The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with Fridays for Future, has recently released a comprehensive analysis of climate risk from a child’s perspective named ‘The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index’. This first-of-its-kind index ranks countries based on children’s exposure to climate and environmental shocks, like Cyclones and Heatwaves, as well as their vulnerability to these shocks with respect to their access to essential services. The index reveals that four South Asian countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and India, are at extreme risk of the impacts of the climate crisis.
Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2021
Asian Development Bank (ADB) released a report presenting comprehensive statistics for ADB’s 49 regional members covering economic, financial, social and environmental aspects. The report demonstrates that the Asia-Pacific region made substantial progress in the past two decades in reaching several development targets.
Global Manufacturing Risk Index 2021
US-based property consultant Cushman & Wakefield released the Global Manufacturing Risk Index 2021, which ranks 47 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific (APAC) based on their suitability for global manufacturing. The rankings consider factors such as the country’s capability to restart manufacturing, business environment, operating costs, and risks including political, economic and environmental. In the 2021 rankings, India overtook the US to become the second most sought-after manufacturing destination globally.
Hunger Hotspots Report
In a report released by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with World Food Programme (WFP), Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Sudan, northern Nigeria and Yemen were identified as the major hunger hotspots of the world. Violent attacks, natural disasters, pandemic shocks and poor humanitarian access were identified as key factors causing food insecurity.
Global Cybersecurity Index 2020
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) released the Global Cybersecurity Index 2020, which assesses the performance of countries on five parameters of cybersecurity; Legal measures, technical measures, organisational measures, capacity development, and cooperation. The US ranked 1st, followed by the UK and Saudi Arabia at 2nd position and Estonia ranked 3rd. India has also performed significantly better in the index, moving up 37 places to rank 10th and securing the 4th position in the Asia Pacific region.
World Competitiveness Index 2021
The World Competitiveness Index, first published in 1989 and compiled by the Institute for Management Development (IMD), Switzerland, assesses the prosperity and competitiveness of countries based on four key factors: Economic performance, Government efficiency, Business efficiency and Infrastructure. Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark top the list while India maintained its 43rd rank.
Global Liveability Index
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its Global Liveability Index which evaluates global cities on stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Top three liveable cities are Auckland, Osaka and Adelaide. The bottom three cities in the liveability index are Damascus, Lagos and Port Moresby.
Global Economic Prospects
The World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report forecasts the fastest post-recession growth rate in eighty years for the world economy. For India, the economy is expected to grow at 8.3% for Fiscal Year 2021-22, 7.5% for 2022-23 and 6.5% for 2023-24.
Report On Global Remittances
According to a report released by the World Bank, India is the world’s biggest recipient of remittances followed by China. These remittances play a crucial role in boosting India’s foreign exchange reserves and funding its current account deficit.
World Press Freedom Day 2021
Organised by UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Press Freedom Day 2021 was themed “Information as a Public Good”. This day also signifies the 1991 Windhoek Declaration adopted by UNESCO that advocates for the ‘development of a free, independent and pluralistic press’.
World Press Freedom Index 2021
Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) released the World Press Freedom Index ranking countries on the level of freedom available to journalists. Norway topped the list for five consecutive years, followed by Finland and Denmark. China ranked 177, with only North Korea and Turkmenistan ranking lower. India has maintained the same rank as last year at 142nd position.
Global Gender Gap Report 2021
World Economic Forum (WEF) published the Global Gender Gap Report to track gender parity globally based on health, education, economy and politics. South Asia appeared to be one of the worst-performing regions, with India ranking 140 out of 156 countries.
World Happiness Report 2021
The Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations released the World Happiness Report which gauges happiness levels of citizens in 149 countries. Finland topped the list for the fourth consecutive year, while Afghanistan ranked last. India came in at 139th place.
Technology And Innovation Report 2021
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the Technology and Innovation Report 2021 discussing the potential broadening of inequalities due to frontier technologies. It highlighted the need for national and international policies to create a more equal world of opportunity for all. India was cited as the biggest ‘overperformer’ in frontier technologies.
Food Waste Index Report 2021
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published the Food Waste Index Report 2021, which presents the most comprehensive analysis of food waste to date. The report reflects that developed Countries like Austria produce significantly lower amounts of waste as compared to developing and less developed countries.
Corruption Perception Index
Transparency International released the Corruption Perception Index which ranks countries based on the perceived level of public sector corruption. Denmark and New Zealand scored highest while South Sudan and Somalia scored the lowest. India’s rank came in at 86th among 180 countries.
Davos Dialogue
The World Economic Forum held its annual meeting in Davos, where it launched the ‘Great Reset Initiative’ in the post-Covid world. This initiative is aimed at shaping global, regional and industry agendas through the engagement of top world leaders.
World Food Price Index
The Food and Agriculture Organization’s World Food Price Index monitors developments in global agricultural commodity markets. It calculates monthly changes in international food commodity prices.
Human Development Index
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released the Human Development Index which assesses development based on a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. Norway topped the index, followed by Ireland and Switzerland. In Asia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia were the top performers. India ranked among countries with “medium human development”.
Climate Change Performance Index
The Climate Change Performance Index, jointly released by Germanwatch, the New Climate Institute and the Climate Action Network, independently evaluates climate protection performances of 57 countries and the European Union. Notably, no country met the criteria to be placed in the top three ranks. The two G20 nations, the UK and India ranked as high performers.
World Economic Outlook
According to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) biannual report, the World Economic Outlook, the global economy is expected to experience significant changes in the near and medium-term future. The report provides an analysis and prediction of these developments.
Global Hunger Index 2020
The Global Hunger Index 2020, released by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, measures and tracks hunger at global, regional, and country levels. The report identified India having a “serious” level of hunger, ranking 94 out of 107 countries.
Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report
The World Bank’s Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report indicated that the new poor would be more urban, engaged in informal services and manufacturing, live in congested urban areas and work in sectors most affected by lockdowns and mobility restrictions. Most of the newly poor individuals are reportedly from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
World Risk Index 2020
The World Risk Index 2020, released by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft and the University of Stuttgart, assesses disaster risk across various countries. Oceania exhibited the highest risk, followed by Africa and the Americas. India ranked 89th among 181 countries, making it the fourth-most-at-risk in South Asia.
Human Capital Index 2020
World Bank’s Human Capital Index benchmarks key components of human capital across countries. The index focuses on health and education data of children from 174 countries and covers 98% of the world’s population. India is ranked 116th among these countries.
Global Innovation Index 2020
The Global Innovation Index, released by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Cornell University, INSEAD, provides detailed metrics about the innovation performance of 131 countries. Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, the UK and Netherlands lead the ranking while India ranks among the top 50 innovative countries at 48th position.
State of the Young Child in India Report
A report released by the NGO, Mobile Creches, ‘State of the Young Child in India’,
