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Add to Preferred SourcesSustainable forest management as the key to indigenous communities’ climate adaptation, rich and poor divide set to widen if pandemic impact runs unabated and Commission aims for zero pollution in the air, water and soil. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Sustainable forest management as the key to indigenous communities’ climate adaptation
A Nordic Climate Facility (NCF) project is improving the livelihoods of indigenous communities in Bolivia through sustainable forest management. Through the creation of sustainable economic alternatives and consolidation of existing forest-based production, the project has improved the livelihoods of 254 households in indigenous communities in Northern La Paz, Bolivia.
This has been done while surpassing the project targets of both the avoided greenhouse gas emissions through indigenous peoples’ territorial management and forest conservation, as well as the CO2e-t absorbed in carbon sinks through coffee agroforestry systems. The main purpose of the project was to help indigenous families and farmers to diversify their incomes and protect forest ecosystem services through sustainable forest management projects related to cacao, coffee, jatata palms, and essential oils.
Indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their dependence on natural resources and weather conditions. In these communities, indigenous forest management can play a key role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Several studies have shown that the continued presence of indigenous communities living and working in the forest contributes substantially to conservation and represents an alternative to illegal encroachment associated with deforestation and increased forest fires.
Rich and poor divide set to widen if pandemic impact runs unabated, new UN report says
The COVID-19 pandemic will expand the divide between rich and poor around the world and reverse gains made towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to new analyses from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Pardee Centre for International Futures at the University of Denver.
The analysis shows that eight out of ten people that could become poor by the end of this decade as a result of the pandemic will live in the world’s poorest countries and that an additional 41 million more people will live in extreme poverty in low and medium human development countries by 2030.
But the study also shows that strategic policy decisions made now could not only reverse the development losses caused by the pandemic but bring countries closer to achieving the SDGs.
“We are providing decision-makers with ambitious solutions to turn this trajectory from one of high damage, sending millions more into poverty in the poorest countries, to one that will not only address the harm caused by COVID-19 but put countries on a direct path towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator.
“With this bold approach, investing in governance, social protection, green recovery and digitalization, we could see 100 million people in the poorest countries lifted out of poverty within this decade,” he added.
On April 27 UNDP launched new cutting-edge research, which analyzes COVID impact on the SDGs by modelling three potential recovery scenarios for 2030 and 2050.
European Green Deal: Commission aims for zero pollution in air, water and soil
On May 12 the European Commission adopted the EU Action Plan: “Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil” – a key deliverable of the European Green Deal and the main topic of this year’s EU Green Week.
It sets out an integrated vision for 2050: a world where pollution is reduced to levels that are no longer harmful to human health and natural ecosystems, as well as the steps to get there. The plan ties together all relevant EU policies to tackle and prevent pollution, with a special emphasis on how to use digital solutions to tackle pollution. Reviews of relevant EU legislation are foreseen to identify remaining gaps in EU legislation and where better implementation is necessary to meet these legal obligations.
“The Green Deal aims to build a healthy planet for all. To provide a toxic-free environment for people and the planet, we have to act now. This plan will guide our work to get there. New green technologies already here can help reduce pollution and offer new business opportunities. Europe’s efforts to build back a cleaner, a fairer, and more sustainable economy must likewise contribute to achieving the zero pollution ambition,” said the Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Amnesty International calls for urgent action to combat COVID-19 in South Asia; Nepal urges China to provide additional vaccines to save lives
As healthcare systems in Nepal and India reach breaking point, Amnesty International (AI) has called on governments across South Asia to immediately address the healthcare shortages to combat COVID-19, and civil society activists and organizations in Nepal have urged China to provide additional vaccines to Nepal to prevent the further loss of human lives.
Over 18,000 child migrants disappeared in Europe since 2018
As many as 18,292 unaccompanied child migrants have disappeared from European countries since 2018 according to an investigation conducted jointly by The Guardian and the cross-border journalistic project, Lost in Europe. The journalists discovered that in 2020 alone, 5,768 migrant children vanished in 13 European countries.
The state of e-commerce during the pandemic: opportunities, trends and disruptions
E-commerce refers to the process of buying and selling goods and services using the internet and associated digital tools. Over the last decade, it has followed a steady, confident growth integrating a myriad of platforms, organizations, and customers from all over the world. The current global pandemic has had a major impact on e-commerce, making it at one point the only option for customers to satisfy their needs in terms of shopping for necessities and making other purchases. Such a turn of events opened up many opportunities but also caused several problems for those operating within the digital realm.
Diversified farming phases out pesticides and enhances healthy diets
A recent report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that ‘pesticide residues of 96.1% of analysed food samples fell within legally permitted levels.’ While the overall conclusions of the report are that pesticides have an insignificant impact on consumers’ health, this data needs to be considered in a broader context, one of the overall farming approaches that the pesticides form part of. This article looks at how diversification could phase out the use of pesticides as well as reduce exposure to these toxic substances and thus contribute to healthier diets.
