Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Basis for an Alternative Viable Development Model - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Basis for an Alternative Viable Development Model in Timor-Leste: Planning and Challenges

Jerry Courvisanos Federation Business School, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC.andMatias BoavidaDepartment of Public Policy, UNTL, Dili, Timor-Leste2017 UNTL/VU Biennial Conference, Institute of Diplomatic Studies, Wednesday 5th July 2017

Sustainable

Development (SD) “

The essence of sustainable development is to provide for the fundamental needs of humankind in an equitable way without doing violence to the natural systems of life on earth

.” (Kemp

and Martens, 2007, p. 5)

SDGs: Path

to SD is non-optimal and dynamic, with

business ventures (& new programs)

that

embrace:

productive union of mind and nature

linking economic (profit), social (people) and ecological (planet)

in business practice

support with

local/regional/national

community

Opportunity and choice about the

SD

path

SD in five developing countries?

Tunisia: R&D base, with bottom-up SD inputIndonesia: top-down non-SD,

with no input from

community/entrepreneurs

India

: strong role for private and social entrepreneurs,

as public policy fails to address

SD and cultural divides

China

: strong top-down SD, drive to bottom

Bangladesh

: women entrepreneurs strong, weak but improving government SD support

SD in Timor-Leste?

Late 2015: SDGs Resolution by both the TL Government and then ParliamentTL Government has a “roadmap” and the PM’s working group to implement itMedium-term Coordinating Ministry (MECAE) committed

to

creating SD through

private investment and developing non-oil exports in domestic agriculture, community forestry and coffee

exports

Many donor-sponsored NGOs across agriculture, education, health, and the physical environment

The Roadmap: 2017

Version

Review of the Roadmap

(TLSA Conference)SDGs are being ‘harmonised’

with the SDP in a linear

approach: On the surface there is “perfectly alignment”, but ignores complexity

Top-down

process: Lack of input from outside the implementation group, with “big development” SDP approach remaining unaltered

No observed transformation towards

a diversified

fossil fuel disinvestment

future

SDGs not embedded well into the ministries

Some achievements towards SDGs, but heavily constrained by a long series of limitations

Where to from here?

Theme: Finding Pathways to Achieve the SDGs

What

is needed are: “…alternative economic models, vital to the growing global push towards renewable energy, fossil fuel divestment and urgent action on climate change.” (Ramos-

Horta

and Mahar, 2016)

The 2015 SDGs Resolution

by TL Government: Opportunity

to build an adjustment mechanism into the SDP,

to address

growing

uncertainties,

also introduce stronger renewable energy planning into the SDP

.

OR

reject SDP by a critical

mass from civil society

with initiative to develop unique SDG economic model

Mechanisms to achieve this?

Investment in physical and human capital by… State: Align SDG priorities with State budget expenditure allocations

Businesses:

Move from “a land of kiosks” to a land of new sustainable innovations

Cooperatives:

I

ndigenous “

fulidaidai

”

movement building through community ownership

Local culture:

Connecting with strong socially and ecologically sustainable customary traditions

For SD, what is the right mix of all the above?

Crucial SD Issues

Participatory decentralisationEffective (formal and social) learning (for farmers,

cooperatives,

seasonal workers, nascent entrepreneurs

): local-based

Financial system that supports eco-innovations

Shift from subsistence to sustainable agriculture

Localising

food

production

Build value (supply) chain for ‘

eco-tourism’ economic

model

Crucial SD Issues

Build historical tourism for domestic and foreign links to memory of TL’s past (colonial, World War II, occupation resistance and atrocities)

Donors to create strong partnerships

with local

NGOs and local-based

small businesses

(with foreign experts only on demand of local NGOs)

L

ocal

S

tate

and private base push for sustainable manufacturing with FDI support building on the recently restructured

TradeInvest

support and strong EIS regulations

‘the new’

‘establishment’

more profit

less social wealth

less profit

more social wealth

Approach to

S

D

Where is the Timor-Leste economy?

