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 …
This paper evaluates the additional spending needed to meet core targets of selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while accounting for the associated cost to address climate risks. The SDGs under study are those related to human and physical capital development. An additional 3.8 percent of global GDP, or US$3.4 trillion, …
The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR), a report published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), provides an annual snapshot of the progress of the buildings and construction sector on a global scale. The Buildings-GSR reviews the status of …
Global Food 50/50 shines a light on whether organizations active in the global food system are playing their part in addressing two key elements of gender inequality: inequality of opportunity within organizations, and inequality in who benefits from the global food system. The 2023/2024 report provides crucial evidence of gender …
This publication provides an analysis of how climate change boosted temperatures worldwide between December 2023 and February 2024. Primarily by burning coal, oil, and natural gas, humans have raised the temperature of the planet. Scientists report that the average temperature in 2023 was 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than early-industrial levels …
Limiting global average temperature rise to 1.5°C requires stopping the construction of new coal power plants, and that many existing plants must retire early before the end of their technical lifetimes. This presents a major challenge as coal supplied more than one-third of global electricity generation in 2023. Several barriers …
This report assembles an impressive set of data from 24 low- and middle-income countries in five world regions to measure the effects of climate change on rural women, youths and people living in poverty. It analyses socioeconomic data collected from 109 341 rural households (representing over 950 million rural people) …
Digitalization is the transformational opportunity of our time. The digital sector has become a powerhouse of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Value added in the IT services sector grew at 8 percent annually during 2000–22, nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Employment growth in IT services reached …
Women, Business and the Law 2024 is the 10th in a series of annual studies measuring the enabling conditions that affect women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies. To present a more complete picture of the global environment that enables women’s socioeconomic participation, this year Women, Business and the Law introduces …
CO2 Emissions in 2023 provides a complete picture of energy-related emissions in 2023. The report finds that clean energy growth has limited the rise in global emissions, with 2023 registering an increase of 1.1%. Weather effects and continued Covid-19 reopening played a significant role in driving emissions in 2023. Advanced …
The world is in the midst of a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution and waste. The global economy is consuming ever more natural resources, while the world is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. The scientific community has never before been more …
Clean energy is growing rapidly, as annual deployment of a number of key technologies has surged ahead in recent years driven by policy support and continued cost declines. Their growth is starting to make a dent on emissions and reshape energy markets. This report aims to fill a gap by …
In 2021, UNICEF updated its guidance on the Procurement and Use of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) in Humanitarian Settings, which clarifies that where BMS procurement is warranted in humanitarian settings, UNICEF can procure such supplies as part of an overall response that supports optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF). The …
his World Energy Transitions Outlook brief provides the latest tracking data and analysis of global progress towards the goal to triple global renewable power capacity by 2030. In a landmark moment for the global energy transition, the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on …
Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are close substitutes for cars and two-wheelers because they cover longer distances with less effort. Thus, e-bikes will play a key role in shifting passenger and freight trips away from high-polluting private vehicles and generating fewer emissions if used at scale. While vehicle electrification has focused …
Recent spikes in staple food prices resulting from the invasion of Ukraine have once again highlighted the difficulty faced by low-income countries that rely on imports for a substantial portion of their food supply. To better understand which countries are most affected by higher world food prices, we propose a …
The agriculture sector receives substantial fiscal subsidies in various forms, including through programs that are linked to production and others that are decoupled. As the sector has reached the technology frontier in production over the last three decades or so, particularly in high- and middle-income countries, it is intriguing to …
This brief report summarizes recent information on HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in the era of integrase-strand transfer inhibitors (INSTI) for HIV prevention and treatment. In this report, WHO documents high levels of HIV viral load suppression (>90%) in populations receiving dolutegravir (DTG)-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, recent observational data reveal …
With municipal waste set to rise by two thirds and its costs to almost double within a generation, only a drastic reduction in waste generation will secure a liveable and affordable future, according to this new report by the UNEP. In response to Resolution 2/7 from the second session (UNEP/EA.2/RES.7) …
The world is getting warmer and natural hazards are becoming more intense, likely bringing higher economic losses in the future. Today, four major weather perils result in expected economic losses of USD 200 billion annually. With more severe weather coming, economic losses are set to rise. The study analysis finds …
The global COVID-19 recovery presented an exceptional opportunity for countries to integrate climate adaptation and resilience into a significant, yet unforeseen, increase in public spending in line with the Paris Agreement. While there have been efforts to analyze the “green” or mitigation components of country recoveries, none have systematically considered …
