On July 18th, 2017, China formally notified the World Trade Organization that it would be instituting an import ban on specific types of solid waste. The ban covers 24 different kinds of solid waste and includes unsorted paper and low-grade polyethylene terephthalate used in plastic bottles. The ban has also established limits of the levels
San Francisco’s Global Climate Action Summit has brought together leaders and citizens from around the world to celebrate achievements of states, regions, climates, and various other stakeholders. Concomitantly, the summit has also served as a launchpad for deeper global obligations and has escalated action to prevent further climate change and uphold the Paris Agreement. California’s
For many years, poor people living in rural areas have struggled to find ways to finance their livelihood. In 1978, Grameen Bank was set up in Bangladesh to provide microcredit to impoverished people without collaterals and higher interest rates. This is the most famous example of microfinance. Today, microfinance institutions (MFI) operate all over the
In the WHO’s most recent global study, it reports a gap of 7.2 million healthcare workers between “supply” and “demand”, which is expected to rise to 12.9 million. This translates to a demand form 5,073 positions to be filled, according to a report by Workforce on demand for healthcare occupations in Florida. That number was
TBG is excited to introduce you to our Fall 2018 Internship Team. This accomplished group of graduate students will be assisting TBG on our ongoing projects, business development, and research on various development challenges and initiatives. Learn more about our each intern below. Paulina Plata – Columbia University SIPA Paulina is currently enrolled in Columbia
Kerala, a state in southern India, also known as “Gods own country” because of its marvelous beauty and natural splendor, is in shambles because of devastating floods. Nearly 400 people have died and several thousands still remain stranded by some of the worst flooding in the State. According to reports, about one million people have
More and more people are attracted to living in cities. Though it means a more financial cost to live in a city, many people still choose to live urban areas. Due to social and economic aspects, the benefits of living in a city far outweigh the costs of living in a city. With innovation in
Since its outbreak in Nigeria in 2016, the Fall Armyworm has spread precipitously across sub-Saharan Africa and has extended to India. The Fall Armyworm (FAW), or Spodoptera frugiperda is an insect that is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. In its larva stage, it can cause significant damage to crops, if not meticulously
When Kofi Annan became Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1997, he had already been within the UN system for almost 35 years – starting as a budget officer for the World Health Organization and rising through the ranks to become head of personnel for the office of the UN High Commission for Refugees; Assistant Secretary-General for
The sudden bloom of toxic algae has infected the waters of Southwest Florida causing a state of emergency. The algae are found in marine environments for most of the year, but the past two months have produced high concentrations. This red tide has made breathing difficult for the local residents, slowed tourism, and filled the
With financial turmoil in Turkey rolling the country’s assets, elsewhere in the world the risks of the reemergence of a global sovereign debt crisis is looming. A new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicates that government debt in some of the world’s poorest countries is rising to risky levels. Another study by the
Efforts to reach an agreement between the United States and North Korea have somewhat soured, and the future of denuclearization is unclear as the two countries seem to have different definitions of the word. But peace efforts between the two Koreas have better prospects and the two nations are considering the many ways their countries
Last Sunday, two students were killed by a bus in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city. Two buses were reportedly racing to collect passengers at the time of the deaths, a common occurrence in this regularly gridlocked city. Establishing an effective system of public transportation has been a struggle for Bangladesh; its transport sector is widely seen
Undeniably, international trade has boosted economies. Consumers have benefited with cheaper price on goods and services than they are willing to pay. Producers also have benefited with higher price on goods and services than they are willing to sell. In economic terms, we call it consumer and producer ‘surplus.’ This condition has been sustained because
In 2009, Ban Ki-Moon stated that “All people benefit” when maternal health care is improved. The maternal mortality rate fell by 44% between 1990 and 2015, yet the current maternal mortality ratio of 216 out of 100,000 live births, is still too high. The risk of maternal death is 1 in 41 in low-income countries,
In a significant number of developing countries, few children graduate from secondary school, and a majority do not finish primary school. According to UNICEF, 59 million children are missing out on primary school education, 13 million children are not in school because of conflicts in the MENA region, and 22% of primary school age children
