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Add to Preferred SourcesUrgent investments in small-scale farming, EU urban population remains at risk due to levels of air pollution known to damage health, donors pledge $467M for UN Emergency Fund. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Urgent investments in small-scale farming needed to offset soaring food prices and deepening malnutrition
With soaring food prices pushing millions of people into food insecurity, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is calling on governments and the private sector to urgently step up their investments in small-scale agriculture focused on locally produced, nutrition-rich food. The call was made ahead of the opening of the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit.
“Small-scale agriculture is a fundamental part of the solution to our malnutrition crisis. Investing in small farms which are focused on producing nutrient-rich, diverse foods is essential to address malnutrition in the world’s poorest communities,” said Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD. “It is not just about tackling health issues, it also makes economic sense. Fairly compensating small-scale producers to facilitate access to good nutrition allows their children to reach their full physical and intellectual potential so that they can grow into healthy adults who can contribute to the economic development of their families and communities and lift themselves out of poverty.”
According to the Global Nutrition Report 2021, the world is not on track to achieve targets for nutrition indicators by 2030. Progress is too slow in the indicators related to maternal, infant, and young children nutrition. Without access to adequate, affordable, and nutritious food, generations remain trapped in poverty, unable to take advantage of education and job opportunities to fulfill their potential.
Europe’s urban population remains at risk due to levels of air pollution known to damage health
The EEA ‘Air quality in Europe 2021’ report updates and expands on an earlier assessment of the status of air quality by comparing pollutant concentrations in ambient air across Europe against the new WHO air quality guidelines published in September 2021. It finds that the majority of Europeans are exposed to levels of air pollutants known to damage health.
To this end, the European Commission initiated a revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directives, which includes a revision of EU air quality standards to align them more closely with WHO recommendations. Citizens and stakeholders are invited to express their views through a public consultation run by the European Commission until 16 December 2021.
In 2019, air pollution continued to drive a significant burden of premature death and disease in Europe. In the EU, 307,000 premature deaths were linked to exposure to fine particulate matter in 2019, a decrease of 33% in 2005.
Donors pledge $467M for UN Emergency Fund
Thirty-nine donors announced record pledges of more than US$467 million at a high-level event for the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for 2022. Several donors announced top-ups for 2021, bringing overall funding this year to CERF to $610 million.
“CERF is fast and flexible,” he said. “I know from personal experience that it is one of the most effective ways to get help to people in crises. CERF responds within hours so that humanitarian organizations can swing into action as soon as emergencies strike. CERF is principled, impartial, and independent. The help it provides is driven by need alone.”
Over the last 15 years, CERF has released $7.5 billion to save lives and protect people in 112 countries.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Gross National Happiness: an alternative way to measure progress?
The term Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a conventional indicator used to measure the economic health of a country. Policymakers, economists, and businesses associate a high GDP per citizen with a higher quality of life and thus a higher level of collective happiness. Nonetheless, some voices state that GDP is not the most suitable tool to measure the happiness and wellbeing of a nation. The Gross National Happiness (GNH) was introduced as an alternative to GDP, developed to capture the quality of socio-economic growth more holistically and guide sustainable development through material and spiritual wellbeing. This article defines each of the two terms and highlights the main differences between these concepts.
Benefits of technology in agriculture
The United Nations predicts that the world population will grow to 9.8 billion by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100. In these circumstances, the question of how to sustainably feed 10 billion people by 2050 without overwhelming the planet becomes paramount. The current food gap between crop calories produced in 2010 and those needed by 2050 is close to 50%. Reducing this food gap will require major new efforts from all stakeholders as well as breakthrough technological innovations that will not damage soil, water, and biodiversity. This article highlights some technological innovations that, if applied on a major scale, could make agriculture more sustainable and efficient.
Zero-emission cars: achievements and expectations
Sales of electric cars have been rising significantly over the past few years. As of 2020, there were 10 million electric cars on the roads and, according to Net Zero Emissions Scenario, by 2050 this number is expected to reach 300 million, accounting for over 60% of new car sales. Efforts towards zero-emission vehicles were formalized by the Glasgow Declaration. However, many large market countries and car manufacturers failed to sign up to this during the latest climate summit, COP26.
Here’s what else has happened
UN: Fast and flexible, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) was set up to promote swift, coordinated action in humanitarian crises, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told a High-level Pledging Event, adding: “It has more than fulfilled its mission”.
USAID: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a new partnership with seven universities around the world to build the evidence base for early actions that save lives before disaster strikes. With $3 million in support from USAID, this consortium of universities will encourage innovations that help humanitarian organizations and communities act early to respond to emergencies.
Future Technologies: The World Economic Forum has presented 10 new technologies likely to profoundly impact upon our lives during the next few years with 3D-printed houses and quick breathalyzer tests being among these.
Reports
WWF’s Transparent 2021 report details where major companies are making progress toward addressing the plastic waste crisis
A new report from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) finds that Principal Members in the organization’s ReSource: Plastic program – Keurig Dr. Pepper, McDonald’s Corporation, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, and The Coca-Cola Company – cut their use of problematic plastic by 57% between 2018 and 2020. This significant reduction, which totaled 71,000 metric tons, included the elimination of material transformation of hard-to-recycle small items like straws, utensils, and materials like rigid foam and vinyl.
The decrease in problematic plastic is one of many metrics highlighting progress published in Transparent 2021, the second annual report from ReSource: Plastic. Launched in 2019, the program is a first-of-its-kind effort to quantify the corporate impact and track company actions and opportunities to prevent millions of tons of plastic waste.
WHO and Global Fund warn inequalities block progress towards ending AIDS, TB and Malaria
Inequities have been widely acknowledged as barriers to achieving global and national goals and targets in HIV, TB, and malaria programs. However, the magnitude and extent of underlying health inequalities have remained poorly documented and understood.
Until those inequalities are better identified, and their consequences better understood, it will be hard for programs to meet people’s real health needs. Now, for the first time, a new report from the World Health Organization and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria systematically assess the global State of inequality: HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Events
World BioEconomy Forum announces new Advisory Board members in preparation for 2022 season
The World BioEconomy Forum is pleased to announce new Advisory Board members in preparation for the 2022 season. The Advisory Board has two major roles within the Forum: Firstly, to run its programme planning; and secondly, to drive the process of the annual declaration, announced at the end of each forum. In its declaration, the World Bioeconomy Forum captures the most relevant drivers of the bioeconomy for that specific year.
The full World BioEconomy Forum Advisory Board can be viewed here.
High-level Pledging Event on the Central Emergency Response Fund for 2022
📅 8 December 2021 🕟10:00 AM — 01:00 PM New York (EST)
Hybrid
Established in 2006, CERF has allocated over US$7.2 billion to provide life-saving assistance for millions of people in over 110 countries and territories. Since CERF was established, global funding needs through humanitarian appeals have increased sevenfold – from $5.2 billion in 2006 to assist 32 million people to some $36 billion in 2021 to support over 161 million people in need.
Sixth World Telecommunication/ICT Policy Forum | Virtual
📅 16 – 18 December 2021
Geneva, Switzerland/ Virtual
As the world sees breakthroughs in technologies and trends transforming the global digital economy, it must address issues across diverse sectors ranging from health and education to employment, environment, transportation, agriculture, nutrition, disability, youth empowerment, social inclusion, gender equality, and poverty reduction.