The FINANCIAL — According to the Human Development Report 2007-2008, by 2060 26% of economic losses equivalent to USD 26 billion are expected in dry land areas of sub-Sahara Africa due to a loss of agricultural productivity.
“The latest report is completely dedicated to the Fighting Climate Change topic and the side-effects it could have on the world’s population. Though there could be found a number of people who regard climate change an artificially created concern and a mere means of making money, the statistics delivered in the report really deserve a subsequent reaction,” claimed Sophie Chichinadze, UNDP Communications Analyst during the meeting with Media Club on December 7 at UNDP office.
The Human Development Report (HDR) was first launched in 1990 with the single goal of putting people back at the centre of the development process in terms of economic debate, policy and advocacy. The goal was both massive and simple, with far-ranging implications going beyond income to assess the level of people’s long-term well-being. Bringing about development of the people, by the people, and for the people, and emphasizing that the goals of development are choices and freedoms.
The Human Development Report is an independent report. It is commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is the product of a selected team of leading scholars, development practitioners and members of the Human Development Report Office of UNDP.
As the latest HDR reports, over the past 100 years the Earth has warmed by 0.7 ◦ C. Beyond a threshold of 2 ◦ C the risk of large-scale human development setbacks and irreversible ecological catastrophes will increase sharply.
“It will mostly hurt countries with developing economies. CCMF would mobilize USD 25-50 billion annually to finance low-carbon energy investments in these countries,” declared Marika Shotadze, Program Specialist, UNDP.
Greenhouse gas emissions are dominated by energy and land-use changes. USD 20 trillion is projected to be spent between 2004 and 2030 to meet energy demand which could lock the world on to an unsuitable trajectory.
“As for the particular effect of climate change on Georgia, the regions to be taken special care of are: Dedoplistskaro-East Georgia, the black Sea region, and Kvemo Svaneti,” said Shotadze.
In respect to the other issue that’s annually conveyed in the report, the Human Development Index for Georgia is defined a medium-0.754 and the country occupies 96th position in the list of 177 countries. The first on the list is Island and the last-Siera Leone. As for Georgia’s neighbours, Armenia is the 83rd whereas Azerbaijan is the 98th and Russia- 67th. The report envisions 2005 datum.
Since the first report, four new composite indices for human development have been developed – the Human Development Index, the Gender-related Development Index, the Gender Empowerment Measure, and the Human Poverty Index. Each Report also focuses on a highly topical theme in the current development debate, providing path-breaking analysis and policy recommendations. The Reports’ messages – and the tools to implement them – have been embraced by people around the world, evidenced by the publication of national human development reports at country level in more than 140 nations.
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