New grants to boost the recovery of small businesses, COVID-19 is not just seasonal and growing plastic pollution. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
£20 million in new grants to boost recovery of small businesses
Thousands of smaller businesses in England are set to benefit from £20 million of new government funding to help them recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government announced.
Small and medium-sized businesses will have access to grants of between £1,000 – £5,000 to help them access new technology and other equipment as well as professional, legal, financial, or other advice to help them get back on track.
It comes on top of an unprecedented package of Government support to help businesses to recover, including the £2 billion Kickstart Scheme which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across the country, as well as £1.6 billion invested in scaling up employment support schemes, training and apprenticeships to help people looking for a job.
“We have always said that we would stand behind our businesses and communities as we rebuild following the coronavirus pandemic. This new funding does exactly that. Businesses will be able to use these new grants to pay for the expertise, equipment, and technology they need to adapt, recover, and rebuild,” said Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP.
COVID-19 is not just seasonal, cautions WHO, as ‘first wave’ continues
The COVID-19 virus is likely not impacted by the changing seasons like other respiratory diseases, the UN health agency said before urging much greater respect for physical distancing measures to stop it spreading.
“The season does not seem to be affecting the transmission of this virus”, said Dr. Margaret Harris, World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson, highlighting many people’s “fixed” belief to the contrary.
“What is affecting the transmission is mass gatherings, it’s people coming together, and people not social distancing, not taking the precautions to ensure they are not in close contact.”
The Americas remains the epicentre by region, with more than 8.7 million cases, followed by Europe (3.2 million), South-East Asia (1.8 million), Eastern Mediterranean (1.5 million), Africa (712,920) and Western Pacific (291,993).
Growing plastic pollution in wake of COVID-19: how trade policy can help
Coronavirus lockdowns around the globe have led to a dramatic 5% drop in greenhouse gas emissions, according to UNCTAD estimates, but not all measures to contain the pandemic have had a positive impact on the environment.
Our streets, beaches, and ocean have been hit by a tidal wave of COVID-19 waste including plastic face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer bottles, and food packaging.
“Plastic pollution was already one of the greatest threats to our planet before the coronavirus outbreak,” said Pamela Coke-Hamilton, UNCTAD’s director of international trade. “The sudden boom in the daily use of certain products to keep people safe and stop the disease is making things much worse.”
Global sales of disposable face masks alone are set to skyrocket from an estimated $800 million in 2019 to $166 billion in 2020.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
The list of major upcoming events in development sector in August – September 2020
Keep up to the date key events about emerging funding strategies, environmental policies, climate change, technological development, labour standards and energy issues in the development sector via our compiled list.
Track events hosted by reputable international organisations, donors, NGO’s and IFIs that bring together the biggest change-makers and stakeholders in international development cooperation.
Save the date to register and attend the upcoming events in August – September 2020.
Download the comprehensive schedule of major online events.
Experts’ Opinions | Could conspiracy theories affect the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?
Some of the most persistent conspiracy theories surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have continued to spread around the world. While the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged US$1.6 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to protect the next generation with lifesaving vaccines, Bill Gates continues to be a target for coronavirus conspiracy theorists. The strongest of these is the Bill Gates ‘microchip’ conspiracy theory. Rajeev Ahuja worked for two years as a senior economist with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and he has answered some questions relating to the impact of conspiracy theories on the organization.
Children in residential care sentenced to neglect, abuse and stigma
Poverty, disabilities, discrimination, abuse or neglect have deprived millions of children around the world of a caring family and community. Globally, around eight million children live in institutional care with 80% of these having one or both parents still alive. Being separated from their families, children are unnecessarily exposed to the ill effects of early institutional experiences, which carry simultaneous damaging long-life consequences. All children currently in orphanages could be living in families – with their parents or other relatives, in foster care, through adoption or in care homes within from the community.
Here’s what else has happened
UNHCR: With COVID-19 increasing needs and vulnerabilities of refugees and internally displaced and stateless people, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned that the impacts of the pandemic are also heightening their risks to trafficking and exploitation.
European Commission: The European Commission has signed a contract with the pharmaceutical company Gilead to secure treatment doses of Veklury, the brand name for Remdesivir.
EIB: The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Endesa are joining forces to promote electric mobility in Spain. To this end, the EU bank will provide the Spanish company with €35 million in financing for the installation of electric charging stations across the entire country.
ADB: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to India from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to further support the government’s emergency response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Reports
WTO, World Bank launch joint publication on the role of trade in empowering women
The WTO and the World Bank launched the joint publication “Women and Trade: The role of trade in promoting gender equality”. Gaining a better understanding of how women can benefit from trade is essential in ensuring that trade works for all and that its benefits are sustained in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, said WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and World Bank Managing Director Mari Pangestu.
Read the full report: Women and Trade: The role of trade in promoting gender equality.
40% of destinations have now eased travel restrictions
The responsible restart of tourism is underway around the world as growing numbers of destinations ease COVID-19 related travel restrictions and adapt to the new reality. According to the latest analysis from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 40% of all destinations worldwide have now eased the restrictions they placed on international tourism in response to COVID-19.
Read the COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions – A Global Review for Tourism.
Events
Course | WASH’NUTRITION
The objective of this course is to widely promote the integrated approach and increase the effective application of WASH and Nutrition interventions.
Virtual event | Climatological, Meteorological and Environmental factors in the COVID-19 pandemic
? 4- 6 August 2020
Virtual event
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and international science partners are hosting a virtual global symposium to review the relationship between weather, climate, and environmental factors and the spread of COVID-19.
Virtual event | WWWeek At Home 2020
?24-28 August 2020 ? 8 AM to 9 PM (CET)
Virtual event
Many in the development community felt disappointed when the coronavirus outbreak forced the organizers to cancel World Water Week, for the first time ever. This year the world’s leading annual water event was meant to focus on water solutions to accelerate action on climate change, something which clearly cannot wait. A new conversation is also picking up, about how recovery efforts during the current economic downturn could be used to fast-track progress towards a more resilient society. The voice of water is needed in that debate.
