Sustainable development Archives | Page 2 of 302

UK invests in technical colleges to address skills shortages and support industry growth

The UK Government has announced the expansion of Technical Excellence Colleges, with 19 new institutions aimed at strengthening high-level technical education across key sectors.

Backed by £175 million in public funding, the initiative targets industries such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence and digital technologies.

The policy responds to projected labour shortages, with estimates indicating demand for hundreds of thousands of additional skilled workers by 2030.

By aligning training provision with regional economic needs, the colleges are designed to support local labour markets while contributing to national industrial priorities.

An initiative that forms part of a broader strategy to elevate technical education alongside university pathways, expanding access to higher-level learning and improving workforce readiness.

It also emphasises collaboration between institutions, with designated colleges expected to share expertise and raise standards across the system.

By strengthening skills pipelines and supporting sector-specific training, the programme in the UK aims to enhance economic resilience and ensure that workforce development keeps pace with technological and industrial change.

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Brazil links AI and technical standards in competitiveness push

Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade said the integration of AI and technical standardisation should be treated as a strategic issue for the country’s competitiveness.

The position was presented during a meeting organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, which brought together public bodies and specialists to discuss AI governance and its effects on the productive sector and on the state.

Pedro Ivo, secretary for Competitiveness and Regulatory Policy at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, said technical standards can help reduce costs, facilitate trade, and improve competitiveness. He also said linking that process to AI could support a more predictable regulatory environment.

According to the ministry, the discussion also highlighted the international dimension of the issue and Brazil’s efforts to expand its role in shaping AI-related standards and guidelines. The programme included discussions of global AI impacts, regulatory challenges, and the role of international organisations in technical regulation for information and communication technologies.

Tiago Munk, the ministry’s coordinator-general for quality infrastructure, said technical standards can play a central role in AI governance by defining criteria, requirements, and good practices for systems, products, and services. He added that Brazil should take an active role in developing international standards.

The meeting was presented as part of a broader government effort to strengthen coordination on AI, with attention to policy direction, institutional coordination, and the country’s position in the digital economy.

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EU committee backs digital vehicle registration and mileage data sharing

The European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism has backed draft rules introducing digital vehicle registration certificates and wider cross-border sharing of vehicle data, including mileage and inspection results, as part of the revision of the EU rules on vehicle registration documents.

According to the committee, the digital vehicle registration certificate would become the main format within three years of the new rules entering into force. Members of the European Parliament also want a physical version to remain available on request for people with limited digital access or skills, and support the use of a QR code for immediate access to vehicle information.

The draft rules would require core vehicle information to be registered electronically, including the vehicle’s make, weight, owner, regular inspection results, and reasons for cancelling registration. The committee says this is intended to support roadworthiness inspectors and authorities responsible for re-registering vehicles.

To address fraud, questionable practices in the second-hand car market, and the illegal trade in stolen vehicles, the draft text would also require EU countries to make these registers accessible to one another.

In addition to vehicle registration data, mileage, and regular and roadside inspection results, the committee added an obligation to share, where available, remote sensing data and data relating to tampered heavy-duty vehicles.

The committee also backed opening negotiations with the EU member states on the final form of the legislation. That decision still requires approval by Parliament as a whole.

The proposal forms part of the roadworthiness package, presented by the European Commission in 2025, which seeks to update minimum standards for vehicle inspections, vehicle registration documents, and roadside inspections to improve road safety, support sustainable mobility, and facilitate the free movement of people and goods.

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Canada and Finland set out sovereign technology and AI cooperation agenda

Canada and Finland have issued a joint statement setting out a new phase of bilateral cooperation focused on Arctic and maritime issues, defence and resilience, and advanced technologies, including sovereign technology, AI, quantum computing, and high-performance computing.

The statement says the two countries met in Ottawa to advance bilateral cooperation amid strategic competition and an emerging international order.

On technology, the statement welcomes a Canada–Finland joint statement on sovereign technology and AI cooperation, aimed at expanding collaboration on advanced technologies that deliver shared economic benefits.

It also says the two countries will deepen coordination to strengthen sovereign technology, grow capacity, and reduce dependencies in what it describes as an increasingly contested digital landscape. Finland’s participation in the Sovereign Technology Alliance is also to be explored.

The two governments also say they will collaborate on research and innovation in high-performance computing and AI, including support for AI adoption across industry and government and the identification of investment opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The statement adds that they will continue cooperation on network communication technologies that will underpin sovereign AI infrastructure and promote opportunities for their telecommunications industries through multilateral initiatives, including the Global Coalition on Telecommunications.

The text also refers to AI gigafactories, facilities designed to provide the computing power needed to develop, train, and deploy advanced AI models and applications. In that context, it welcomes the longstanding cooperation between Export Development Canada and Nokia and notes a memorandum of understanding signed this week to support Nokia’s efforts to build AI gigafactories.

Beyond AI, the statement says Canada and Finland will explore cooperation in quantum research, innovation, commercialisation, and workforce development, including through a Canadian quantum trade mission to Finland. It also links bilateral technology cooperation to critical minerals, trusted supply chains, and wider economic and security cooperation.

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South Korea deploys AI smart city pilots across Southeast Asia

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in South Korea has selected six pilot projects under the K-City Network Global Cooperation Program to deploy AI-based smart city models across Southeast Asia.

