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What is Real Progress?. Dr. Sıdıka Başçı Statistical Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRTCIC). Is it the improvement in GDP per capita? trade balance?. No !. The Cost of Development should not be Global Failures!. Climate change — Global
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What is Real Progress? Dr. Sıdıka Başçı Statistical Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRTCIC)
Is it the improvement in • GDP per capita? • trade balance?
The Cost of Development should not be Global Failures! • Climate change — Global warming • Ozone layer depletion
How Should We Measure Progress? • National or Global? How to separate and • combine? • Can one talk about national successes in the • presence of global failures? • Then, a Local Sustainable Development ? Not • Possible Anymore!
How Should We Measure Progress? Generations bequesting their descendants a more lively place to live, not new problems. What kind of progress are we talking about if future generations will have problems in even breathing clean air, and will have difficulty in access to clean drinking water!
How Should We Measure Progress? • As pointed out in the report of the Secretary General to the Millennium Assembly of the United Nations (2000), each state has a dual role in the global world, and this duality recognizes that each state not only bears responsibilities in relation to its own people but also collectively shares responsibility for the whole planet. • Therefore, defining ‘Real Progress’ is not an easy task as it may appear.
What can the Role of International Organizations be? Comparisions across the countries in terms of statistics can be possible only if the data sets of each country have common standards. At this point, international organisations may have an important role in preparing, processing and presenting comparable data.
Time is Valuable! Reducing time cost is extremely important for data accession during research.
Deterministic Role of R&D • One of the most prevelant gaps between developed and developing world is the current stance of Science and Technology in these countries. In fact, it can even be reasonably argued that almost all gaps between developed and developing world can be narrowed down by developing, managing and properly applying appropriate knowledge. • It is almost impossible for any country to achieve and sustain prosperity and a high quality of life without using the results of science and ensuring a well-educated population. • An important aspect and determinant of progress: Transition to knowledge-based economies and societies.
Source: UIS S&T database,World Bank, Calculations are made by SESRTCIC
The relationship between R&D expenditure and GDP per capita (1997-2004)
The relationship between R&D personnel and GDP per capita (1997-2004)
Tasks for the Statistician • Enlargement of the conventional task • A non-conventional task
Enlargement of the Conventional Task • Indicators of environmentShare of protected area to total surface areaCarbon dioxide emission • Indicators of progress in Science and TechnologyShare of high technology products in exports and imports • Indicators of Millenium Development GoalsNumber of undernourished personsDietry energy consumption
A Non-Conventional Task for the Statistician Under the circumstances, one can think of a new role for a statistician in monitoring the trends to identify new technological developments and new revolutionary waves (with supporting evidences from pertinent information) and channel this to decision-makers in a timely manner: A non-conventional task for the statistician !
OECD World Forum • Fostering the development of evidence-based public choice and facts-based civic dialogue. • Improving the effectiveness of indicator work and their use for policy making. • Fostering a global conversation about what progress actually means. • OECD World Forum, an important undertaking, deserves our support .
Ensuring its Success • A Carefully Designed Action Plan • Encompassing All Stakeholders (allready strong indications for this through the regional meetings) • Desired Targets be strategically chosen and transperancy be embedded throughout the Forum road map • Enthusiasm, excitement and support from developing countries essential