- Inicio
- Sustainable Development Goals
- No Poverty
No Poverty
The case for convergence: Assessing regional income distribution in Asia and the Pacific
This paper considers income inequality in Asia and the Pacific examining whether there has been an increase or decrease in income inequality among countries in the region in recent decades. By analysing the position of countries’ GDP per capita relative to that of a reference economy (Australia) the study finds that between the years 1970 and 2014 most of the region’s less affluent countries were able to catch up in relative terms allowing them to slowly move up the income matrix towards higher tier groups. Subregional examination reveals that most of the income convergence in the Asia-Pacific region was due to exceptional economic growth in East and North-East Asia and to a lesser extent in South-East Asia. While the paper shows that relative income differences between countries in the region have fallen since the 1970s it points to the need for differentiating between relative and absolute measures of inequality. Insufficient convergence and substantial initial differences in GDP per capita have meant that despite a decline in relative inequality absolute differences in average income have grown during the same period.
Price co-movements, commonalities and responsiveness to monetary policy: Empirical analysis under indian conditions
This study aims to empirically establish the co-movement of price indices of seemingly unrelated commodities suggesting that the Central Bank should not decouple fluctuation in the national price index into volatile and core components. An attempt is also made to understand whether monetary policy can influence the factors responsible for price fluctuations in the states of India. The study becomes especially relevant under Indian conditions where flexible inflation targeting has been adopted by the Reserve Bank of India (Central Bank of India) and achieving the targeted inflation is a primary concern of the Indian government. The results of the empirical analysis clearly reveal that unrelated price indices co-move in India and that monetary policy initiatives fail to influence the common factors of the states of India. The empirical results have crucial implications for the Reserve Bank of India and as such a conscious effort is needed to enable policy to influence the price indices of the states of India.
Measuring creative economy in Indonesia: Issues and challenges in data collection
Although creative economy is emerging as an area to be evaluated establishing a benchmark against which it can be measured is still problematic due to a range of definitional problems both conceptual and practical. In recent years many agencies and governments have invested significant effort into collecting data on creative economy but in many countries including Indonesia measuring creative economy remains a challenge. Data collection on creative economy has been conducted twice in Indonesia initially through surveys undertaken in 2016 and then in a compilation of the 2016 Economic Census. The data collection used a common classification system to identify the five-digit Indonesia Standard Industrial Classification (KBLI) regarded as creative economy. Out of a total of 1573 five-digit KBLI codes there are 223 which are identified as creative economy activities. However this approach remains unstandardized in terms of concept definitions data collection procedures methods of analysis and common classification systems. This paper highlights the numerous limitations in current creative economy measurement in Indonesia identifying issues and challenges in data collection and creative economy measurement processes that are needed to support the Sustainable Development Goals.
Challenges in implementing decentralization of foreign direct investment management in Viet Nam — case study of the Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel project in Ha Tinh province
Over the past decades an increasing number of developing countries in Asia have experimented with decentralization in varying degrees to achieve good governance and promote democracy. In Viet Nam even though decentralization has been limited to de-concentration (or administrative decentralization) foreign direct investment (FDI) management is vigorously decentralized at the provincial level and has proven to be problematic. In one instance it led to an environmental disaster in 2016. The objective of the present paper is to explore the factors resulting in ineffective decentralization of FDI management in Viet Nam focusing on the challenges that the local government has been dealing with under the decentralization set-up in particular with respect to environmental protection. Drawing on the case study of the Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel project in Ha Tinh province it is argued that Viet Nam continues to lack the essential prerequisites for effective decentralization. It is the time for Viet Nam to reconsider the policy of decentralization in the area of FDI management. Bearing in mind that economic development is vital it should go hand in hand with environment protection in order to ensure the country’s sustainable development.
Factors influencing maternal health care in Nepal: The role of socioeconomic interaction
This paper relies on an extensive data set on Nepalese families to examine factors influencing the extent to which maternal health care is provided.
Women’s empowerment among married women aged 15 to 49 in Myanmar
The present study entails an investigation of the empowerment of married women aged 15 to 49 in Myanmar from socioeconomic and demographic perspectives based on data from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey 2015-16. The dimensions of women’s empowerment are categorized into two parts: women’s control over their earnings and women’s participation in household decision-making (decisions on major household purchases visits to family or relatives their health care; and the well-being of their children). These two dimensions are combined to create an index of women’s empowerment. A binary logistic regression is used by means of odds ratios to assess the relationship between women’s level of empowerment and their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Overall the findings of the study show that a higher empowerment level is associated with women’s employment increased age urban residence a higher educational attainment a higher wealth quintile and a lower level of husband’s education. In addition women that have one child or up to four children are more likely to have a higher level of empowerment than women with no children. About three fourths of the women in the sample live in rural areas. Among those women the ones with a higher level of empowerment are more educated employed and have higher household income. Generating employment opportunities for women and educating women are important factors that can lead to an increase in women’s income and accordingly help raise the levels of women’s empowerment.
Measuring autonomy: Evidence from Bangladesh
The search for rigorous transparent and domain-specific measures of empowerment that can be used for gender analysis is ongoing. This paper explores the added value of a new measure of domain-specific autonomy. This direct measure of motivational autonomy emanates from the “selfdetermination theory” (Ryan and Deci 2000). We examine in detail the Relative Autonomy Index (RAI) for individuals using data representative of Bangladeshi rural areas. Based on descriptive statistical analyses we conclude that the measure and its scale perform broadly well in terms of conceptual validity and reliability. Based on an exploratory analysis of the determinants of autonomy of men and women in Bangladesh we find that neither age education nor income are suitable proxies for autonomy. This implies that the RAI adds new information about individuals and as such could represent a promising avenue for further empirical exploration as a quantitative yet nuanced measure of domain-specific empowerment.
