UNDP’s Accelerator Lab

• 29 Nov 2019

Why in News

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched its Accelerator Lab in India. The project has been launched in collaboration with the government’s Atal Innovation Mission and will look to solve issues through innovative solutions.

Objectives

• This lab will seek to address some of the most pressing issues facing India, such as air pollution, sustainable water management and client-resilient livelihoods through innovation.
• The vision is to make faster progress in meeting the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the U.N. by 2030.

Accelerator Lab

• The Accelerator Lab is an innovative new initiative by the UNDP, State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Germany to find 21^st century solutions to today's complex new challenges.
• India's Accelerator Lab will be part of a network of 60 global labs covering 78 nations, that will test and scale new solutions to global challenges like climate change and inequality.
• These Labs will identify grassroots solutions together with local actors and validate their potential to accelerate development.

Atal Innovation Mission: It is a flagship national innovation initiative of the Government of India under the NITI Aayog. It aims to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

UNDP

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed.
• UNDP India's country programme for 2018-2022 has three major focus areas:
  
  • Inclusive growth
  • Environment and energy
  • Strengthening systems and institutions countries.

Source: TH