‘establishment’

What should be the development path

for Timor-Leste

?

‘the new’

The N

ew: Innovation Path with SDGsInnovation path based on two economics traditions:‘Creative destruction’ based on a technological driver (in past for TL: Oil), now with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), does it shift

to

eco-sustainable

technologies

and solutions (renewable

energy, reuse,

recycle with equity)?

Severe crisis

(as in TL)

the trigger for

paradigm shift

.

‘Adaptation

mechanism’

–

capital

investment

(infrastructure) and

effective demand

(build market demand) with effective

learning

for

eco-innovation

adaptation;

allows for new private sector market

power (new entrepreneurs in TL)

SD for TL

TL has many SD advantages it can use for innovation:

Pristine clean agricultural system (no chemicals, no pesticides, etc..)

Breathtaking natural landscape (land and sea)

Survival and resistance to foreign intrusion

Strong

self-efficacy, autonomy and

endurance

against strong forces

Foreign direct investment (FDI) and diaspora return funds can be easily accessed

Goodwill from donors for SD is very deep and sustained

How to build SD markets in TL?

Identify SD markets that build on the advantages in the previous slide:

Turn these advantages into competitive

strengths

Focus on developing markets where existing skills can be utilised and new skills developed (e.g. coffee, eco-tourism, market gardens, candlenut oil, cassava,

sandlewood

), all in eco-sustainable ways

Value add processing on markets developed, even if very simple tasks (e.g. tractor hire)

Collaborate with other producers and coordinate in the supply chain (e.g. transport, marketing)

What is needed to support this strategy?Absorptive capacity – ability of individual or group/ organisation to absorb innovation stimuli (ideas) by…

acquiring external information

assimilate this information in the firm, and

exploit it for

commercial

ends

Well-educated

young

– from pre-primary to tertiary to be able to function in entrepreneurial environment with ongoing learning for all in the organisation

Sustainable development priority

– to build cultural acceptance of the SDGs that drive a niche

SD-based economy which is ‘bottom-up’

Government support for SD in TL

Government to support SD (commercial and social) entrepreneurship through:

cultural change to SD

i

nfrastructure for small business

training and social learning experiences

finance support (from microfinance to investment in SD growth)

To succeed, SD requires commitment by all

Local participation by nominating SDG targets and local administration (from municipality to

suku

): Listen, and local communities will embrace SDGs

Space for small-size ventures in TL

Public sector crucial in creating this space and not crowded out by ‘top-down’ high risk big projects

Foreign NGOs to give way to endogenous NGOs who create space for social entrepreneurship

(e.g.

Raebia

took over from USC-Canada to support sustainable farming businesses with local champions)

Vocational education with good skills practice and then add creativity in business (e.g. Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurship) as a profession

Space created by facilitation

Following are critical facilitation roles:

Business enterprise/cooperative

support providing mentor, advice, idea identification, network contacts and incubation facilities to start-up

ventures

Financial

support

to fund

entrepreneurs to

set up and invest

in

identified innovations with competitive strength and meets SDGs

Clear regulation on business and land tenure rulings to remove institutional uncertainty

Build local clusters (systems) with supply chain connections & value added processing…next slide

Education

Tourism

Hospitality

Wine Industry

Building

Clusters

c

ollaborate for strong RIS

RIS

: Regional Innovation System (e.g. municipality or sub-municipality

)

Clusters and their actors

Sölvell (2009, p. 16)

Conclusion

What unites the country – from bottom to top, west to east, female and male – is a “

common civic identity

”

“…voluntary public identification with and cohesion around a national identity

”:

integration & participation

Ongoing

revolution begun by the older generation in terms of “the fight to free the country” and

must continue

by the younger generation in terms of “

the fight to free the people

” with the SDGs

SDG economic model

emerges

from

public

policies

combined

with niche private sector and cooperative investments to develop

new

sustainable

sectors

Thank you

for your attentionFor more: Full report available by request at email address:

j.courvisanos@federation.edu.au