As hate speech and far-right principles become mainstays of political campaigns and backbones of domestic policy in different countries around the world, individuals with convoluted perspectives of society are seizing the opportunity to become outspoken and active to achieve their goals. In the United States, Americans are experiencing frequent outbreaks of violence motivated by an
In 1990 the United States Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA). The legislation was a response to the steady increase in prevalence of organic products since the start of the organic movement in the 1940s. The organic movement, in addition to increased environmental awareness, led to the creation and growth of an organic
The statistics are alarming: within the next minute, one million plastic bottles and two million plastic bags will be purchased. By the end of this year, enough bubble wrap will be produced to encircle the equator at least ten times. Although most of these items will take over 1,000 years to decompose, many will immediately
Living in most parts of the world in the 21stcentury, famines seem rare. The world has seen huge progress in fighting hunger and malnutrition, and the overall positive trend is likely to continue. According to the World Bank’s open data on global hunger, there were 95 million fewer children stunted in 2016 than in
Continuous efforts in improving financial inclusion have been paid off: the 2017 Global Findex database shows that 1.2 billion adults have obtained an account since 2011, including 515 million since 2014. During this period of time, the share of adults who have an account with a financial institution or through a mobile money service, rose
Today’s government regulators face a rising challenge from the fast-growing cryptocurrency technology, and different countries’ attitudes toward it seem to vary a lot. On October 11, Dubai launched the world’s first government-backed cryptocurrency. A state-backed subsidiary of the Dubai Department of Economic Development launched the digital currency called Emcash, which can be used for making
To date, more than 60 countries have introduced legislation to reduce the use of single-use plastics – including bags, straws, cups, and other products. This is causing a serious shift in the global plastics market which by 2020 was projected to be worth $654.38 billion. The largest segment of this market, plastic packaging, is arguably
Scientists have identified a new offender contributing to China’s wintertime smog, and controlling it could be the key to maintaining significant air improvements in air quality that many northeastern cities experienced last winter. Emissions from formaldehyde, a byproduct from vehicles and chemical refineries has played a larger role than previously recognized in producing the thick,
If you’ve ever ordered a meal kit from Blue Apron or Hello Fresh, you’ve probably had this experience: A large cardboard box shows up on a delivery truck from one of the company’s few distribution centers around the country, filled with ice packs and insulation, and many, many small plastic packages of food. It’s
On September 22, gunmen opened fire at a “Sacred Defense Week” military parade in Ahvaz, Iran. The assailants, donned in military uniforms, carried out a 10 minute attack that left more than two dozen people dead and 70 more injured. The majority of victims were members of Iran’s Revolutionary guard. In the days following the
On October 2nd, 2018, IKEA and London’s Design Museum opened their Last Straw exhibition. The Last Straw features the last single-use plastic straw IKEA will ever provide in any of their UK or Ireland locations. The exhibit highlights IKEA’s People and Planet Positive strategy, specifically its ban on single-use plastics that will be completely
Google has announced that it would shut down Google Plus, the competitor to Facebook’s social network after discovering a security vulnerability that exposed the private data of over 500,000 users. The security breach that occurred in March was kept under wraps because it didn’t appear that anyone had gained access to user information and per
A bitter trade war is looming between China and the US. The US has imposed three rounds of tariffs on Chinese goods. From July to August this year, the US imposed 25 percent tariff on a total of $50 billion of Chinese goods, and China retaliated proportionally. On September 24, a new round of tariffs,
Nowadays, agricultural technology is no longer an obscure niche. The blockchain in agriculture and food supply chains markets will be worth over $400 million in the next five years, according to a new report authored by Reportlinker last Thursday. The boom of agriculture technology can be explained by Demand and Supply Law. The population growth
When thinking of emerging markets, BRICS often come to mind. However, Kazakhstan’s dedication to enhancing economic prosperity and its location as the link between Europe and Asia, make it a prime destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). On October 4th, the Council on Foreign Relations hosted the Kazakhstan in a Changing Eurasia conference. The all-day event, sponsored by
In May of 2016, a farmer named Subash Palekar won the Padmashri award, the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, for the development of the Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) model, a model he had been developing since 1986. The model was formalized in 1995, and quickly gained popularity among small-stakeholder farmers
Macedonian voters took to the polls on the last weekend of September to determine whether or not to change the name of their country – in a move that would pave the path towards entry into NATO and the European Union. However, low voter turnout almost threatened these potential outcomes. Macedonians voted on whether
Due to significant development in logistic infrastructure and the rising Internet penetration rate in China, ecommerce has become an increasingly familiar term for Chinese rural residents- approximately 45 percent of the total population. This segment of the population has long been excluded from the convenience of buying and selling goods online. According to the ministry
In 1994, the United States, Mexico and Canada signed the North American Free Trade Agreement, popularly known as NAFTA. The deal, meant to facilitate economic activity between the three countries, led to the phasing out of various tariffs associated with agriculture, textiles and automobiles between 1994 and 2008. Having shaped North American trade relations for
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
