Climate Tipping Point Series
The West African Monsoon brings essential rainfall to 300 million people across the Sahel from May to October, governing precipitation patterns from the Gulf of Guinea to the southern Sahara edge. This atmospheric system determines agricultural productivity, economic stability, and food security across a region where less than 1% of farmland has irrigation. Historical evidence […]
Sustainable Cities Trilogy
The rise of innovation in government provides one of the key opportunities to build more sustainable cities. ‘Smart’ cities, characterized by using technologies such as sensors and advanced data analytics, are powering new forms of urban governance and decision-making. Global spending on smart city initiatives is forecasted to exceed USD 440 billion in 2025, with a […]
Sustainable Cities Trilogy
Over half the world’s population currently reside in cities, a figure projected to grow to nearly 70% by 2050. Despite occupying only 3% of the planet’s land, cities account for over 70% of carbon emissions and resource consumption, putting them at the forefront of climate mitigation and sustainability needs. This concentration of people, consumption, and […]
Sustainable Cities Trilogy
Over 3.3 billion people live in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change, and global average annual losses arising from disasters could reach 415 billion USD by 2030. In fact, 83% of the world’s cities are reporting significant climate hazards as of 2024, such as flooding, extreme heat, drought, heavy rain, and wildfires. By […]
Migration Trilogy
This article discusses the foundational role of data in policy-making, the importance of investment for sustainable migration solutions, and the critical role of health systems in integrating migrants. As of 2023, over USD 650 billion in remittances were sent back to home countries, nonetheless, channelling the benefits of refugees and migrants requires good data, especially […]
Migration Trilogy
After establishing that refugees are a natural global phenomenon, we now turn to their integration, the economic challenges and opportunities they create for host countries, and the growing role of climate change in shaping migration patterns. Aside from politicizations, experts agree that hosting migrants can be a win-win situation, however, this requires cooperation, data-driven policies […]
Migration Trilogy
In 2014, there were less than 60 million forcibly displaced people in the world. As of October 2024, estimates indicate that over 120 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes for a variety of reasons, including conflict, persecution, climate disasters, and poverty. While political discourse in Western democracies often focuses on the growing […]
Employment Trilogy
By 2030, the green transition could create 24 million new jobs worldwide, many of which will be in developing countries. Currently only 5% of employees in developing regions receive training in green skills compared to over 28% in developed regions. Meanwhile only 13% of youth in low-income countries globally have the necessary digital skills for […]
Employment Trilogy
The impact investment industry has created millions of jobs in developing countries over the last several decades. A recent survey sample of impact investors found that 79% primarily targeted impact through employment, and had particular sectors of interest with agriculture and food receiving the highest proportion of investments (36%). Yet global structural transformation patterns coupled […]
Employment Trilogy
Today, 19% of the global workforce lives in poverty. Two billion workers worldwide – about 61% of all workers – are informally employed. And three million people die each year as a result of occupational accidents. As the push for global sustainable development continues, job creation and the raising of living standards remain a central […]