The global cost of disasters is growing: The economic burden of disasters is intensifying. While the direct costs of disasters averaged $70–80 billion a year between 1970 and 2000, between 2001 and 2020 these annual costs grew significantly to $180–200 billion. But the real cost is far higher. Disaster costs …
Developing countries should switch from unsustainable building practices to using alternative low-carbon building materials to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a new UN report highlighted. The world adds buildings equivalent to the size of Paris every five days, states the report — Building Materials and The Climate: Constructing A New Future …
There is growing understanding and high-level endorsement of the importance of strong collaborative multisectoral approaches to address a broad range of social, economic and governance issues for the prevention and control of noncommunicable disease (NCDs) and mental health conditions. In 2019, World Health Organization (WHO) Member States requested the WHO …
This report presents cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reduction pathways for major emitting economies to keep global warming below 1.5 °C or well below 2 °C, as projected from least-cost scenarios of integrated assessment models in the IPCC AR6 scenario database. Achievement of the global climate goal of the Paris Agreement …
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has had a transformative impact on India, extending far beyond inclusive finance. The G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion document prepared by World Bank has lauded transformative impact of DPIs in India over the past decade under the Central Government. The document highlights the groundbreaking measures …
The world is failing women and girls, according to this new UN report that shows current trends are falling behind the Agenda for Sustainable Development’s goal to achieve gender equality by 2030. This publication is the latest instalment in the annual series jointly produced by UN Women and UN DESA. …
As the group of the world’s largest economies and biggest emitters, G20 countries are central to implementing solutions to the climate emergency. This discussion paper assesses to what extent they are setting climate mitigation targets that are ambitious enough and/or meet their fair share of global emissions reductions consistent with …
The shipping industry is essential for international trade, but it is also an important source of CO2 emissions. To make progress towards climate targets, countries need to monitor CO2 emissions from vessels owned by their ship operator companies. However, most shipping activity takes place outside national borders, making it more …
Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of heatwaves. This extreme heat, compounded by wildfires and desert dust, is having a measurable impact on air quality, human health and the environment, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The 2023 WMO Air Quality and Climate …
Tracking adaptation finance globally, and specifically in Africa, is critically important to identify trends, uncover gaps, and set concrete priorities for effective finance flows. In the context of the Africa Climate Summit, this policy brief highlights the need to dramatically increase the amount and efficacy of adaptation financing to Africa. …
According to this new report by the IPBES, more than 3,500 out of the 37,000 alien species that have been introduced by many human activities to regions and biomes around the world pose major global threats to nature, economy, food security and human health. The severe global threat posed by …
A new report reveals for the first time that the world’s banks including HSBC, Citigroup and Barclays are channeling, on average, an astounding 20 times more finance into the major causes of climate change than governments in the Global South are receiving as funding for climate solutions. How the Finance …
This is the 33rd issuance of the annual assessment now known as State of the Climate, published in the Bulletin since 1996. As a supplement to the Bulletin, its foremost function is to document the status and trajectory of many components of the climate system. However, as a series, the …
Food systems are major contributors, but also critically vulnerable, to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The food sector uses more natural resources than any other sector, which means that the way in which food systems are governed has direct consequences for how natural resources …
Climate change will have significant long-term impacts on people, ecosystems and the global economy. To avoid catastrophic impacts, the world must mobilise finance at scale to deliver rapid and substantial low-carbon transitions across sectors and regions. Improving sustainable finance approaches and enhancing market alignment with this transition is crucial. Evidence …
The FAO Yearbook of Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics, prepared by the Statistics Team of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, offers a synthesis of the major trends in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Statistics are presented in eight main thematic chapters, covering statistics of production (total, aquaculture, capture fisheries), employment, …
Although risk-based approaches to disaster management are particularly effective, the rapid start-up of risk financing is hardly conceivable in the case of a drought that has been grossly underfinanced. Even if existing resources are spent more effectively, the gap far exceeds the active finance flows. Creating an enabling environment for …
The Global Hydrogen Review is an annual publication by the International Energy Agency that tracks hydrogen production and demand worldwide, as well as progress in critical areas such as infrastructure development, trade, policy, regulation, investments and innovation. This year’s report includes a focus on demand creation for low-emission hydrogen. Global …
This report analyses changes in global electricity generation from January to June 2023, compared to the same period last year, to measure the progress of the global clean energy transition. The report analyses monthly electricity data from 78 countries representing 92% of global electricity demand and includes estimated changes in …
This publication, Water Quality in Agriculture: Risks and Risk Mitigation, emphasizes technical solutions and good agricultural practices, including risk mitigation measures suitable for the contexts of differently resourced institutions working in rural as well as urban and peri-urban settings in low- and middle-income countries. With a focus on sustainability of …
Women are crucial to respond to climate change. This paper finds that investing in rural women helps achieve climate goals, while simultaneously addressing gender inequality and poverty. Climate-related projects and policies that involve women deliver better environmental outcomes. Funders and investors need to mobilize climate finance while addressing gender gaps …