After nearly 5 years of civil war, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar are negotiating a deal that will allow the rebel leader to return to government as the most senior of five vice presidents, putting an end to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Elsewhere, the UN’s
Abraaj, a private equity firm in Dubai that managed $14 billion at its peak, ran into trouble last month after using borrowed money to pay salaries and other costs that were not covered by the management fees it charged investors. Abraaj is accused of commingling funds, a term used to describe using money from investors
As women and girls account for about half of the world’s population. Women are important members of their communities and critical facilitators of global development. However, due to lack of proper education, some girls are unable to reach their full potential. Girls are under-represented in schools, with a 4% gender gap in primary school enrollment
On July 24, 2018, the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officially declared an end to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus that had raged on in the northwestern part of the country since the first case was reported in May 2018. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 54 cases of
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) sets a broad vision for the future of the Asia and the Pacific with a new long-term corporate strategy. ‘Strategy 2030’ outlines an agenda that considers the multiple challenges and the changing needs of this vast and important region. The highly-anticipated plan aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and
Children living in conflict-affected regions are brought up alongside bloodshed, brutalities, oppression and violence causing them to go through traumas, emotional and physical, that no child ever should. Children inhabiting the Gaza strip are living proof of this harsh reality. Their daily lives are miserable. They have little to no access to electricity or clean
In a modern economy, companies finance themselves with equities and debts. If their business gets the degree to which they no longer internally finance with founders’ own assets, they start to seek more financial liquidity through external financing. In return, companies pay dividends to equity holders and interests to debt holders, respectively. With this
Even though the world’s farmers are producing enough calories to feed the entire population plus an additional 1.6 billion people, hunger remains an issue as the calories are not evenly distributed. Innovation in food production has helped feed a growing population. However, in the least developed countries (LDCs), advancements in agricultural technology are lagging behind.
China has emerged as Africa’s largest trading partner, providing a market for the continent’s energy and minerals. This week, the Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on a four-leg tour of the African continent as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. President Xi has scheduled visits to Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa, and Mauritius all in
The “Land Down Under” has experienced huge developments in its energy industry. But despite headlines of a Tesla solar farm and the installation of the biggest lithium-ion battery storage, Australia continues to generate 63 percent of its electricity from coal, making it one of the most coal-dependent nations in the world. (AU Department of Environment and
The Indian Supreme Court, this week, reserved its verdict on the issue of decriminalizing homosexuality. Queer rights activists across the nation are hopeful that this time would prove to be the last time they have to fight to decriminalize homosexual intercourse. To provide a brief background, homosexuality is a criminal offence
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) set the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are comprised of 17 global goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Calling for a strong cooperation among countries to effectively deal with looming global challenges, goals are applied to not only developing
Emerging markets (EMs) are considerably new and thus figuring out their path. The term emerging markets was coined in the late 19th century, but by 2016, the heavyweights of EMs accounted for 48% of Global GDP according to a report by Cornell University. Although emerging markets play a significant role in the world economy, developments
In the face of inadequate resources to finance infrastructure and long-term sustainable development in a significant number of the developing countries, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has assumed a prominent place as an integral part of an open and effective international economic system and a major catalyst for development. The World Bank defines FDI as a
Trapped in a downward political and economic spiral, the instability in Venezuela caused by a weakening democracy and the spread of violent crime has profound consequences for Latin America and the rest of the world. As Nicolás Maduro enters another presidential term bankrupt and isolated, the deep roots of organized crime that support his government will
The current position taken by British Prime Minister Theresa May on Brexit seeks to preserve uncomplicated goods trade with the European Union, and avoid border checks and tariffs. Supporters of a more radical Brexit policy, fear that May’s new deal may lead to excessive British dependence on the EU, especially in the sphere of trade.