Contributory factors towards sustainability of bank-linked self-help groups in India
The present study focuses on the Indian flagship financial inclusion scheme – the Self Help Group-Bank Linkage Programme which successfully leverages the social collateral concept and the vast network of bank branches in India to deliver financial services to small cohesive and participatory women’s self-help groups. To develop a deeper understanding of the topic of sustainability of self-help groups we propose a framework that conceptualizes sustainability by integrating the financial and organizational aspects of functioning of self-help groups. Sustainability is assessed in the light of the group’s performance (on set of indicators) with respect to the primary objective of the Self Help Group-Bank Linkage Programme which is financial intermediation. Subsequently we ascertain the effect of plausible contributory factors related to group management practices on the sustainability of self-help groups. The results of regression analysis on primary data captured from a survey of 170 self-help groups show that such factors as equitable access to credit group savings growth in savings loan utilization in income generation activities members depositing a savings contribution or loan installment on each other’s behalf and distance from bank contribute significantly to group sustainability. Accordingly designing suitable measures to monitor and improve group governance and management practices would be a critical policy intervention.
Deaths at sea in the Pacific Islands: Challenges and opportunities for civil registration and vital statistics systems
Accurate and reliable death statistics produced by civil registration and vital statistics systems are essential for health planning and programme evaluation. The quality of death registration data in Pacific island countries and territories remains suboptimal. Data on deaths occurring at sea are especially limited. While coastal and oceanic activities are the norm and essential to the livelihoods of Pacific island populations such activities pose risks for accidents at sea especially those involving small-scale vessels. In this paper the scale of deaths at sea associated with small vessels in three Pacific island countries or territories over the period 2008-2017 is investigated using data from the health civil registry and police and fisheries departments and reports produced by national statistics offices ministries of health the Pacific Community the World Health Organization and media sources. Data on deaths at sea were found to be fragmented among multiple sources and missing key information on age sex and cause. Standardized procedures for reporting deaths and accidents at sea and harmonized data sharing between local communities and government agencies are urgently needed to improve civil registration and vital statistics systems and sea safety in the Pacific island subregion.
Cheating the government: Does taxpayer perception matter?
Do people cheat because they can get away with it or because they feel that the rules are unfair? This paper addresses this question in the context of tax evasion. Specifically taxpayer perception is incorporated into a widely used consumption-based method for estimating income tax evasion. Compared to the standard method which distinguishes taxpayers only by their occupational or income type as a way of measuring their “ability” to misreport income the refined method introduces taxpayers who may be “able but unwilling” to cheat because they feel fairly treated with respect to public services and as compared to other taxpayers. Applied to a longitudinal data for the Republic of Korea (2007–2015) the standard method yields a uniform tax evasion rate of 13 per cent but the refined method provides a range of 7 to 25 per cent based on taxpayer perception. This implies that strategies for improving tax compliance must be tailored to different motivations for tax evasion.
Stress testing the household sector in Mongolia.
The present paper contains an outline of a simulation-model for stress testing the household sector in Mongolia. The model uses data from the Household Socio-Economic Survey to assess the financial resilience of the household sector to macroeconomic shocks. The results suggest that the household sector of Mongolia is vulnerable to shocks associated with interest rates cost of basic consumption asset prices and unemployment. In particular impacts of interest and consumer price shocks on household’s debt at risk (or expected loan losses) are considerable. Furthermore it has been found that a substantial increase in household indebtedness has boosted the financial fragility of the household sector. Those results have important policy implications in mitigating the increasing financial fragility of the household sector and risks to financial stability.
What explains regional imbalances in public infrastructure expenditure? Evidence from Indian states.
Literature on regional growth suggests that divergences in infrastructure is a major factor behind the wide and persistent imbalances in regional growth in India. Using a state infrastructure expenditure function possible factors that determine infrastructure expenditure and its role in the regional imbalance in infrastructure creation across 14 major Indian states are examined in the present paper. The study indicates that such factors as lagged expenditure resource mobilization and per capita income may cause varying amounts of infrastructure expenditure across states. It also indicates that spending by the infrastructure-deficit states political stability and positive spatial dependence in infrastructure expenditure have a balancing effect on infrastructure creation across regions. Those results suggest the need to do the following: (a) harness the favourable factors influencing public expenditure that include improving the financial capacity of the infrastructure-deficit states; (b) strengthen the positive spatial dependence among states through the creation of interstate infrastructure networks such as railways and national highways; and (c) enable a conducive investment climate which could boost competition among states for improved infrastructure creation.
Fostering productivity in the rural and agricultural sector for inclusive growth in Asia and the Pacific.
In recent years income poverty has been declining steadily in the Asia-Pacific region but rural poverty remains widespread and deep and continues to pose a serious challenge for policymakers. Improving agricultural productivity has been a core strategy for economic development and poverty alleviation for several decades as this type of productivity was thought to facilitate structural transformation which enables “surplus agricultural labour” to find employment in nonagricultural sectors. However it has now been realized that the share of agriculture in national output declines more rapidly than the share of agricultural employment in total employment trapping millions in “unproductive” agriculture and making them relatively poorer. Understanding this process and identifying appropriate responses is critical for poverty alleviation and inclusive growth. Based on data analysis and policy reviews in the present paper it has been found that structural transformation processes are incomplete in many developing countries. Reducing rural poverty and promoting inclusive growth cannot be realized by confining to agriculture but instead they can be achieved by seeking a broader policy framework that facilitates enhanced intersectoral linkages.
Preferential trade agreements with labour provisions and child labour: evidence from Asia and the Pacific.
Many argue that the benefits of trade liberalization do not equitably accrue to everyone. To counter this trend some governments have proposed adding labour provisions in preferential trade agreements. The eradication of child labour is included in most of those agreements. Using unique new data the present study is an assessment on whether preferential trade agreements with labour provisions have resulted in less child labour in 18 developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region over the period 1997-2014. The analysis reveals that countries with more preferential trade agreements with labour provisions have lower incidences of child labour. Robustness exercises however show that those trade policies are unlikely to reduce child labour and that instead improving educational access is likely to lower this phenomenon. Accordingly governments tend to sign those agreements after labour market conditions improve. This is useful in that it signals to other countries their concern about labour standards which have been found to increase foreign direct investment. Alternatively signing those preferential trade agreements can protect their own labour markets from a potential race to the bottom.
Pathways for adapting the Sustainable Development Goals to the national context: the case of Pakistan.
Because of the ambition comprehensiveness and complexity of the 17 goals and 169 targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the implementation of it is very difficult especially for developing countries such as Pakistan. The present paper introduces an analytical framework based on a subset of the Global SDG Indicators Database to identify an optimal pathway for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Pakistan. The analysis suggests that the optimal pathway would enable the country to progress towards higher income levels and human development. It also suggests that the country’s national development plan Vision 2025 is expected to contribute towards achieving inclusive and sustainable development provided that the implementation of it is prioritized and sequenced in an optimal manner.
