FINLAND AI IMAGE AI FOREST AI HUMANRIGHTS ai for all

 EXTRACTS FROM 2020 FINLAND VOLUNTRAY SDG REPORT TO UN SDGS

Finland also promotes the 2030 Agenda Goals as part of its national space strategy. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland develops space technologies and competence, such as image analysis technologies based on artificial intelligence and other analysis methodologies. These enable the use of satellite and drone images for purposes such as performing forest inventories, analyzing plantations and monitoring the environmental status of water bodies. 

The crux of reaching sustainability in the coming decades will be people’s capacity and willingness to develop and combine all kinds of technologies and practices in novel, more sustainable and even surprising ways. This requires seeing everyone – farmer and city-dweller, student and elderly, entrepreneur and worker – from a changed perspective: people are not problems; they are potential problem-solvers. Give them encouragement and possibilities to learn and to try new things, and they can begin making a difference. If we do this, taking a path to sustainability will not only be a hard challenge. It will become a hero’s journey, for us all. 

COURSE.ELEMENTS.AI.COM

Finland aims to promote AI competence widely to ensure that no-one is left behind in its development. A good example is the web-based Elements of AI course open to everyone free of charge. The course, developed as a joint project between the University of Helsinki and technology company Reaktor, offers a low-threshold opportunity to acquire basic AI skills. Over 270 000 students from more than 170 countries have signed up for the course. 

Finland is a leading subject-matter expert on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital public goods in the follow-up process of the report of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation; through this work, Finland supports international digital cooperation by strengthening rules-based governance and sustainable development. Finland contributes to the Unit established at the Executive Office of the SecretaryGeneral, with the task of coordinating the follow-up to the report of the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, by 400 000 euros and one JPO. 

Furthermore, Finland supports the UNICEF’s AI and Child Rights Policy Project, aiming to develop guidance sensitive to children’s rights for companies and governments utilizing AI. The project is funded by 859 000 euros. 159 PUBLICATIONS OF THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE 2020:8 VOLUNTARY NATIONAL REVIEW 2020 FINLAND – REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT By means of innovation programs, implemented by Business Finland and VTT, Finland supports the invention of innovations concerning sustainable development, as well as the scaling of innovations internationally. Via the aforementioned programs, sustainable solutions are developed concerning e.g. clean energy (SDG7), circular economy (SDG8, SDG12), smart industry (SDG9), health and well-being (SDG3), clean technologies and lowcarbon solutions (SDG13), urbanization (SDG11), and digital solutions. 

Finland also promotes the 2030 Agenda Goals as part of its national space strategy. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland develops space technologies and competence, such as image analysis technologies based on artificial intelligence and other analysis methodologies. These enable the use of satellite and drone images for purposes such as performing forest inventories, analyzing plantations and monitoring the environmental status of water bodies.

During Finland’s Presidency of the European Union (2019), Finland actively promoted the mainstreaming of human rights defenders, women and girls and LHBTI rights in various sectors of the EU’s foreign and security policy. As President of the Council of Europe (2019) Finland took initiatives to increase the institution’s effectiveness and promotion of the rule of law, and promoted action on human rights -centred artificial intelligence.

Finland seeks new, fast-acting measures and initiatives to combat climate change and implement its ambitious national climate targets. A good example is cooperation between the Government and industrial sectors to draw up roadmaps in identifying development paths for different sectors and businesses to reduce their own climate emissions. In addition to the major GHG-emitting industrial sectors (energy, forestry, technology, and chemistry), the work is also being carried out in ten other sectors.

food ai

 this years nobel peace prize goes to the world food program  wfp-un- covid may yet make its next year the most vital for decades -nobel link

link to wfp ai at un #aiforgood   ----   video sec general roadmap digital coop june 2020 begun in 2018 with melinda gates/jack ma et al

full transcript coming soon  - extract from antionio guterres 

excellencies distinguished participants 

dear friends the world is shifting from04:22

analog to digital technology at a faster 

pace than we could ever have predicted this creates both lpromise and some peril :the covid pandemic has magnified the many benefits and harms the digital world technology is enabling: the life-saving work of health care providers allowing businesses to operate remotely educating our children and connecting us but we also have seen technology gravely misused hate speech discrimination and abuse are on the march in digital spaces;misinformation campaigns put  lives at risk 

05:02

in response United Nations has launched a verified 

initiative to increase the volume and reach of accurate information on the crisis, life-threatening cyberattacks on hospital systems certain to disrupt life-saving care... we are at a critical point for technology governance digital connectivity is indispensable both to overcome the pandemic and for a sustainable and inclusive recovery but we cannot let technology trends get ahead of our ability to steer them and protect the public good .....if we do not come together now around using digital technology for good we will lose a significant opportunity to manage its impact and we could see further fragmentation of the Internet....05:46  dear friends this is the backdrop to the roadmap for digital cooperation that you are launching today; the roadmap is a guide for a multilateral multi-stakeholder way forward in the age of digital  interdependence... building on the report of the hi level panel on digital cooperation it sets out eight areas where we can come together and pursue the imperative for

global action on digital cooperation: the 

over-arching design of the roadmap is to connect respect and protect people in the digital age- the United Nations will be a facilitator in the platform mobilizing partnerships and

coalition's within government ,

civil society academia and Industry-today,  our diverse panel of distinguished speakers is amplifies the inclusive approach we need-  please allow me to suggest what some of the first steps  on universal connectivity we must convene  :leaders in connectivity to establish baselines targets and metrics for connectivity and affordability and then to support the emerging efforts and develop new financing models together we can achieve the target of ensuring that every person has safe and affordable access to the Internet by 2030

 s

07:08 

second regarding digital public goods we need a concerted 

global effort from member states to insist and private sectors and others to promote open source software, open data, open AI ,Mobile's open standards and open content ... privacy applicable laws must do no harm is a vast potential to help us achieve the sustainable development goals 

