Innovative development is one of the state policy key priorities in the Republic of Belarus. Priority directions of innovation development in Belarus for the next five years are outlined in the draft State Program of Innovative Development for 2021-2025. They include innovative healthcare, biotechnologies, national electric transport, and smart cities.
It is planned to increase the contribution of science in the innovative development of the economy and create the latest technologies and equipment in the field of energy and energy conservation, production of engineering, agricultural, electronic, computer and fiber optic equipment, new multifunctional materials with unique properties and chemical products, as well as to develop pharmaceutical, medical and information technologies.
In particular, in 2021 it is planned to reach the share of innovative products in total volume of manufacturing industry organizations shipment at 19.5%, the share of science-intensive and high-tech products in total Belarusian exports up to 33.5%, the share of organizations engaged in process innovations — 26.5%. More detailed information can be found at vsebel.by. Innovation development in Belarus is a significant contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 9 “Creating resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and innovations”.
Photo: robotics.by
The VI All-Belarusian People’s Assembly is taking place in Minsk from February 11 to 12, 2021. Delegates are discussing the results of the Socio-economic development program implementation for 2016-2020 and the main provisions of the draft Socio-economic development program implementation for 2021-2025. The agenda includes ensuring social stability in society and increasing the well-being of citizens through qualitative economic growth, building social capital, creating comfortable conditions for life, work and self-fulfillment. The key objectives are to reduce the dependence of economic growth on hydrocarbon raw materials, to increase export potential through high-tech goods, to launch a new investment cycle.
Besides, at the VI All-Belarusian People’s Assembly the issues of effective local self-government, youth policy, improvement of educational system, preservation of historical and cultural heritage and regional development are discussed. All of the discussed issues directly relate to implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the Republic of Belarus.
Up-to-date news of the VI All-Belarusian People’s Assembly can be found at vsebel.by.
The Decree № 58 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of January 29, 2021 approved the State Program “Belarus Hospitable” for 2021-2025. The text of the program can be found at the link. The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus coordinates the implementation of the State Program.
The State program “Belarus Hospitable” for 2021 — 2025 has been developed taking into account the priorities of social and economic development of the Republic of Belarus for 2021 — 2025 and is aimed at improvement of the state policy in the sphere of tourism. The purpose of the State Program is the formation and development of a modern competitive tourist complex, increasing the contribution of tourism to the national economy development . The future potential development of tourism in the Republic of Belarus is associated with the resumption of tourist flows, diversification and improvement of the quality of tourist services, increasing the investment attractiveness of tourism.
Implementation of the State Program “Belarus Hospitable” for 2021-2025 will contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including openness, safety and environmental sustainability of cities and towns, promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, decent work for all, protection of the environment and cultural values of the country.
The targets of the State Program correlate with the indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals. Objective 8.9 of Goal 8 “By 2030, ensure the development and implementation of strategies to promote sustainable tourism that promotes job creation, local culture and local products” (indicator: Share of tourism employment in total employment) and objective 12b of Goal 12 “Develop and implement tools to monitor the impact on sustainable development of sustainable tourism that promotes job creation, local culture and local products” (indicators: Number of touristic strategies and directives and tourist services export).
As part of the architecture for managing the process of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and in accordance with international approaches, the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belstat) coordinates the production and monitoring of Sustainable Development Goal indicators in the Republic of Belarus. This activity involves a detailed examination of each indicator in terms of data availability and its relevance for the country, identification of data sources, levels of disaggregation, timing and frequency of submission of information to Belstat, and discussion of issues of nationalization of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators.
The basis of this work was the National List of the SDG indicators, in accordance with which Belstat, together with government agencies, formed the National List of SDG Indicators and the Roadmap for the Development of SDG Statistics – a document that defines steps for building capacity and disseminating statistics on SDGs.
The National List includes 246 indicators: 172 of which correspond to the global level, 10 indicators are calculated using GIS technologies. 232 indicators relevant to Belarus are available for measurement.
Progress towards achieving the SDGs in Belarus is 80.5%. The progress on the indicators with available statistics and time series at least two years was 88%.
The list of SDG indicators is the basis of the National SDG Reporting Platform. The National Platform is a single center for collecting and summarizing data on the current situation in achieving the SDGs in the country, as well as an authoritative source of up-to-date information for planning and tracking progress in the sustainable development of the republic, monitoring the implementation of international obligations, and preparing national reports on the SDGs achievement in Belarus.
The official statistics on the SDGs is available on the Belstat website. and is also reflected in the Statistical data book “Belarus on the Pathway to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”.
The green growth mechanism is an effective tool for achieving sustainable development, especially in the context of climate change. Belarus signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, committing itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 28% of the 1990 level by 2030. Therefore, economic growth should be stimulated while reducing the use of natural resources and CO2 emissions at the same time.