An emerging but vulnerable middle class: A description of trends in Asia and the Pacific
The objective of the present paper is to examine the extent to which economic growth and public social expenditure in Asia and the Pacific have translated into an increasing middle class. Using international poverty lines and an absolute definition of the middle class it is estimated that between 1999 and 2015 1.2 billion people moved into the Asia-Pacific middle class and that the share tripled from 13 to 39 per cent of the total population. This expansion however did not translate into an income-secure middle class as almost one billion people are vulnerable and at risk of falling back into poverty. Examination at the country-level reveals that large disparities persist in the region as most countries need to sustain economic growth and at the same time guarantee that the gains are sufficiently distributed to increase the size of the middle class.
Water security in Central Asia and Southern Caucasus
The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of new States in Central Asia and Southern Caucasus has created new political and security dynamics in these regions. The latter was affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the former is confronted by the threat of conflict over shared water resources. More than twenty years later the protracted conflict in Southern Caucasus over Nagorno-Karabakh remains unresolved and overshadows water-related problems; despite this the dispute over water is a very important factor in the conflict and key to overcoming it. In Central Asia although the threat of conflict over water resources did not materialize the region remains under the spotlight of water-conflict literature. In the present paper the complex nature of water security is reviewed through an in-depth analysis of security and development-related factors in their connection to water and vice versa which leads to the conclusion that policy interventions should be based on a more holistic approach that includes a wider set of issues.
Determinants of overindebtedness among microfinance borrowers: A poverty line-based approach
Borrower overindebtedness is a serious issue faced by the microfinance industry globally. In that regard the purpose of the present article is to identify the extent and determinants of borrower overindebtedness among microfinance borrowers.
Paid maternity leave and child mortality in Asia and the Pacific
Despite gains in reducing the mortality rates of infants and children in Asia and the Pacific millions continue to die each year from preventable causes. A growing body of research highlights that more generous maternity leave has significant development benefits especially with regard to infant mortality and child health outcomes. Little is known however about the impact of national maternity leave policies specifically in Asia and the Pacific.
Fostering peaceful sustainable development in the Pacific under the 2030 agenda
The Pacific is often characterized as a subregion of relative peace because the absence of inter-State conflicts but episodes of violence political unrest and instability have hampered development in these island States; a “business as usual” approach to development does not guarantee that the Pacific will remain peaceful in the future. The link between peace and development is a central tenet of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development presenting an opportunity to expand on traditional concepts of development and security.
Digital economy integration in Asia and the Pacific: Insights from DigiSRII 1.0
This paper presents the results from using the Digital and Sustainable Regional Integration Index version 1 (DigiSRII 1.0) framework of ESCAP (2020b) to uncover digital economy integration trends across the Asia-Pacific region. The results show that Asia and the Pacific has made good progress with regard to conventional digital economy integration especially because of the significant improvements in the digital economy infrastructure and liberalization of trade of information and communications technology (ICT) goods. However capacity-building of the workforce and investment in infrastructure are required to bridge the digitalization gaps among the digitalized economies in the region. Moreover the fairly low regulatory uniformity among regional economies further highlights the importance of regional regulatory harmonization in order to foster regional trade in digitally enabled goods and services. From a sustainable development perspective inclusivity and equity of access to digitalization and required infrastructure remain key challenges. While Internet penetration in the region has been rising female participation in the digital economy has remained relatively low in general and extremely low in lowincome economies. In addition there is room to enhance cybersecurity in most Asia-Pacific economies. Regional digital policies should focus on harmonizing data protection protocols and building a safer network of servers that would promote economic activity and enable sensitive matters to be conducted online. Fostering a more inclusive digital transformation may considerably boost network-effects and accelerate the transition to a competitive and sustainable regional digital economy.
Estimating the effects of Internet exchange points on fixed-broadband speed and latency
The present paper provides estimates of the relationship between the number of Internet exchange points (IXPs) and fixed-broadband speed and latency in 74 countries from 2016 to 2019 using a balanced panel data set developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit for its “Inclusive Internet Index”. While in several studies a positive role of IXPs on Internet speed and latency is established a majority of the earlier ones are technical studies examining the traffic routes in specific networks. This paper contributes to this literature by triangulating earlier findings using an econometric model. The recent availability of the panel data set on IXPs speed and latency by the Economist Intelligence Unit has made this exercise possible.
Addressing sovereign debt challenges in the era of COVID-19 and beyond: The role of the United Nations
Traditionally sovereign debt problems of developing countries have been discussed mostly at institutions representing the creditors such as the Paris Club and at the International Monetary Fund but they have also been addressed by the United Nations mostly in the context of its international conferences on financing for development. Although the views of the United Nations on debt are not widely known they are highly relevant in the post-COVID-19 context as inflationary pressures could lead to tightened global financial conditions and exacerbate debt vulnerabilities in developing countries. The present paper provides an overview of sovereign debt restructurings from the 1980s a summary of the debt situation of Asia and the Pacific as a case study and a review of the views of United Nations on debt issues. It also offers suggestions to improve the global debt architecture based on such views by highlighting the importance of linking debt sustainability with sustainable development in debt restructuring workouts and through a hub-and-spoke institutional arrangement to disseminate prudential debt management practices and promote transparency.
Household consumption expenditure in Thailand during the first COVID-19 lockdown
The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging to developing countries such as Thailand. Although the country has managed to control the outbreak relatively well changes in the consumer spending behaviour could affect the whole economy. In this study household consumption expenditure in Thailand during the first COVID-19 lockdown is examined by using descriptive and empirical analyses. The findings of this study indicate that total consumption declined drastically during the first two quarters of 2020. Consumer spending on services dropped significantly during that time but spending on non-durable goods durable goods and housing-related expenses increased. These expenditure patterns are similar to those in developed countries in which consumers increased their spending on at-home activities but reduced their expenditures outside the home.
Securing green development: Can Asia-Pacific central banks and financial supervisory authorities do more?
