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Satellites, Open Data and Climate Change: The Citizen Science Approach

The International Space Development Conference (ISDC) was held from 26-29 May 2017 in St. Louis, USA. The ISDC is the annual flagship event of the National Space Society (NSSS) and is  held in a different city every year. This was … Continue reading

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Space StartUp: Climate Change Monitoring Using Satellites

Vikas Nath. Launch Pad 2016. International Space Development Conference 2016, Puerto Rico. 18 -22 May 2016 The key to understanding and taking action on climate change is data. 30 years of satellite-based climate data has provided groundwork for various UN … Continue reading

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Environment Monitoring using Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Technologies

Case Study of the Odd-Even Rule for Pollution Control in Delhi. Vikas Nath and Artash Nath. World Information Technology Forum (WITFOR). Costa Rica. September 2016. 195 countries gathered in Paris for UN Climate Conference 2015 to conclude the legally binding … Continue reading

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Op-Ed: UN’s New Development Challenges – It is not about Aid but Policy Space

Op-Ed published in the Summer 2014 issue of New World published by the United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK) . Two factors work against the UN’s current approach to international development. First, most countries no longer look to the Organization … Continue reading

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Development 2.0: We Need Hacker Mindset, Not Aid

For developing countries to break free from poverty, aid and dependence trap, they need to focus on development through technology, talent and innovations. At present there is overemphasis on trade. Trade is meaningless if developing countries do not have anything … Continue reading

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Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013): He sacrificed his freedom so others could be free

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the last of the giants who led South Africa’s struggle against colonialism, is no more. “White supremacy implies black inferiority.” His words were truth to the powers. It made him the most recognisable icon of struggle against … Continue reading

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Warsaw Climate Talks Outcome: Lowering Commitments, Not Emissions

Everyone agreed on the need to act, but the willingness to take action was absent in Warsaw. Talks verged on lowering commitments and ambitions to reduce emissions. Developed countries that have consumed more than their share of climate space, refused … Continue reading

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United Nations: New Issues, New Ideas, Not Enough Financing

Despite the ever-increasing demands and mandate given to the UN to be the key global driver for development, resources available to implement the development agenda have become more constrained and unpredictable. While the UN is getting better at tackling more … Continue reading

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Warsaw UN Climate Talks: What is there to negotiate?

Weak link between multilateral negotiations, agreed goals and financing is stalling the talks. The persistence of climate change negotiators huddled together in Warsaw from over 190 countries is laudable. Even when countries are failing to reign in their greenhouse emissions … Continue reading

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What comes first: E-Governance or Good Governance? (Reflection from Economic Times E-Governance Forum)

A bigger question remains. Can e-governance improve the lives of common people? And the answer is not as easy as it may seem. While making government services available online certainly saves time, drudgery and costs incurred by people in accessing … Continue reading

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Cleaner Politics, Power to the People, Political Start-Ups Or None of the Above (NOTA)

When it comes to democratic societies, where voting is an affirmation of one’s freedom and equality, and is the cornerstone of democracy, the freedom to abstain from making a choice is often missing. Citizens are given the freedom to vote … Continue reading

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e-Governance Forum: The Economic Times, 24 October, Delhi

Vikas Nath, Founder of DigitalGovernance.org will give the Special Guest Address on Sharing ICT Experiences Across the World. See more at: http://www.et-egovernance.com/

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Interview at the Sankalp Unconvention Summit 2013

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Made in Bangladesh: Profiting from poverty

“The disastrous garment industry in Bangladesh is a perfect example of capitalist expansion to the Global South where labour is cheap and abundant. But such foreign investments, now highly sought by governments of poor countries, often mean deplorable conditions of … Continue reading

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Reaching the Unreached – Ideas matter but vision even more

In mid-April 2013 over a thousand people gathered in Mumbai for the annual Sankalp Forum organised by Intellecap. Refreshingly none of the social entrepreneurs present talked about providing products and services for free, and for the right reasons – to engage with the … Continue reading

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