Here’s what else has happened
UNHCR: Ahead of May 18- donor conference and launch of the 2021 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is calling for renewed international commitment, support, and solidarity for Rohingya refugees.
South Asia: Governments across South Asia must immediately address healthcare shortages and urgently strengthen their healthcare systems to respond to the rapid surge of COVID-19 cases in the region, said Amnesty International.
IDB: The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $600 million project for Peru to improve the protection of vulnerable people through social policies. This is the first of two operations under the modality of Programmatic Loan to Support Policy Reforms and the Deferred Retirement Option.
Sri Lanka: The Government of Sri Lanka and the World Bank signed on May 13 an $80.5 million additional financing to help Sri Lanka access and distribute COVID-19 vaccines and to strengthen the country’s vaccination system and pandemic response.
Reports
Only 17% of free-flowing rivers are protected
New science about the fate of freshwater ecosystems released on May 12 by the journal Sustainability, finds that only 17% of rivers globally are both free-flowing and within protected areas, leaving many of these highly-threatened systems – and the species that rely on them – at risk.
Affordable healthy diets can trigger positive development in nutrition, sustainability
Although severe hunger has not been a major issue in Europe and Central Asia in the past 20 years, the region is in part facing an increase of moderate food insecurity, understood as irregular access to nutritious and sufficient food, while also dealing with the widespread rapid growth of obesity, challenging its ability to achieve food security and improved nutrition, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2.
According to Europe and Central Asia Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed serious threats to food security and nutrition, especially for low-income and vulnerable populations in the region.
UN-Habitat 2020 Annual Report showcases agency’s achievements in a challenging year
UN-Habitat has released its 2020 Annual Report highlighting achievements and lessons learned during the year in promoting sustainable urbanization in a rapidly changing world. The report comes at the end of the first year of the implementation of UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023 and its new organizational structure.
Events
How to Win Contracts Funded by the Multilateral Development Banks – Stories From Real Businesses! | Webinar
? 19 May 2021 ? 4 PM (Brussels Time) /10 AM (Washington DC Time)
Virtual
Join DevelopmentAid for this exciting free webinar on How to Win Contracts funded by the Multilateral Development Banks— stories from real businesses! The PFD Group and its “7/3/1” golden formula—a close to 40% yearly average success rate!
The first speaker at this webinar is Spiros T. Voyadzis, President, Partnership for Finance and Development LLC. Mr. Voyadzis held up various distinguished functions for the World Bank Group in Washington D.C. and abroad as a staff member, manager, and senior manager.
The second speaker is Hokuma Karimova, Business Development Manager who brings over 8 years of experience of working on projects funded by the multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, as well as other donor agencies such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the European Union.
The third speaker is Patrick Young, Business Development Manager with 5+ years of experience including community development for USAID, technical and competitive research for Chemonics International, as well as supporting the launch of education development advocacy group NISSEM.
The overall conversation is going to focus on the following topics:
- The MDBs and their USD yearly commitments -The market
- MDBs: Are they complicated to work with – as an example: the World Bank, but all are about similar
- The market in volume and sectors of operation – one MDB as an example
- Contract Awards by country of origin – one MDB as an example: To open the appetite and face reality
- The two ways to win MDB funded contracts
- The PFD Group methodology – the 7/3/1 Formula
- The cost of preparing and submitting proposals – is this market open to all companies, large or small?
- What makes a good expression of interest and tender?
- Are there differences in tendering between Anglo-Saxon and other nationality companies?
- What are the 3 main conclusions/recommendations retained by the participants?
You will have the possibility to ask questions directly at the webinar during our Q&A session.
HOST: Sergiu Casu, Business Development Director, DevelopmentAid
2021 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15)
? 17 – 30 May 2021
Kunming, China
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the tenth Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol COP/MOP 10), and the fourth Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (Nagoya Protocol COP/MOP 4) are expected to address a series of issues related to the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols.
SAMEA Online Capacity Building Workshops | Virtual
? 1-3 June 2021
Virtual
SAMEA’s popular online Capacity Building Workshops are taking place from 1 to 3 June 2021! The theme for this year’s workshops is: “Monitoring and Evaluation in the context of Global Crises”.
Diversifying Funding for NGOs! 3 Practical Lessons from Han Valk Fundraising Consultancy | Webinar
? 27 May 2021 ? 4 PM (Brussels Time) /10 AM (Washington DC Time)
Virtual
Join DevelopmentAid for this exciting free webinar on Diversifying Funding for NGOs! 3 Practical Lessons from Han Valk Fundraising Consultancy.
As a non-profit, as you work towards achieving your mission you will face challenges every day – finding and attracting new donors, developing an appealing last-minute proposal, increasing your impact, or developing a proactive fundraising strategy. Han Valk Fundraising can help to solve the 10 most common challenges and offer support with donors, impact, proposals, strategy, recruitment, capacity strengthening, evaluation, data, training, and communication.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions directly on the webinar during our Q&A session.
HOST: Sergiu Casu, Business Development Director, DevelopmentAid.
Speaker: Han Valk, CEO Han Valk Fundraising Consultancy.