COVID-19 pandemic is the latest crisis facing the world. And this according to the latest Human Development Report is not the first and won’t be the last unless humans reduce the immense pressure exerted on nature. The report suggests that it is time to make a change and work with nature and not against it. The 2020 Human Development Report was launched today.
The 2020 Human Development Report is a reflection of the pressures people put on the planet. According to the report, what started as a health challenge has now turned out to be a human development crisis. COVID-19 is a warning sign of what is to come.
“The report argues that the development at the expense of the planet is not development at all. Therefore, it calls for reimagining the human development journey. This journey starts by rejecting the idea that we must choose between people and trees. It is not “either-or”, because we need to advance human wellbeing while protecting the planet at the same time,” said Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP Bhutan.
Similarly, Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji who is also a Chairperson of the National Environment Commission said, the report comes at a time when the world is reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In Bhutan, the pandemic has given us the opportunity to relook at our policies and devise appropriate strategies going forward. Sustainable and efficient use of available resources is critical. The way our youth have taken up agriculture and construction work, which were shunned in the past, has given us hope that our future is in safe hands,” said Lyonpo.
Meanwhile, for the first time, the report highlights that the Human Development Index dropped. Human Development Index measures a nation’s health, education and standards of living.
And to discourage countries to put more pressure on the planet, the 2020 Human Development Report introduces carbon dioxide emissions and its material footprint. The two new tools will help assess the human development index.
“This year, by adding two new metrics- carbon dioxide emissions and material footprint, the new planetary pressures-adjusted Human Development Index shows how the global development landscape changes when you consider the wellbeing of people alongside planetary pressures. And it provides a guiding metric towards advancing human development while easing planetary pressures,” said the Resident Representative of UNDP.
The Human Development Report is UNDP’s annual publication published since 1990. It is independent and analytical discussions in major developments issues, trends and policies.
Sonam Pem