The present paper contains a discussion on how central banks and financial supervisory authorities can foster green development in Asia and the Pacific. It is based on the argument that while fiscal policy has received much attention central banks and financial supervisory authorities can certainly play a complementary role in accelerating the transition towards low-carbon climate-resilient economies. Indeed these institutions are obliged to act as inaction could compromise their mandate to maintain economic and price stability given that climate change poses an emerging risk to the financial system. The first point made in the paper is that approximately half of the Asia-Pacific central banks either have sustainability-oriented mandates or have begun to integrate climate issues into their policy conduct. The following discussion points out that while the region remains at the early stage of implementing green monetary and financial policies some central banks and financial supervisory authorities are at the forefront in deploying monetary policy tools prudential measures and broader initiatives to support green finance. To further promote green central banking having clear guiding principles effective communication and adequate technical capacity to customize the green approach is critical. Moving forward these institutions should be mindful of possible unintended adverse impacts of sustainable central banking such as interfering with market neutrality supporting green washing and crowding out green private investments.
Central banks and financial inclusion
Central banks can address barriers to financial inclusion in multiple ways including regulations regarding banks and non-bank institutions identity and know-your-client (KYC) rules support for innovative financial products and support for innovative financial technology (fintech). At the same time central banks must weigh the trade-offs between financial inclusion financial innovation and financial stability. The present paper contains a survey the policies of central banks and other financial regulators in a number of emerging Asian economies to promote financial inclusion. It serves to identify successful experiences and important lessons and it provides a review of policies central banks adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Policymakers' corner: Challenges of monetary policy in a developing country
For a central bank to be successful in regulating the financial sector it must have relevant and pragmatic policies. It should ensure that all financial institutions including banks comply with prudential and management norms. Both internal and external factors are making it difficult for Bangladesh Bank to monitor and regulate the financial sector especially banks. Bangladesh Bank has to move away from its present conventional stance towards a heterogeneous unconventional and implementable approach. It must strike a balance showing an appropriate professional stance while avoiding the negativity of politically motivated reforms in a highly technical domain.
Invited paper: Impact of climate change and variability on food security in the Asia-Pacific region
The Asia-Pacific region is highly disaster prone and susceptible to climate variability and extremes due to widely varying geography from coastal territories to mountainous areas and tropical to polar climates. Long-term food security in this region necessitates estimation of future food production including the assessment and adoption of adaptation/mitigation strategies. The present paper serves to highlight climate variability of the recent past and for future projected scenarios and its impact on food production. It serves to recommend adaptive climate-smart agricultural measures from local practices to policy level initiatives to help address 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and future food security of the Asia-Pacific region.
Fiscal and monetary policies in developing countries: State, citizenship and transformation
Special theme: Macroeconomic policies for inclusive sustainable development: A framework for inclusive and sustainable growth in Asia and the Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region faces extraordinary challenges due to economic and social disparities made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising vulnerabilities caused by climate change. Addressing these challenges will require a holistic and unified plan of action for combatting these economic and social disparities. The present paper serves to outline a comprehensive and integrated inclusive growth framework and apply it to the Asia-Pacific region. It also contains a discussion of policy options for achieving inclusive and sustainable growth.
Learning by doing: central bank digital currency in Thailand
Central bank digital currency (CBDC) has gained much attention among central banks as it could potentially improve efficiency inclusion and innovation in the financial system. The present paper contains a review of the CBDC journey of the Bank of Thailand (BOT) from the guiding principles to test results of the CBDC prototypes and challenges going forward. It provides insights with regard to the introduction of CBDC into the economy as well as how a public institution such as a central bank can go about exploring cutting-edge technologies for use in public policy.
Book review: How to achieve inclusive growth
Survey: The state of sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific
For decades the Asia-Pacific region has been driving global economic growth despite occasional setbacks such as the collapse of economies in Central Asia immediately following the breakdown of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the 1997–98 Asian financial crisis. Most of the countries in the region have also done well in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In fact the attainment of the single most critical MDG – halving the global poverty rate – was due to rapid declines in extreme poverty in the region.
Mainstreaming the sustainable development goals in Indonesia: An experience from the Ministry of Development Planning 2016-2019
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) improved and expanded the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). One of the lessons learned from MDGs is that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development needed to be more comprehensive far-reaching and people-centred. Therefore the Sustainable Development Goals embrace the principles of universal integrated and interrelated social economic and environmental dimensions of development. Moreover progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals should benefit all people especially the vulnerable and the achievement of the Goals should involve all stakeholders and that ambition is contained in the pledge to leave no one behind.
Impact of taxes and transfers on inequality in the Asia-Pacific region
Governments that aim to adjust their fiscal policies to reduce inequality can look to several analytical tools that are being produced in Asia-Pacific countries including commitment to equity studies and public expenditure reviews. The present paper contains a review of studies for 12 Asia-Pacific countries. Consistent with previous research on the impact of fiscal policies on inequality the findings of the review show that policies such as targeted direct transfers education spending and tax policies that favour direct instead of indirect taxes are most effective at inequality reduction.
Early career researchers: Factors affecting consumer behaviour in mobile financial services in Bangladesh
The aim of the present paper is to identify the determinants of consumer behaviour of mobile financial services (MFS) in Bangladesh. Data used in the study were collected through an online survey. A total of 1460 users of MFS in Bangladesh participated in the survey during 2021. The findings of the study show that perceived usefulness has the strongest impact on customer satisfaction followed by perceived safety and perceived ease of use. Customer satisfaction however has the strongest impact on both continuance intention and recommendation intention followed by perceived usefulness and personal innovativeness. The findings have important policy implications for financial inclusion.
Editorial
I am pleased to present the first issue of the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Journal (APSDJ vol. 30 No.1) for 2023. The issue comes out at a critical juncture when the region is confronted with the challenges of changed global circumstances while still recovering from the devastations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic amid ongoing climate change-induced existential threats.
Growth, yield and environmental sustainability of cotton production in India: Performance and policy measures
This paper reviews the growth performance potential and environmental sustainability of cotton production in India. Using a decomposition analysis it provides a comprehensive picture of growth in the production of cotton from 1947 to 2021 and during various development phases. It also discusses the environmental sustainability of Bt cotton and the potential of organic cotton farming in addressing the challenges faced by cotton growers. The results from this study can be used to inform policymakers in framing policies to exploit the potential of this sector to generate additional employment and preserve the sustainability in cotton production.