One of the mechanisms for combating climate change is the green economy concept. Such economy is more competitive and innovative through the introduction of digital technologies, new jobs and other mechanisms of green transition to sustainable growth. Currently the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection together with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus and with expert support from the United Nations Development Program in the Republic of Belarus is developing a National Action Plan to develop a green economy for the period up to 2025. The priority areas of green economy in Belarus until 2025 will be electric transport and urban mobility, renewable energy, sustainable consumption and production, sustainable tourism, innovative green and digital technologies, green investments. Information about the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Green Economy in the Republic of Belarus until 2020 was presented at the Council for Sustainable Development and is available here. Final report on the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Green Economy Development in the Republic of Belarus until 2020 is also available.
One of the Sustainable Development Goal 9 “Industrialization, Innovation and Infrastructure” targets is to intensify scientific research, increase the technological potential of industrial sectors, including by stimulating innovation activities and significantly increasing the number of employees in the field of R&D by 2030.
On the Day of Belarusian Science, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus presented an exhibition of the results of scientific, technical and innovation activities. Among the innovative developments of scientists were electric transport, robotic production and 3D-printing equipment.
During the scientific, technological and innovation exhibition the priority areas of scientific research in 2021 were presented. These are digital information technologies, medical and biological developments, energy, engineering, development of agro-industrial technologies and security of man and the state.
The video of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus’ representatives speeches can be seen here.
The list of state programs for 2021-2025, which includes 36 state programs, was approved by Resolution No. 759 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of December 24, 2020.
State Programs are the most important mechanism for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. State Programs define the key areas of state policy for the five-year period, activities and sources of funding.
The list of state programs includes the following:
– State Program for Innovative Development of the Republic of Belarus;
– The State Program “Social Protection”;
– The State Programme “Health of the Nation and Demographic Security”;
– The State Programme “Environmental Protection and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources”;
– The State Programme “Belarusian Forests”;
– The State Program “Science-intensive Technologies and Equipment”;
– The State program “Energy saving”;
– The State program “Transport complex”;
– The State program “Comfortable dwelling and favourable environment”;
– The State Program “Digital Development of Belarus,” and others.
A complete list of state programs is available here.
The Local Sustainable Development Strategies Workshop will take place in Mogilev city and regional centers, as well as online from March 1 till November 30, 2021.
The Local Sustainable Development Strategies Workshop is a series of information-educational meetings, both on-site and off-site. Representatives of districts and cities with the participation of experts will prepare and carry out activities on local sustainable development strategies elaboration. The participants will also share their experience in conducting activities with colleagues from other districts and cities.
The Local Sustainable Development Strategies Workshop is coordinated by the Mogilev regional executive committee with the expert support of the International Fund for Rural Development and the Mogilev regional center of social and economic research of the National Scientific and Research Institute of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus and the Support Program for Belarus of the Federal Government of Germany.
February 2 is World Wetlands Day. The theme for 2021 is “Wetlands and Water”.
Conservation and restoration of wetlands play a key role for sustainable development, conservation of biodiversity and combating climate change. These objectives are included in SDGs 13, 14 and 15.
The Republic of Belarus makes a significant contribution to wetland conservation at the international level. 26 wetlands with a total area of 778,000 hectares are included in the list of wetlands of international importance under the Convention on Wetlands.
In 2020, the Law “On the protection and use of peatlands” came into force, the main objective of which is the conservation of natural wetlands. To implement the provisions of the law, the necessary legal framework has been formed, the issues of inventory and monitoring of peatlands have been defined, management plans for bogs and peatlands subject to ecological rehabilitation have been developed.
Belarus is making efforts to expand the area of wetland reserves: it is planned to adopt a resolution stipulating transformation of the national reserve “Olman bogs” with increase of its area by 9,700 ha.
Work on ecological rehabilitation of disturbed peatlands continues: rewetting and restoration of the ecological regime on peatlands in the Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Minsk regions is carried out.
As part of preparations for the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, regional meetings of delegates are held in the regions of Belarus. At these meetings, heads of ministries and other organizations present the country and regional development directions in key areas of activity, and delegates make specific proposals for the regional development, voice the nearest tasks and directions of development. Youth work initiatives, proposals for further health care, education, culture development are also discussed.
Anatoli Isachanka, the National Coordinator on the Sustainable Development Goals, took part in the meeting of the VI All-Belarusian People’s Assembly from Minsk region. There he highlighted the need to localize the Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development not only at the national, but also at the regional level.
The VI All-Belarusian People’s Assembly will be held on February 11-12 in Minsk. The All-Belarusian People’s Assembly is a large-scale people’s forum uniting representatives of all regions to discuss important socio-political issues. Proposals received from citizens during dialogue platforms, direct telephone lines and receptions held by local authorities are discussed at the forum. These are questions of self-government, social support, medicine, housing and communal services, youth policy and others. Up-to-date news on the preparation of the meeting can be found at vsebel.by.
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