The initiative reflects efforts to extend tested domestic systems into international urban contexts.

Projects will be implemented in Brunei, Bacoor, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Surin and Penang, focusing on areas such as traffic optimisation, water management and disaster response. These pilots aim to assess the adaptability and performance of AI-enabled infrastructure in diverse environments.

The programme operates as a government-to-government cooperation mechanism, combining technical deployment with policy coordination. Selected projects were evaluated based on innovation, feasibility and potential for broader regional application.

By testing AI-driven urban systems in partner countries, the initiative by South Korea seeks to support digital transformation while contributing to more efficient, resilient and data-driven public services.

It also reflects wider trends in cross-border collaboration on smart city governance and infrastructure development.

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Canada launches hybrid AI weather model

Environment and Climate Change Canada has announced the launch of a hybrid AI weather forecasting model aimed at improving predictions of severe weather. The system combines AI with traditional physics-based forecasting methods.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the model uses AI to analyse large datasets while relying on established models to account for local weather factors such as temperature, wind and precipitation. This combination is expected to improve forecast accuracy.

The department states the system will enhance performance across all forecast timeframes and provide earlier warnings of major weather events. In some cases, forecasts could identify large systems more than 24 hours earlier than current capabilities.

Environment and Climate Change Canada said the model has been extensively tested alongside existing systems and will support better preparedness and public safety as extreme weather events increase in Canada.

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ILO warns of protection gaps as labour markets undergo rapid change

The International Labour Organization has called for a significant strengthening of social protection systems, warning that existing frameworks are failing to keep pace with rapidly changing labour markets.

A new report highlights widespread gaps in coverage, adequacy, and financing that leave millions of workers vulnerable.

The publication urges Member States to extend protection to all forms of employment, including temporary, part-time, self-employed, and informal work. It also stresses that benefits must be more comprehensive, supporting individuals through key life and work transitions such as unemployment, illness, and retirement.

Sustainable financing is identified as a central requirement, with the ILO pointing to social security contributions, progressive taxation, and targeted public subsidies as key tools. International solidarity is also noted as important for countries with limited fiscal capacity.

Why does it matter?

The report concludes that strong social protection systems are essential for resilience in a world shaped by climate change, technological disruption, and demographic pressures, helping ensure social stability and fairer labour market transitions.

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Serpro joins Brazil-China AI cooperation protocol

Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Serpro, and the Chinese company iFlytek have signed a cooperation protocol on AI focused on building national capabilities for the functioning of the state.

According to Serpro, the protocol forms part of broader Brazil–China cooperation in science and technology. Acting Minister Luis Fernandes said the initiative aims to foster joint technology development and knowledge transfer with Brazil, with implications for digital sovereignty.

The protocol sets guidelines for cooperation in research, development, and capacity-building in AI, with a focus on large language models adapted to Brazilian Portuguese, translation and accessibility systems, cybersecurity applications, and AI infrastructure in Brazil. Serpro said the initiative also covers data centres, secure cloud, and interoperable data platforms.

Serpro will lead the technical execution of the initiative. The company said its role is to connect research, public policy, and delivery of public services, and added that it already has more than 300 AI-based solutions in its portfolio. The protocol also provides for training measures, including researcher exchanges, courses, technical visits, and scholarships.

The Serpro announcement states that initiatives under the protocol will depend on specific instruments to be concluded between the participants. It also presents the partnership as part of a broader effort to strengthen Brazil’s AI technical capacity through international cooperation.

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Armenia plans AI road scanning system

Armenpress reports that the Government of the Republic of Armenia plans to acquire an AI-powered road-scanning device to improve infrastructure maintenance. The system is intended to assess road conditions and guide repair decisions.

According to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, the device will scan roads and use AI to determine the type and depth of repairs required. This includes identifying whether partial repairs or full reconstruction are needed.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, Davit Khudatyan, stated that the AI technology will provide a detailed analysis by passing over road surfaces. The system is expected to improve planning and maintenance efficiency.

The project is estimated to cost between 500 and 600 million drams and forms part of broader efforts to modernise infrastructure management in Armenia.

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Consultation opens on measuring AI energy consumption and emissions in the EU

The European Commission has launched a targeted consultation on measuring the energy consumption and emissions of AI models and systems as part of a broader study on energy-efficient, low-emission AI in the European Union. The consultation seeks stakeholder input on the energy consumption and energy efficiency of general-purpose AI models.

Responses will help refine the study and contribute to a measurement framework for the AI Act’s energy-related objectives, while also supporting the design of a potential AI energy and emissions label, according to the consultation page.

The consultation targets companies ranging from start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to large enterprises, as well as other organisations that develop and deploy general-purpose AI models or AI systems, alongside their component and service suppliers.

Background information published by the Commission states that the EU AI Act includes provisions on energy consumption and transparency. Providers of general-purpose AI models are required to document the known or estimated energy consumption of their models as part of their technical documentation obligations under Annex XI of the AI Act.

Input is also sought on the accessibility of data needed to assess energy consumption during both training and inference, as well as on the suitability of different AI performance indicators. The Commission says its goal is to develop a robust, industry-informed framework for measuring AI energy consumption and efficiency.

Registered participants will receive an anonymous online questionnaire, and the AI Office will publish a summary of the results based on aggregated data. Respondents will not be directly quoted.

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