Thanks to the electricity, we can watch our favorite shows on TV, make a phone call to our friend and read books at night before we sleep. Because electricity is a part of almost every aspect of our daily lives, we may feel helpless when a sudden blackout occurs. However, there are still over
With climate changes exceeding most forecasts and communities already suffering, the future of our environment has been difficult to project. The UNHCR states that since 2008, an average of 22.5 million people have been displaced due to climate- and weather-related events. Climate change is expected to create the world’s largest refugee crisis, with tens of
Behind the struggle to address global warming and climate change is the increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. According to a 2017 PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency report, in 2016, total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (excluding those from land use) increased to about 49.3 gigatonnes in CO2 equivalent with carbon dioxide accounting for 72%
In the last week, headlines have been full of devastating news on extreme weather events linked to climate change and sea level rise. A heat wave skyrocketed energy demand on the Los Angeles grid, leaving tens of thousands without power; in addition to wild forest fires due to drier conditions that have once again forced
The Trump administration is preparing to enforce tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese goods, and China has claimed to retaliate with tariffs of an equal amount in U.S. exports. If Trump’s threats turn out to be true, this could mark the beginning of an escalating trade war. Businesses within the European Union are closely watching
Though the world has enjoyed unprecedented economic prosperity, there are looming problems that may hinder further innovation and growth in the future. Especially worrisome is the aging population problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the proportion of a society’s population that is comprised of persons aged 65 or older is called the “aging
The Poverty-Environment Initiative, a global UN enterprise that supports country-led efforts to mainstream poverty-environment linkages, has produced exciting new knowledge drawn from the last ten years of specific UN interventions in 23 countries in Africa, Europe, Latin American and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The term ‘poverty-environment-development nexus’ refers to the mutually inclusive linkages
Corruption has been identified as the single most significant obstacle to economic and social development; its claws are systematic, enduring and far-reaching and have long been considered a hindrance to good governance. US$1 trillion is paid in bribes annually while an estimated US$2.6 trillion is stolen through corrupt activities – a sum that is equivalent
The recent crisis in American prisons concerning the separation of children from parents is not the first time that children have been subjected to abuse in immigration cases. Compelled to leave their homeland, children are often subjected to violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking. This is clearly exemplified in the image of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi,
The economy of China is big, and it accounts for a large portion of world economy. According to the International Monetary Fund, the Chinese economy is the world’s second largest economy by nominal GDP. Since 1992, the GDP growth rate has never decreased to below five percent, and it has led the world’s economic
Trade has long been considered a strategic tool to reduce poverty and increase economic growth. However, to ensure sustainable economic growth through trade, it must be improved. By combining strategies, a fully optimized trade might be possible. One strategy was introduced by Gambia’s Vice President, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, in mid-June. She noted that developing countries have
The renewable energy market is growing, and it’s generating exciting, large-scale changes to the distribution of energy across many regions of the world. A new report, The Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018, jointly published by the UN Environment, the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre, and the Bloomberg New Energy Finance, finds that the falling
Every year, the world generates a total of 1.3 billion tons of waste – a number that is expected to rise to 4 billion tons by 2100 as global consumption increases and waste is mismanaged. A tenth of our waste is disposed of through incinerated and another four-fifths is dumped in landfills, while the remaining
The growth of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is worth noting. EV sales have recorded an average of 32% growth annually from 2012-2016 and 45% growth over the year ending June 2017 in the U.S. Moreover, the future of global EV sales is much more bullish. Though there are debates about EV market projections, the general consensus
This is a 3-minute read that can help us leave a proud legacy behind, along with a cleaner environment. By 2050, we will see more plastic in the ocean than fish! Shocking, but not surprising considering that 80% of the plastic found in the oceans originates on land and only 9% of plastic is recycled
Yemen is still facing the worst humanitarian crisis in decades, and it is not getting better. Mass killings and displacements have taken place since the start of war in 2015, and the country has become a playground for national and international powers. The ongoing conflict in Yemen intensified in March 2015 when Houthi rebels—a minority
By 2025, women could add an additional 26%, to the global annual GDP if they participated in the economy at the same level as men, as reported by McKinsey Global Institute. According to the UNDP, gender disparity is seen in every country and many women face unequal treatment at their workplace as compared to men.
In 2014, approximately 62.5 percent of the 1.06 billion people living without access to electricity resided in Sub-Sahara Africa. This represented 6 out of 10 people or about 609 million people; more than any other region of the world. Nearly 80% of those lacking access to electricity across sub-Saharan Africa live in rural communities.