Identification and prioritization of barriers to access international climate finance for Nepal
This study covers perceived and prioritized barriers to access climate funds using Nepal as a case for least developed countries. A comprehensive picture of the climate finance flow in Nepal is presented and barriers to access international climate finance are identified. These barriers are prioritized based on their importance and potentials to be removed. Out of the 63 identified barriers most prominent ones are inadequate ministerial coordination limited evidence-based research and limited understanding of public–private partnerships. Despite some successes in accessing climate finance key challenges remain. Among them are low disbursement inadequate information-base and limited choice of financial instruments.
Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for Sustainable Development
The Asia-Pacific region is in urgent need for enhanced climate ambition and action. Climate change-induced disasters e.g. heatwaves droughts typhoons and floods are increasingly undermining hard-won development gains. This paper provides a brief assessment of the region’s vulnerability and sets out the transformations needed for a net-zero carbon future in support of sustainable development. It recommends building regional frameworks or partnerships to support decarbonizing key sectors – energy transport and industry – and improve enabling conditions such as financing and monitoring. Multistakeholder cooperation on broad national policies and long-term strategies is also needed for the low-carbon and climateresilient transition.
Early Career Researcher: Development of Asia-Pacific countries: Does Belt and Road Initiative make any difference?
Using annual data for the period 2000−2019 the paper reviews economic progress in Asia-Pacific countries and assesses whether the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) contributes to this trend. Based on selected development indicators and their trends before and after the announcement of the Initiative the findings confirm significant trade expansion associated with growing connectivity achieved through infrastructure finance from China to BRI economies vis-à-vis their non-BRI counterparts. The rising trade ties are associated with output growth contributing to the development trajectories of BRI countries and bringing some modest positive spillover effects to non-BRI members. Policy implications are proposed accordingly.
The transition of China to a low-emission future: The role of clean coal technologies
The “30-60” catchphrase in China refers to the commitment of China to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after the peak by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The 30-60 goal is a challenge but it offers opportunities for the country’s sustainable future. By using Integrated energy and environment policy assessment modelling an assessment of the energy strategies and policy regimes for the country’s energy transition by 2050 is conducted. Based on the results it can be argued that coal will remain an important part of the transition pathway and hence clean coal technology development is critical.
What to focus on in order to accelerate access to modern energy services and energy use efficiency in Bangladesh
How can a rapidly growing country such as Bangladesh overcome the barriers to realizing Sustainable Development Goal 7? The present study includes an analysis of the barriers to achieving 24x7 access to modern energy and the required improvements to make energy more efficient to overcome them in Bangladesh. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) is applied to identify the interactions among the barriers as laid out in context-relevant scientific literature. The Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) is applied to classify the barriers. The results indicate that the barriers can be addressed through a systematic packaging and prioritization approach.
Submitted papers: How successful were the least developed countries in attaining the Millennium Development Goals? An assessment based on a synthetic approach
The present paper used a synthetic approach to create a composite of two indices to measure countries’ progress toward attaining global development goals. The technique assesses the performance of least developed countries (LDCs) in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The results indicate that by the end of 2015 progress was uneven across indicators with Asian countries performing better. The LDCs that performed better based on the assessment progressed closer towards graduating from the LDC group. The synthetic analytical approach proposed for this paper can be applied to measure countries' comparative progress towards realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Thematic Section: Green Transition and National Efforts towards Net-Zero Target: Analysis of the 2030 emissions reduction targets of the previous and current nationally determined contributions of Japan, and a comparison between countries using energy-technology and energy-economic models
The Paris Agreement requires each participating country to prepare its nationally determined contributions (NDCs). In 2020 Japan submitted a 26 per cent emissions reduction target for 2030 and resubmitted a 46 per cent target (relative to 2013) in 2021. This paper provides an assessment of the Japanese emissions reduction efforts vis-à-vis other NDCs and international comparisons among countries using several different indicators. The carbon dioxide marginal abatement costs in Japan are expected to be approximately $450/tCO2 eq in 2030 which is consistent with the 1.5°C pathways. Costs in the European and North American countries are at similar levels.
Policy paper: Aligning critical mineral development in the Asia-Pacific region with the Sustainable Development Goals
The low-carbon energy transition will create significant demand for critical minerals. The extraction and processing of these minerals creates challenges for sustainable development particularly in Asia and the Pacific a major supplier and consumer of these inputs. Diverse supply chains in the world trade of critical raw materials mean fragmented and sometime insufficient approaches to align the extraction of critical raw materials with the Sustainable Development Goals and accordingly international cooperation must increase. This presents opportunities for the United Nations to do more to align the development of critical raw materials with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Assessment of the enhanced nationally determined contributions of the Republic of Korea and the strategies for the 2050 net-zero target
The Republic of Korea has made a net-zero pledge and submitted enhanced nationally determined contributions (NDCs) targeting a 40 per cent reduction in gashouse emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. This article provides a review of the country’s mitigation progress by evaluating its NDCs and 2050 net-zero commitments. Three key challenges are identified: limited time window to meet the targets; energy transition difficulties; transforming carbon-intensive industries. A SWOT analysis informs strategic directions in four areas: accelerating low-carbon transitions in key sectors; enhancing mitigation policy effectiveness in building stakeholder consensus on transition costs; bolstering international cooperation for carbon neutrality.
Obituary: Professor Clement Allan Tisdell (1939-2022): A tribute
Professor Clement Allan Tisdell was a distinguished academic and an unrelenting prodigious researcher. Above all he was a friend and a wonderful human being. He died on 14 July 2022 at the age of 82. Born on 18 November 1939 near the New South Wales country town of Taree in Australia Tisdell was the oldest of ten children (five boys and five girls) in a highly cohesive and supportive family. He had a very humble upbringing during which he attained an intimate familiarity with rural life the countryside and nature and a strong sense of belonging to the local community (Lodewijks 2007) which continued to the very end of his life. No accolade could distract him from this path of simplicity and common sense.
Trade measures on pharmaceutical products: Can they promote local production and public health?
The rise in trade measures on pharmaceutical products has become a matter of intense debate since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. By October 2022 more than140 export restrictions had been placed on them worldwide; at least 50 directly affected vaccine production and distribution. A systematic assessment of their welfare effects offers a way to classify the plethora of trade measures in the global pharmaceutical sector with an explanation of their use in different jurisdictions worldwide. It also provides an assessment and indicates advances on ways in which such trade measures can be used in the interest of local production and public health.