07:32

third, Digital Inclusion efforts that reach all 

including the most vulnerable; the proposed Digital Inclusion coalition will help develop metrics and scorecards to accelerate an inclusive digital ecosystem to address the growing digital gender gap and to reache the most vulnerable including migrant refugees and others 

f

07:55

fourth , digital capacity buildings through expanded training 

programs and support  systems to

stand ready to work with national eff

orts together with global needs which will require greater coherence and coordination for digital human rights; the roadmap addresses issues including data protection and privacy 

08:30

we need to smartly anticipate that artificial intelligence is an area that poses some of the greatest cha

llenges to ethics policy and governance we need to ensure that all perspectives particularly those of developing countries are part of the conversation

the roadmap offers the United Nations 

a platform to stress and value global cooperation on AI so that is trustworthy, human rights-based, sustainable and safe and promotes peace; digital trust and security through international community must come together at the highest levels to prioritize and safeguard these

technologies that underpin core social 

functions and critical infrastructure such as access to food water housing energy health care and transportation. I urge you to continue exploring the value of a universal statement that technology is the strong linkage between the principles of digital trust and security and our ability to realize the 2030 sustainability development goals

09:46

dear friends today's digital landscape 

offers an opportunity but if we don't take that opportunity it would quickly turn into a threat -- unless we address digital instability and inequality they will continue to exacerbate physical instability and inequality will risk the

I urge you to  serve iyour commitment to connect respect and protect people in the digital way in the digital age and I encourage you to take bold broad innovative and collective action

10:31

the greatest risk we face is not that we 

will go too far is that we will go not far enough -the United Nations cannot solve these problems alone and I thank you for your commitment and your support 

10:49

next we are fortunate to be able to hear a 

statement from her excellency Simonetta Sommaruga 

 the president of the Swiss 

Confederation

======================

click pic to see recent unga75th zoom hosted by wfp

Details

Date & Time:

September 15

9:30 am - 11:00 am EDT

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Issues:

Data & Tech

Organizers

UN World Food Programme

OCHA and the Office of the Special Adviser

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A discussion on the importance of global cooperation to connect, respect and protect all people in the digital age – and the unique challenges and opportunities in using digital technologies in the humanitarian sector.

CONTEXT

The UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, launched in June 2020, presents a set of recommended actions for the international community to help ensure all people are connected, respected, and protected in the digital age. It lays out the tremendous benefits and opportunities which digital technologies have given us, as well as the potential risks and unintended consequences we must be cognizant of.

The Roadmap calls for all stakeholders – from public, private and technical communities – to come together and build upon successful efforts, partnerships and coordination to ensure every person has safe and affordable access to the Internet by 2030, human rights are respected online, and the most vulnerable are protected from the potential perils of digital technologies.

In particular, the Roadmap notes that special attention should be given to ensuring connectivity in times of crisis and in humanitarian operations. This online event will be an opportunity to delve into how humanitarian and development actors can advance digital cooperation in the field.

The event will cover how the humanitarian sector is already improving effectiveness and efficiency in a changing landscape through the use of new technology and innovation, such as drones, data analytics, AI, biometrics, blockchain and mobile money transfers. Then, participants will explore where more could or should be done, taking account of the unique risks and challenges associated with deploying new technologies in humanitarian contexts, such as data privacy and protection, and the spread of misinformation. Finally, there will be time to reflect on ways the community can work together to coordinate and scale up efforts more effectively, keeping a clear focus on the people they serve.

The event is co-hosted by the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor working on Digital Cooperation, the UN World Food Programme, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

PROGRAMME

Opening Remarks:
– Fabrizio Hochschild, UN Under-Secretary General and Special Advisor on Preparations for the 75th UN Anniversary & Digital Cooperation
– Enrica Porcari, CIO & Director of Technology, World Food Programme
– Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, Head of Policy Branch, UN OCHA

Discussion:
– Kimberly Brown, Head of Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation, GSMA • Alexander J. Diaz, Crisis Response & Humanitarian Aid, Google.org
– Andrew Schroeder, VP of Research and Analysis, Direct Relief
– Sarah Telford, Lead, Centre for Humanitarian Data, UN OCHA
– Gabriela Alvarado, Chief of IT Emergency Preparedness & Response, WFP

#digitalcooperation
#UNGA75

 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/10/16/the-covid-19-pandemic-is-revealing-the-regressive-business-model-of-college-sports/?utm_campaign=Brookings%20Brief&utm_medium=email&utm_content=97607826&utm_source=hs_email

 

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