Growth in Asia and the Pacific outperformed expectations in late 2023, reaching 5.0 percent for the year. Inflation has continued to decline, albeit at varying speeds: some economies are still seeing sustained price pressures, while others are facing deflationary risks.In 2024, growth is projected to slow modestly to 4.5 percent. …
This paper considers different approaches to modelling the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic/lockdown shocks. Review different modelling strategies and argue that, given the nature of the bottom-up recession caused by the pandemic/lockdowns, simulation models of the shocks should be based on a social accounting matrix (SAM) that includes both …
This paper summarizes unprecedented adverse health and economic impacts as well as policy responses in the Asia and Pacific region and the rest of the world generated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. By the end of 2020, over 80 million people had been infected, with developing Asia …
This report discusses under the current trajectory, global GDP could be 11–14% less by mid-century than in a world without climate change. The loss under Paris Agreement targets would be significantly less (around 4%). Economies in south and southeast Asia are the most vulnerable to climate change effects; advanced economies …
This report provides an update on the short-term impacts of COVID-19 on the Malawian economy in light of the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in December 2020 and January 2021. It extends and updates the results of previous SAM multiplier-based modeling undertaken by IFPRI during 2020 with a particular focus …
The impacts of COVID-19 are being felt across The Gambia’s socioeconomic landscape, exacerbating existing inequalities and threatening hard-won progress. In response, the government has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), establishing a secretariat to reprioritise the current national development plan (NDP) to serve as a blueprint for a …
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the critical need for detailed, timely information on its evolving economic impacts, particularly for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where data availability and lack of generalizable nowcasting methodologies limit efforts for coordinated policy responses. This paper presents a suite of high frequency and granular country-level indicator tools that …
Despite turning out better than expected, growth in 2020 is estimated to be the worst on record, at –1.9 percent, leading to a large increase in poverty. In 2021, the region’s economy is expected to resume expansion at 3.4 percent, weaker than the 6 percent for the rest of the …
South Asia region’s economies are beginning to recover, though unevenly: economic activity in industry and export sectors have recovered to pre-COVID levels but some labor-intensive services sectors and tourism have not. Inequality has worsened on many dimensions. The process of vaccinating South Asia’s population is underway, with India taking a …
India's economic output in 2021 is expected to remain below the 2019 level despite roll-out of the vaccine to deal with the menace of the coronavirus pandemic, said a report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). India, according to the 'Economic and …
This publication discusses how 2020 will be remembered for the global health and economic crisis triggered by COVID-19. Against the backdrop of the disruption and upheaval caused by the pandemic, millions of people also experienced severe weather events. In inflation-adjusted terms, global economic losses from natural and man-made catastrophes were …
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created the worst crisis in Asia and the Pacific since World War II. Across the Asia-Pacific region, as across the world, countries have suffered sudden economic contractions, along with interruptions to trade, broken supply chains, and with the collapse of international tourism – …
This CEEW study is the first-of-its-kind exercise to outline multiple pathways for India to attain net-zero emissions, rather than fixating on a single scenario or a single year. The study focuses on insights related to four alternative scenarios: 2030 peak–2050 net-zero, 2030 peak–2060 net-zero, 2040 peak–2070 net-zero, and 2050 peak–2080 …
The COVID-19 crisis triggered a huge downturn in various sectors of the economy, including the energy sector. In Indonesia, from January to June 2020, electricity consumption fell -7.06% in the industrial and commercial sectors. Although residential electricity demand increased during the same time period, overall energy demand decreased, which has …
The African Economic Outlook is the African Development Bank’s flagship annual publication. It provides economic data as well as analysis and recommendations for the continent’s economies. Each edition focuses on a contemporary theme. The 2021 theme From debt resolution to growth: the road ahead for Africa highlights the impact of …
Average levels of various pollutants, including PM10, PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide, in Delhi last year were the lowest since 2014, according to the Delhi Economic Survey report. Government data also showed that average levels of the major pollutants in the city have been decreasing steadily over the years. The annual …
What has the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic been on poverty in Zambia, and how can social protection programs mitigate these effects? This paper estimates the pre-pandemic poverty level in Zambia and then simulates the distributional impact of COVID-19 in the country. The paper also estimates the impact of a …
Despite clear scientific evidence that swift and ambitious climate action is necessary at the national level, many countries, particularly those with high emissions and GDP, are failing to implement policies to curb their climate impact. Even with high incomes, access to technology, policy expertise, and capacity to adapt these countries …
COVID-19 has severely affected Ethiopia, weakening its economic performance. Ethiopia has experienced a collapse in external demand since April 2020 due to COVID-19. While merchandise exports, excluding gold, increased by 5.8 percent overall in FY20, they declined by 4.1 percent during July-December 2020 (year-on-year). Exports of garments, textiles, and fruits …
National development banks (NDBs) have huge potential to support their country’s development strategies and the transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies. However, a perception of problematic governance and weak performance means that these banks may be overlooked, both in terms of their potential role in supporting national development, and as partners …
Climate change, conflict, and COVID-19 are forcing a reassessment of how eradicate poverty while addressing the planetary emergency of environmental degradation. This brief explores the evolution in understanding of how poverty and the environment are linked, while also considering solutions such as reining in excessive resource consumption by the wealthiest …