Financing research and development for new vaccines in developing Asia-Pacific countries
For many infectious diseases with a high burden in the Asia-Pacific region there are no licensed highly effective vaccines. In addition for neglected infectious diseases in the region the existing vaccines have limitations. One reason behind the lack of vaccines is a financing gap especially for late-stage trials. We estimate that the annual financing gap for vaccine research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases is approximately $2 billion and the annual gap for vaccine R&D for emerging infectious diseases is approximately $50 million-170 million. In this paper a variety of possible mechanisms to mobilize financing for vaccine R&D in the region are presented.
Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Central Asia
Special theme: From Labs to Jabs: Ensuring access and equity in COVID-19 vaccination: Solidarity as a practical craft: Cohesion and cooperation in leveraging access to medical technologies within and beyond the TRIPS Agreement
The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated an unprecedented call for global solidarity which has included a proposal to waive key obligations under the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. The governance of intellectual property in a global health crisis entails consideration of the effective and coordinated agency of domestic governments to foster solidarity through practical action. This paper presents the context for solidarity while taking in consideration its practical operation by focusing on the mechanism of interaction between the intellectual property system and access to medicines historically and during the pandemic: authorization of the use of patented subject matter without right holders' consent.
Asia-Pacific Social Outlook 2022: Strategies for building a healthy, protected and productive workforce in Asia and the Pacific
The present paper gives an assessment of the challenges faced by the workforce in Asia and the Pacific and how they can be overcome. For this assessment the impact of global megatrends such as climate change digitalization and rapid ageing is anticipated and a multisectoral approach required to build the workforce to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific is laid out. This approach is based on measures to improve access to decent work and extend universal social protection and universal health coverage and concrete recommendations are provided to guide policy implementation.
Ensuring supply chain connectivity and resiliency in the post-pandemic recovery: The case of ASEAN
The integration of ASEAN into the global and especially regional supply chains has been a major driver of economic growth job creation and industrialization in the region. Given the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe restoring supply chain connectivity and its resilience is of paramount importance to the Association. Apart from being agile responsive and adaptive in this evolving environment the strengthening of internal coordination to keep markets open and active engagement in the spirit of open regionalism and multilateralism with external partners is critical to ensure supply chains connectivity and resilience in the region.
Invited paper: Can Asia assure social insurance for all its informal workers?
This paper provides analyses on social security systems data from seven Asian countries as per ILO Convention 102 of 1952 which merges social insurance and social assistance. The former covers the basic elements – unemployment employment injury old age pension and maternity benefits – the focus of this paper. Despite high levels of per capita income and rapid growth in a majority of Asian economies the lack of social insurance (and hence the scale of informality in the workforce) is a matter of concern. Topics discussed in this paper are barriers to social insurance schemes for informal workers as well as the way forward.
Strengthening the health system to address inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine access in the Asia-Pacific region
The economic and health recovery of countries in the Asia-Pacific region from the pandemic is hinged on the rapid and equitable deployment of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. However in the initial years of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out highly unequal distribution of vaccines occurred across and within countries. Even though tight global supply was indeed an issue health system challenges particularly in terms of financing service delivery human resources regulatory capacity and governance played an important role in the inequitable deployment of vaccines. Recommendations given in this paper revolve around the importance of strengthening the health system to enable the equitable allocation and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
Book review: The World Trade Organization needs to prepare better for future pandemics
Trade in vaccines and related inputs: A study of the Asia-Pacific region
This study contains an analysis on trade and trade barriers related to vaccines and vaccine inputs in the Asia-Pacific region. The results indicate that that there was significant intraregional trade in vaccine inputs during the period 2000–2020. While vaccines remained duty free or at low tariffs in many countries within this region several non-tariff measures from the pre-COVID-19 period still continued. The secondary data research is supplemented with the findings from a survey of stakeholders concerned with vaccine production and trade in India. The following are recommendations based on the study: diversification of import sources of vaccines and vaccine inputs; lowering of tariffs; reduction in export restrictions; and the use of trade agreements to ease trade restrictions.
Policymakers’ corner: Cooperating to overcome access inequities for COVID-19 and beyond
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how fragile the global health product value chain truly is to respond effectively to public health emergencies making it necessary to invest in research and the development of new technologies scale up production of them and enable their rapid dissemination. Investing in local production has shown promise towards alleviating market concentration which is putting global health security at risk. Efficient regulation is needed to ensure quality safety and efficacy of health products. Pricing policies and procurement strategies should align with principles of equitable access and affordability. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic must be applied and greater cooperation is required to strengthen health systems and improve interventions affecting all citizens.
Guidelines for the Formalization of Informal Constructions
This publication is a brief practical and easy-to-read guide explaining how to structure a programme for the formalization of informal constructions. It shows how to do this in an affordable reliable inclusive and timely manner so that governments can meet the Sustainable development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and implement the New Urban Agenda. The focus is on the formalization process itself but there are also descriptions of the preparatory work needed to analyze problem magnitude as well as how to find political acceptance identify post-formalization factors and identify the root problems that cause future informality. The causes of informal development include rapid urbanization lack of affordable housing poverty internal migration conflicts marginalization natural disasters cumbersome authorization processes serious weaknesses in the private sector and corruption. Sometimes society’s most vulnerable groups use it “move-up” from poverty sometimes people desiring better housing use extra-legal processes to avoid flaws in existing land-market legal systems. These factors often lead to more inspections bureaucracy penalties fees and sometimes even imprisonment. When the causes are systemic these measures are more likely to exacerbate than resolve the problem. This guide will assist in all aspects of the informal construction formalization process to the benefit of inhabitants governments and stake holders.
Guidelines on Evidence-based Policies and Decision-making for Sustainable Housing and Urban Development
The Guidelines are a practical reference document on approaches to evidence-based policy-making for policy-makers involved in development and implementation of policies on housing and urban development at all levels of governance. The Guidelines can be used at all stages of the policy making – from agenda setting and policy formulation to the implementation/review and evaluation. Application of these Guidelines is an important resource for the analysis of the approaches to review the progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) especially SDG 11.
