Why local solutions have a better chance of success to achieve UN SDGs, Gordon Walker

In September we reviewed Sustainable Development Goals: Harnessing Business to Achieve the SDGs through Finance, Technology and Law Reform, by Julia Walker, Alma Pekmezovic, Gordon Walker. ISBN: 978-1-119-54184-4, August 2019, 432 Pages. Get the book here. Here we are delighted to interview one of its authors, Gordon Walker to learn more about the issues especially the need for local solutions.

 What is your background briefly?

I am one of the editors of the book.  Here is a short bio.

Dr Gordon Walker, BA (Hons.); LLB (Hons.) (Otago); LLM (Adel.); MBA (Syd.); SJD (Duke) is an Emeritus Professor of La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Adjunct Professor at Curtin University School of Law; Adjunct Professor (Designate), International College of Digital Innovation, Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Visiting Professor, University of Padua Law School, Italy, and an advisor to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) designated as International Business Law Expert and International Financial Sector Expert.

In the period 2006-2019, my research contracts with the ADB have addressed law reform in the areas of securities regulation, company law, secured transactions and Fintech within the Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI-III) in the South Pacific nations of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

I was also formerly Professor of Law, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar (2015-2016); Professor of Commercial Law (1999-2015) and Head of Law School (2004-7) at La Trobe University School of Law; Paul Hastings Visiting Professor at Hong Kong University School of Law (2006); Wallace Fujiyama Visiting Professor at the University of Hawaii (2008 and 2010); Visiting Professor (MBA program) at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (2009);

Visiting Faculty, Duke University Law School Summer School Program in Hong Kong (2010); Visiting Professor at the University of Houston Law Centre (2009-16); Adjunct Professor at Texas Tech University School of Law (2009-16) and Consultant to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London, UK (2011-12).

I have had over 200 publications and published widely in his specialist area of securities regulation and is best known internationally for the twin multi-volume treatises on international securities regulation published by Westlaw in the USA – the eight volume treatise, International Securities Regulation and the five volume treatise, International Securities Regulation Pacific Rim.

Does it seem like a logical background to what you do now?

Yes and no. The SDG book project grew out of research contracts undertaken for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with Dr Alma Pekmezovic. In 2015, we were looking at ways to enhance access to capital for SMEs in the South Pacific region by law reform measures.  In the course of that work, we came across SDG 8 which provided another policy basis for that outcome. So that was a logical background to the work I was doing.

Taking the further step by looking at the way the private sector could assist in realising the SDGs was hardly logical but seemed an interesting idea at the time.  At that point, we involved Julia Walker from the private sector.

1 min pitch for what you are doing now?

At present, I remain involved in research projects for the ADB.  In 2020, I am part of the international team of researchers awarded a research grant from the Qatar National Priorities Research Fund with written support from industry in Qatar for an NPRP-Standard (11th Cycle) grant of USD579, 000.

The grant application title was, “FinTech and RegTech: Building a Resilient, Inclusive and Competitive Legal and Regulatory Framework for 21st Century Finance in Qatar”. The applicant team includes other world-leading experts on Fintech – Professor Ross Buckley, UNSW and Professor Douglas Arner, HKU.

Why did you decide to write the book / what was the inspiration?

As mentioned, the SDG book project grew out of research contracts undertaken for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with Dr Alma Pekmezovic.  In 2015, we were looking at ways to enhance access to capital for SMEs in the South Pacific region by law reform measures. In the course of that work, we came across SDG 8 which provided another policy basis for that outcome.  Taking the further step by looking at the way the private sector could assist in realising the SDGs seemed an interesting idea. At that point we involved Julia Walker from the private sector.

What was the feedback so far?

It is early days, but the response so far is very positive.

Why local solutions maybe the best route to achieve UN SDGs

Do you feel we can achieve these SDGs in time to help / save / avoid the worst elements of climate change?

No.

OK, why so?

How does the digitisation of finance help to achieve the SDGs?

By enhancing financial inclusion – banking the unbanked.

Blockchain is a potentially transformative technology, how soon do you think we will begin to see the benefits of the solutions it can offer?

We can already see the benefits in areas such as supply chains.  The work of Everledger is a great example. Everledger is at the forefront of providing  blockchain technology to capture the complete life cycle of a diamond. It ensures that the ownership and provenance of a diamond is securely recorded on a digital ledger. This allows companies and individuals to track the provenance of diamonds thereby assisting in defeating the gross human rights abuses commonly associated with parts of the industry.

How can people find out more about you & your work? 

Look at the entries on SSRN or Google Scholar.

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