Past Research Projects

Joint Study with Brookings Institution on "Breakthrough: The Promise of Frontier Technologies for Sustainable Development"

The likelihood of achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDCs) by 2030 rests on how innovative technologies, in addition to current ones, could drive rapid change and offer breakthroughs in tackling the development challenges. New technologies should be simple and low-cost if adopted and deployed in low-income countries. The study is jointly conducted with the Brookings Institution and will focus on technologies that can be introduced soon and could be easily replicated across the world. The following ten themes were selected to prepare proposals to adopt new technologies to achieve SDGs. The research will be published in the form of an edited volume which is targeted at policymakers as well as wide range of readers who have interests in the achievement of the SDGs.

1. Agricultural input revolution
2. Genomics to improve health and well-being
3. Generation and storage of cheap and clean energy
4. Digital transformation of work
5. Hyper-integration: The changing nature of information platforms
6. Big data and the effectiveness of humanitarian operations
7. Localizing the SDGs: Smart Cities and Communities
8. Technologies for a circular economy
9. Eyes on the Planet – Solid information in a forest monitoring system
10. Carbon offsets, poverty offsets