Harnessing Agricultural Trade for Sustainable Development: Vanuatu Cocoa and Coconut
The study builds on the National Green Export Review (NGER) of Vanuatu and leverages UNCTAD expertise in key analytical areas including non tariff measures voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) the trade agriculture gender nexus and pro poor structural rural diversification through trade. Invaluable support was provided by the Government of Vanuatu in particular the Department of Industry which generously shared information facilitated multi stakeholder consultations and reviewed the final draft. The information in this report has been gathered from various sources including interviews with key stakeholders in the country. To this purpose missions were carriedout in Port Vila Vanuatu in 2017 and 2018. Interviews were conducted with public and private stakeholders including representatives from the Department of Industry the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development the Department of Women’s Affairs the National Statistics Office the Government Chief Information Officer the private sector International Organisations and the donor community.
Investment Policy Review - Armenia
The Investment Policy Review of Armenia makes concrete policy recommendations on how Armenia can improve its investment climate attract higher inflows of foreign direct investment and derive more benefits from them.
Integrating population issues into sustainable development, including in the post-2015 development agenda
Guidelines on the Management and Ownership of Condominium Housing
Effective and efficient housing management is important to support the implementation of key UN agreements including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the New Urban Agenda and the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing. Efficient housing management results in economic benefits and decent housing conditions for inhabitants of condominiums. Housing management through housing refurbishment programmes protects the environment and contributes to decrease in greenhouse gas emissions which supports the efforts of governments and stakeholders to address climate change.
Informe sobre la Situación Social en el Mundo 1997
El Informe ofrece una amplia visión de la evolución socio-económica mundial en los últimos años. La edición de 1997 trata las cuestiones fundamentales examinadas en la Cumbre Mundial sobre Desarrollo Social que constituye un punto de reflexión en nuestra conciencia colectiva de las cuestiones sociales. El Informe examina las cuestiones sociales básicas de la mitigación de la pobreza el empleo productivo y la integración social en un análisis que abarca conceptos e indicadores cuantitativos así como políticas y estrategias.
Advantage or Paradox? The Challenge for Children and Young People of Growing Up Urban
This report by UNICEF reveals that not all children in cities benefit from the so-called ‘urban advantage’—the notion that higher incomes better infrastructure and proximity to services grant urban children advantages over rural children. In fact urban inequality and exclusion among children in cities can make many of the most disadvantaged children in urban areas worse off than children in rural areas. Hence the ‘urban paradox.’
Humanitarianism in the network age
National Accounts Studies of the Arab Region, Bulletin No.35
Issue no. 35 of the National Accounts Studies of the Arab Region includes available data and ESCWA estimates of GDP at both current and constant prices in addition to the consolidated national accounts for each ESCWA member country during the period 2011-2015 and the estimated real GDP growth for 2016. Data was compiled from national statistical sources and by using questionnaires prepared by ESCWA. This publication is intended for economists social researchers and planners.
Report on the World Social Situation 1997
The Report offers new insights into the nature and magnitude of the pressing social problems and the national and international policies required to address them. It examines the core social issues of poverty alleviation productive employment and social integration covering concepts and quantitative indicators as well as policies and strategies.
World Demographic Trends 2018
The present report prepared in accordance with resolution 1996/2 of the ECOSOC provides an overview of demographic trends for the world its geographic regions and selected countries and for various development and income groups. It focuses on major demographic changes during recent decades as well as projected changes during the time frame for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and beyond. The report includes population size and change fertility and family planning mortality changing population age structures urbanization and city growth and international migration including recent trends in the number of refugees and asylum seekers.
United Nations Manual for the Negotiation of Bilateral Tax Treaties between Developed and Developing Countries 2019
The United Nations Manual for the Negotiation of Bilateral Tax Treaties between Developed and Developing Countries 2019 provides a guide to all aspects of tax treaty negotiation including a brief description of the Articles of the United Nations Model Double Taxation Convention between Developed and Developing Countries. It is intended mainly for negotiators with little or no experience in the negotiation of tax treaties.
World Outlook and State of Food and Agriculture 1950
In line with recommendations of the Fifth Session of the FAO Conference this report brings together information on the general economic outlook; the outlook for individual farm forestry and fisheries commodities; the changing patterns of world trade; the changes in international investment; and the general state of food and agriculture.
Natural Resource Management in the Context of Climate Change
The management of natural resources is directly associated with climate change. On the one hand most of the greenhouse gases released in the atmosphere originate from the production transformation and use of natural resources such as coal natural gas and oil. On the other hand climate change affects natural resources such as forests and agricultural produce. These interactions illustrate the two-way relationship between climate change and the commodities sector. This paper analyses the ways in which the management of natural resources may impact climate change and how climate change impacts the adaptation strategies of countries industries and farmers that extract or produce primary commodities. Resource management is analysed from the perspective of a capital conversion-based model of development. One important conclusion of the paper is that integrating climate change concerns into resource management implies that some natural resources will need to be stranded in order to meet mitigation commitments compatible with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit the increase in the average value of global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Recommendations on Measuring Hazardous Events and Disasters
The Recommendations clarify the role of national statistical offices and other members of national statistical systems in providing information related to hazardous events and disasters and identify practical steps needed for these organisations in coordination with national agencies responsible for disaster risk management to better support disaster risk management efforts. The Recommendations have been prepared by the UNECE Task Force on Measuring Extreme Events and Disasters composed of Armenia Italy (Chair) New Zealand Republic of Moldova Mexico South Africa and Turkey and the following international organisations: UN ECLAC; European Space Agency (ESA) Eurostat FAO Joint Research Centre of the European Commission UNECE UN ESCAP UNISDR WHO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Furthermore the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) participated in the work of the Task Force.
State of Commodity Dependence 2019
The 2019 edition of the State of Commodity Dependence contains 189 individual country profiles each comprising 30 indicators mostly related to the four main dimensions of commodity dependence namely: merchandise and commodity export dependence - Commodity import dependence - key socio-economic indicators - other structural indicators. As commodity dependence tends to negatively affect poverty alleviation and food security a set of indicators is included to help monitor trends in these areas. For each individual country 1995 is used as the historical reference year. Moreover an in-depth analysis of commodity dependence in the 189 countries is presented at the beginning of the report with key messages.
