/sustainable-international-development

Thank you