The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
India's economy expanded at a faster pace even as several growth engines stalled: agriculture faced a second consecutive drought year, rural households were under stress, private investments flat-lined, and exports plummeted. Despite these drags, the working engines―demand from urban households and public investments―propelled the economy to a higher growth path. …
Ericsson has named Stockholm as the top-ranking city in the Networked Society City Index 2016, followed by London, Copenhagen, Singapore and Paris. The index measures the performance of 41 cities from around the world from two perspectives: sustainable urban development and ICT maturity. Stockholm is ranked number one in the …
Urbanization is set to play an ever greater role in the development of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries, transforming their economies and providing support to green economic growth. With urbanization levels still averaging about 30% in Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries, gross domestic product contributions of towns and cities …
Air Pollution could cause 6-9 million premature deaths by 2060, with India and China facing threat of maximum number of such mortalities, according to an OECD report. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the economic consequences of outdoor air pollution in the coming decades, focusing on the impacts on …
Global economic growth has led to structural developments that are essential to improving access to affordable, nutritious foods, including more extensive food safety-net programs and better food transport infrastructure. But most of the food-security improvements in the last five years, according to the latest EIU Index, have been in middle-income …
The World Bank is downgrading its 2016 global growth forecast to 2.4% from the 2.9% pace projected in January. The move is due to sluggish growth in advanced economies, stubbornly low commodity prices, weak global trade, and diminishing capital flows. According to the latest update of its Global Economic Prospects …
This paper presents a review of existing approaches to estimate the costs of inaction, as well as the benefits of policy action, for air pollution. It focuses primarily on health impacts from air pollution. The paper presents the “impact pathway approach”, which includes various steps in the analysis of the …
Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 70/1, the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the United Nations system, has the honour to submit the report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The present report is the first annual report on the topic and provides a global overview of the current situation regarding …
In the past decades, natural disasters have caused substantial human and economic losses in Central America, with strong adverse impacts on gross domestic product per capita, income, and poverty reduction. This study provides a regional perspective on the impact of hurricane windstorms on socioeconomic measures in the short term. Apart …
The Nigeria Urbanization Review serves the critical and timely purpose of understanding the challenges and opportunities of urbanization in Nigeria. The country’s rapid urban population growth and expansion is examined in relation to the account of its recent urban economic growth in order to seek for ways to finance urban …
The Nigeria Urbanization Review serves the critical and timely purpose of understanding the challenges and opportunities of urbanization in Nigeria. The country’s rapid urban population growth and expansion is examined in relation to the account of its recent urban economic growth in order to seek for ways to finance urban …
The aims of the Strategy are as follows: to provide a strategic policy framework to secure a sustainable future for the Mediterranean region; to adapt international commitments to regional conditions, to guide national strategies and to stimulate regional cooperation in the achievement of sustainable development objectives; to link the need …
The aims of the Strategy are as follows: to provide a strategic policy framework to secure a sustainable future for the Mediterranean region; to adapt international commitments to regional conditions, to guide national strategies and to stimulate regional cooperation in the achievement of sustainable development objectives; to link the need …
This publication responds to calls in regional and global forestry forums to strengthen capacity for effectively developing and implementing payment schemes for environmental services in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission, at its 18th session, called for enhancement of the institutional capacities of member countries and …
As Indian cities grow, urban planners must ensure that basic infrastructure and public services are provided on a sustainable and equitable basis. Access to amenities such as water, electricity, food, drainage, sewerage systems, solid waste disposal, healthcare and transportation are key to the smooth functioning of urban areas. Indore, like …
The world is in the midst of a long and uneven urban transition, with the great majority of urbanisation and urban population growth now occurring in parts of Asia and Africa. Urbanisation has profound effects on local rural and urban economies, life chances and environments, though much depends on how …
A new report published by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) calls on development stakeholders to pursue environmentally sustainable, economic growth that is pro-poor and socially inclusive. Though development agendas emphasize the importance …
A new report published by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) calls on development stakeholders to pursue environmentally sustainable, economic growth that is pro-poor and socially inclusive. Though development agendas emphasize the importance …
The African Economic Outlook 2016 presents the continent’s current state of affairs and forecasts its situation for the coming two years. This annual report examines Africa’s performance in crucial areas: macroeconomics, financing, trade policies and regional integration, human development, and governance. For its 15th edition, the African Economic Outlook takes …
The sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific paints a comprehensive picture of the environmental factors contributing to human health and well-being at the regional level. Backed by a large body of recent, credible scientific evidence, regional-wide consultations and a robust intergovernmental process, the assessment …
