Professor Fu also presented at the most recent session of UNCTAD’s Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) in Geneva last month, speaking as part of a high-level panel on ‘Technology and innovation for cleaner and more productive and competitive production.’ In addition, she participated in the ministerial round-table with ‘Seven questions to ask on technology and innovation for Sustainable Development Goals’, which was later published as part of the CSTD Dialogue series.

UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2023, Opening Green Windows: Technological opportunities for a low-carbon world, argues that green technologies – those used to produce goods and services with smaller carbon footprints – are growing and providing increasing economic opportunities but many developing countries could miss them unless national governments and the international community take decisive action.

The report, which was published last month, warns that economic inequalities risk growing as developed countries reap most of the benefits of green technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and electric vehicles.

The report draws in part on an article co-authored by Professor Fu which puts forward the notion of “green windows of opportunity”, which the authors define as a set of favourable, albeit temporary, conditions for “latecomers” to catch up with advanced economies in the long run in sectors central to the green economy. The article was part of a special issue published in Industrial and Corporate Change.

Professor Fu, who is Professor of Technology and International Development and Director of the Technology and Management Centre for Development at ODID, also provided feedback at UNCTAD’s Expert Group Meeting for preparation of the report.