Consortium of Global Accords for Sustainable Development
June 6, 2003
The Global Accords Consortium works to create a broad range of knowledge-sharing links among business and industry, international institutions, national governments, and research and scientific institutions, in an effort to formulate more comprehensive and integrated development strategies.
Knowledge is the key to technological change and sustainable economic development -- in all contexts, at all levels, and in all countries, industrial as well as in industrializing countries.
The knowledge gap magnifies existing development challenges. Reducing the knowledge gap is thus an urgent global priority. So much effort is deployed, but there is little coordination, limited synergism, and minimal search for "value added" through collaborative actions.
In the sustainability domain - however broadly defined - the making of decisions and the formation of policy seldom draw on the full range of relevant knowledge, critical resources, and overall capabilities.
The Global Accords Consortium uses the Global System for Sustainable Development as its core knoweldge networking and management system, to address innovative responses to sustainability challenges -- at all levels of development, in all parts of the world. Toward this end, the Consortium seeks to provide multiple forms of networking facilities across stakeholder communities to help identify innovative approaches for meeting sustainability challenges that confront us all, in both rich and poor countries.
Specifically, the Global Accords Consortium works to bring together business and industry, international institutions, national governments, and research and scientific institutions in an effort to formulate more comprehensive and integrated strategies for sustainable development.
Given the complex realities, the multiplicity of perspectives, and the general lack of consensus worldwide on "best strategies" toward sustainability, strategic collaboration is a necessity; it is not a luxury. No one can "go it alone."
Link: http://web.mit.edu/gssd/consortium
Keywords: development, sustainable, cooperation, consortium, network, knowledge