Rapport sur la situation sociale dans le monde 1997
Le rapport offre de nouvelles informations sur la nature et l’ampleur des problèmes sociaux urgents et sur les politiques nationales et internationales nécessaires pour y faire face. Il examine les principaux problèmes sociaux que sont l’atténuation de la pauvreté l’emploi productif et l’intégration sociale ainsi que les concepts et les indicateurs quantitatifs ainsi que les politiques et les stratégies.
Compendium of Innovative Practices in Public Governance and Administration for Sustainable Development
In September 2015 the United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a vision for transforming the world by ending poverty transforming societies and protecting the planet. At the heart of the 2030 Agenda are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets covering areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet - people planet prosperity peace and partnership. From reaching social and economic equality to combating climate change the SDGs cannot be achieved without determined and sustained efforts from public institutions. More than ever continuous innovation and integrated approaches are needed. The critical role of public institutions in realizing the SDGs is highlighted in the Goal 16 which is calls for building effective accountable institutions at all levels.This Compendium of Innovative Practices in Public Governance and Administration for Sustainable Development explores three shifts in government-society interactions that have had significant impact on public administration and public service. These are the (i) demand for more people-centered governance (ii) greater use of ICT technologies in public sector and (iii) demand for high-quality human resources in public sector to deal with increasingly more complex development imperatives. The Compendium contains both substantive analysis and case studies on these three important themes. It can function as a useful reference and illustrate that promoting innovative practices in public service delivery is vital for achieving the sustainable development goals and leaving no one behind.
Assessment of the Conflict Prevention Capabilities of African Regional Economic Communities
The Assessment of the Conflict Prevention Capabilities of African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) is an outcome of a six-month-long study that was commissioned by the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) to map out existing institutional capabilities and gaps as well as entry points and opportunities within the RECs in preventing conflicts and addressing the structural or root causes. The study is consistent with the renewed global and continental focus on conflict prevention which the United Nations and the African Union have respectively identified as a priority for their individual and shared efforts to prevent violent conflicts promote inclusive sustainable development and sustain peace on the continent. Seven of the eight African RECs participated in the study which mapped out their respective geopolitical context necessitating conflict prevention their organizational or institutional structure mandate existing policies and framework documents on conflict prevention tools and resources for conflict prevention partnerships and collaboration on conflict prevention their support to Member States in developing national and local conflict prevention capacities and lessons learned in institutionalizing conflict prevention. The study covers both the operational and structural dimensions of conflict prevention and concludes with recommendations on key areas for bolstering the conflict prevention capabilities of the RECs.
Best of UNICEF Research 2015
Financial Inclusion of Small Rural Producers
There is mounting empirical evidence that the responsible provision and use of formal financial services have a positive impact on household well-being and enterprise performance. At the individual level financial inclusion benefits rural households and small producers by facilitating the safe accumulation of assets enabling them to leverage those assets in order to invest in human and physical capital and supporting better risk management. The positive effects at the aggregate level are associated with better allocation of scarce resources among different activities. Despite recent progress on different aspects of financial inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean large gaps remain especially in rural areas which have been historically neglected by traditional providers of financial services. This book describes how these gaps have evolved recently in five countries —Costa Rica the Dominican Republic El Salvador Honduras and Mexico— that are at different stages of designing and implementing comprehensive financial inclusion strategies. Then on the basis of a comparative analysis of the institutional architecture available it identifies the main barriers preventing small rural producers from accessing and making effective use of the various financial services on offer with a view to making policy recommendations for overcoming these limitations.
Состояние продовольственной безопасности и питания в мире 2018
Создание климатической устойчивости для продовольственной безопасности и питания
New evidence in SOFI 2018 confirms a rise in world hunger: the number of people who suffer from hunger has been growing over the past three years returning to levels from almost a decade ago. Multiple forms of malnutrition are evident in many countries: adult obesity is growing even as forms of undernutrition persist. The report says that climate variability and extremes are key drivers behind this rise together with conflict and economic downturns and are threatening to erode and reverse gains made in ending hunger and malnutrition. SOFI 2018 reveals new challenges on the road to Zero Hunger while setting out urgent actions needed to achieve the goal by 2030.
Народонаселение мира 2001
Следы и этапы - Народонаселение и изменение окружающей среды
The State of Food and Agriculture 1999
This year’s edition of The State of Food and Agriculture was not published in its traditional format. Instead a document (The State of Food and Agriculture C99/2) and a set of graphs and figures summarizing the main features of the current world food and agriculture situation were presented at the 30th session of the FAO Conference in November 1999.
The twin challenges of reducing poverty and creating employment
The State of Food and Agriculture 2001
In addition to the usual review of the recent world food and agriculture situation each issue of The State of Food and Agriculture has included one or more special studies of problems of longer-term interest. This year’s edition features a review of the existing evidence on the link between nutrition and productivity and economic growth.
Sustainable Urbanization in the Information Age
حالة سكان العالم 2015
مأوى من العاصفة - برنامج تحويلي للنساء والفتيات في عالم معرض للأزمات
2018 年世界粮食安全和营养状况
建立适应粮食安全和营养的气候恢复力
New evidence in SOFI 2018 confirms a rise in world hunger: the number of people who suffer from hunger has been growing over the past three years returning to levels from almost a decade ago. Multiple forms of malnutrition are evident in many countries: adult obesity is growing even as forms of undernutrition persist. The report says that climate variability and extremes are key drivers behind this rise together with conflict and economic downturns and are threatening to erode and reverse gains made in ending hunger and malnutrition. SOFI 2018 reveals new challenges on the road to Zero Hunger while setting out urgent actions needed to achieve the goal by 2030.
Народонаселение мира 2015
Убежище от шторма - преобразующая повестка дня для женщин и девочек в кризисном мире
2018 年糧食和農業狀況
移民,農業和農村發展
Migration is an expanding global reality one that allows millions of people to seek new opportunities. But it also involves challenges for migrants and for societies both in areas of origin and of destination. This report analyses migratory flows – internal and international – and how they are linked to processes of economic development demographic change and natural-resource pressure. The focus is on rural migration the many forms it takes and the important role it plays in both developing and developed countries. The report investigates the drivers and impacts of rural migration and highlights how related policy priorities depend on country contexts that are in continuous evolution.