Edition 9
If you have a particular interest in one or more of the below topics, be sure to check out the Additional Resources section further down the page.
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Technology leapfrogging: a pathway to sustainable development
The rise of the mobile era has deeply transformed and enhanced many aspects of our daily lives, but not every part of the world entered this era at the same time, or at the same speed. Why did it take Myanmar only three years to popularise mobile phones while it took Western countries 25 years? In this article, Faith sheds light on a phenomenon known as technology leapfrogging, a process that is capable of empowering millions.
Faith Woon | Initiatives Consultant
Western education in developing countries: why it isn't as beneficial as we might think
The power of education to transform an economy cannot be understated. However, attributing Western economic development to a Western education system can foster a belief that it can be transposed into different global contexts to stimulate economic growth. Katrina and Jason navigate the fundamental issues with such a perspective, and instead propose a people-centred approach to education as one that harnesses its power most beneficially.
Katrina Lee | Co-Events Director
Jason Kaluarachchi | Project Leader
A holistic approach to understanding climate change displacement
Australia’s evident political discomfort in regard to refugees makes the prospect of 153 million climate refugees by 2050 rather worrying. With climate change heightening an existential risk to the livelihoods of millions, including many Pacific neighbours, Ben and Kwesi address the reality of a climate-fuelled, politically charged future. They critically explore and evaluate the facets of asylum seeker and climate refugee policy that are necessary to establishing a just climate future in the global context.
Ben Griffiths | Vice President of Operations
Kwesi Mfodwo | National Affairs Officer
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How climate change is driving emigration from Central America - Miranda Cady Hallett
Though Ben and Kwesi largely speak to the impending global challenge of an incredibly high number of climate refugees, that’s not to say that there aren’t already climate refugees. In Central America, the impact of climate change on agricultural security is driving people away from their homes in search of stability. Hallett’s article delves into why and how this is happening in the Americas.
Towards a More People-Centered Paradigm in Social Development - Christian Aspalter
If you’re now curious to learn more about the people-centred approach as explained by Katrina and Jason in their article on education, this article is for you. In this academic piece, Aspalter takes a critical look at the traditional growth-centred perspective on development, making a case for people-centred development when engaging in social development discourse. He raises thought provoking ideas that encourage you to question any preconceptions you may have held on development.
Our Australian leaders are likely aware of the incremental rise to popularity and accessibility of solar energy in Australia, in recent decades rising rapidly as a more popular household installation. As Faith discusses in her article, M-Kopa solar is riding the wave of tech leapfrogging to push a solar transformation in Kenya and surrounding countries.
When thinking of climate refugees, it is critical to not limit our thinking to rising sea levels and small island nations, though these states are undoubtedly at the forefront of the climate crisis. This IPCC chapter delves deeper into the threats of human security while integrating climatic factors into analysis.