UNDP and energy company repsol sign global agreement to promote sustainable development
United nations development programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Repsol, the integrated global energy company, have signed an agreement spanning globally to facilitate the advancement of sustainable development in over 20 countries where both organizations operate. The agreement strives to foster collaboration in order to promote community development in the areas where the entities are present, and the protection of human rights, through initiatives that support local economic and social progress as well as protecting the local environment. The partnership plans to support these communities in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
WHY IT MATTERS: According to the UNDP website, this is not the first time the two organizations have collaborated. UNDP and Repsol have worked together on a water access program in La Guajira, a community development initiative in Cartagena, Colombia, and an initiative to support communities in Libya. By signing this agreement, however, the basis of their cooperation will become global and affect communities on a much broader scale in a positive way.
Boeing, SparkCognition to shape the future of travel and transport
Boeing
Boeing recently announced its collaboration with artificial intelligence technology leader SparkCognition to deliver unmanned aircraft system traffic management solutions. This partnership will bring artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies to Boeing’s operations with the aim to track unmanned air vehicles in flight and allocate traffic corridors and routes to ensure safe, secure transportation. Through the collaboration, they will also provide an interface that will innovate package delivery, industrial inspection, and other commercial applications of the aircrafts.
WHY IT MATTERS: Artificial intelligence and blockchain technology are becoming more and more integrated into the futures of virtually all industries. This partnership between Boeing and SparkCognition puts both organizations at the forefront of their respective industries, aircraft manufacturing and AI, by combining the two products to build the future of aircrafts.
Expert Voices Live: an ethical approach to innovation
axios
On July 18, Axios’ Kim Hart led a roundtable discussion centered around ethics and bias in emerging technologies and the role and responsibilities of governments, the private sector, and individuals. Speakers at the roundtable offered cross-sector perspectives on how explainability, accountability and transparency fit into the repercussions of new and emerging technologies. The conversations also dove into how the federal government and tech companies should balance responsibility when regulating new technologies like AI.
WHY IT MATTERS: With technologies emerging faster than people can process them and governments can regulate them, a serious discussion with calls to action on the ethical repercussions of technology is critical. The development of new technology has so far caused problems spanning from data privacy to mental health of its users, and having experts in this field sit down and come up with solutions on these types of unprecedented ethical gray areas will prevent these issues from arising again in the future.
