Climate change: water scarcity is fuelling new crises across Asia

Link: https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242192/climate-change-water-scarcity-fuelling-new-crises-across-asia As climate change depletes freshwater resources critical for human and ecological survival, the world faces an escalating water crisis. Droughts, heatwaves and glacial melt are exacerbating water scarcity globally. According to Unicef, more than 2 billion people already lack access to safe drinking water and 4 billion face severe water scarcity for at… Read More

U.K. summit shows why the U.N. should take lead on AI issues

  Link:https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/U.K.-summit-shows-why-the-U.N.-should-take-lead-on-AI-issues# The AI Safety Summit convened two weeks ago by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was supposed to align interested international parties on questions of setting ground rules around the development of artificial intelligence. But while Sunak hailed the summit in Milton Keynes and its resulting declaration as “world first” breakthroughs and the summit included… Read More

Our AI-driven healthcare future needs one vital ingredient – the human touch

Artificial intelligence in healthcare is increasingly an important topic, and one that will be discussed at the World Health Summit next week in Berlin. AI has the potential to improve patient outcomes but it also poses risks – from data collection and use to biases that can skew patient outcomes. By 2025, more than US$30… Read More

Innovation and Competitiveness: GTIPA Summit, 2023
ISMG Business Transformation SEA Summit, Singapore
Building G7-G20 synergy for a multipolar world

Abstract The world is currently in a period of transition towards multipolarity. This Policy Brief explores the importance of policy coordination between multilateral groupings with a focus on the G20 and G7, and argues that through institutional mechanisms, member countries can align their national strategies with a broader global vision. The G20 and G7 face… Read More

Can India be the net-zero champion the Global South needs?

As extreme climatic events such as the wildfires that ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui and the bitter winter in Afghanistan dominate headlines, while being referred to by many as the new normal, it is a clear signal that climate change has taken hold. The current trajectory of carbon emissions puts the world on track for catastrophic events that impact… Read More

India, Pakistan can step up direct trade

The cessation of India-Pakistan direct trade for a significant period is a result of enduring political tensions and conflicts between the two. In August 2019, Pakistan halted trade with India in response to constitutional amendments made in the Jammu and Kashmir region. India slapped 200 per cent tariff on Pakistani imports earlier that year, when… Read More

World cannot afford AI cooperation falling prey to US-China geopolitical strife

. Link: https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3229544/world-cannot-afford-ai-cooperation-falling-prey-us-china-geopolitical-strife?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article&campaign=3229544 _____________________________________________ At a time when the Biden administration has secured voluntary commitments from seven top companies – Google, OpenAI, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Anthropic and Inflection – to address the risks posed by AI, the artificial intelligence industry is expected to reach US$1.8 trillion by 2030, growing at an annual pace of 37.3 per… Read More

IPAG team in a meeting with Ms. Fatima Yasmin (2nd from left), Senior Secretary, Ministry of Finance.

IPAG team in a meeting with Ms. Fatima Yasmin (2nd from left), Senior Secretary, Ministry of Finance. She is the first Bangladeshi to be appointed as Vice President (Sectors and Themes) of ADB.