Trillions needed for anti-poverty goals to deal with climate, debt, war
A new U.N. report shows how prioritizing debt over services like health care and education plagues the developing world.
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, the U.N.'s 193 member nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to achieve universal peace and prosperity by 2030. Despite progress on some fronts, including sustainable consumption and ocean conservation, the U.N. says 85% of the agenda is off-track due to the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and Russia's war on Ukraine.
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Recycling rates falling behind the pace of e-waste generated globally
Just 22.3% of all the e-waste - any product that has a plug or battery - was properly collected and recycled in 2022.
Uneven post-pandemic recovery widens gap between rich and poor
Europe dominates the top rankings as development in half of the world’s poorest nations falls below pre-pandemic levels.
WTO biennial summit goes extra day but lacks any new major agreements
From fishing subsidies to agricultural reforms, the World Trade Organization failed to reach common ground.
IMF sees path to 'soft landing' for the global economy in its latest outlook
IMF forecasts a strengthening global economy as inflation cools, but warns of the threat of wars and other disruptions.
Benchmark of global food prices eases from painful record highs
FAO's Food Price Index tracks five commodity groups. Experts say food distribution is a worry even if supplies are plentiful.
Rich economies bounce back as developing economies lose ground
Global economic growth is projected to slow to 2.4% this year, down from 2.7% in 2023 and 3% before the pandemic began.
Ballooning interest rates cripple developing nations with high debt
The World Bank is warning of a "lost decade" as rising interest rates push developing economies to the brink.
At plastics treaty talks, geopolitical theater for a polluted material world
A handful of fossil fuel producing countries and industries show no interest in a strong, restrictive and legally binding instrument.
Treaty to curb plastic pollution stalled as industry pushes back
Oil and plastic producing nations and lobbyists sought more emphasis on recycling instead of production cuts.
Plastic pollution treaty targets production or waste management
This is the third round of talks to develop an international legally binding deal that includes plastic waste in the ocean.
China's Belt and Road Initiative recast as 'open, green and clean'
The summit marking BRI's 10-year anniversary notably drew Russia's President Vladimir Putin as a guest of honor among leaders and officials from 130 nations.
War overshadows calls for more IMF and World Bank funding for Africa
The heads of some of the biggest multilateral development banks said the world faces a global “polycrisis” affecting development at an unprecedented scale.
Geneva is 'building bridges' to connect finance with the SDGs
The idea is to speed up the adoption of a global economic model that more closely aligns with the U.N.'s 17 Global Goals.
U.N. trade body forecasts sluggish global economy as inequality widens
A new report says the world's marketplace appears to be growing at a modest rate that's defined as a global recession.
U.N. sounds alarm on universal roadmap to lift people out of poverty
Just 15% of the SDGs – which include 169 specific targets and 17 broad goals that the world agreed to in 2015 – is on track.