World Population Policies 2013
Published by UN DESA’s Population Division, the report is part of a series that provides comprehensive and up-to-date available information on the population policy situations and trends for all 193 Member States, two Observer States and two non-member States of the United Nations. The publication documents changes in Government views and policies from 1976 to 2013 with respect to population size and growth, age structure, fertility, reproductive health and family planning, health and mortality, spatial distribution and internal migration, and international migration within the context of demographic, social and economic change.
World Mortality Report 2013
Issued by U
N DESA’s Population Division, the report assesses changes in mortality risks at the global, regional and country levels, focusing in particular on the implementation period of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, from 1990-1995 to 2010-2015. It evaluates the progress of regions and countries with respect to life expectancy at birth, child mortality, mortality in the reproductive and working ages and life expectancy at advanced ages. It also discusses the contributions of improvements in survival at different stages of life towards the achievement of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) survival targets.
World Fertility Report 2012
World Fertility Report 2012, published by UN DESA’s Population Division, is the fourth in a series and provides empirical evidence of changes in reproductive behaviour worldwide from the 1970s to the 1990s to the present time period.
The report describes fertility levels and timing of childbearing, marriage and union formation and demand for contraception. Online data and metadata for 198 countries or areas on a broad set of indicators are also included.
International Migration Report 2013
Prepared by UN DESA’s Population Division, the International Migration Report 2013 presents information on international migration levels and policies as well as other related indicators for major areas, regions and countries of the world.
Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal (NRF)
Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, delivers cutting edge research on policy issues relevant to the sustainable development agenda. The journal considers papers on all topics relevant to sustainable development. In addition, it dedicates series, issues and special sections to specific themes that are relevant to the current discussions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
The latest special issue of the journal, issued by UN DESA’s Division for Sustainable Development, focuses on Small Island Developing States.
Statistical compilations
Monthly Bulletin of Statistics and MBS Online
The Monthly Bulletin of Statistics presents current economic and social statistics for more than 200 countries and territories of the world. It contains over 50 tables of monthly and/or bimonthly, quarterly and annual data on a variety of subjects illustrating important economic trends and developments, including population, prices, employment and earnings, energy, manufacturing, transport, construction, international merchandise trade and finance.
Vol. LXVIII – No. 1, January 2014
In addition to the regular recurrent monthly tables, this issue includes the quarterly tables: Civil aviation traffic: passenger-km and cargo net ton-km; Total exports and imports by countries or areas: volume, unit value, terms of trade and purchasing power of exports, in US dollars.
Outreach material
Sustainable Development in Action – Issue 2, Volume 2
The latest issue, published by UN DESA’s Division for Sustainable Development, highlights the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The newsletter aims to feature the work carried out by Member States, United Nations system, Major Groups and other relevant stakeholders in implementing sustainable development and leading the way to the Future We Want.
Youth Flash Newsletter
Published by UN DESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development Focal Point on Youth, the February issue is available online with a feature article highlighting youth voices on migration and the recently released World Youth Report. The newsletter is prepared with input from UN offices, agencies, and from youth organizations around the world.
DESA NGO News
The February issue is available online. Published by UN DESA’s NGO Branch, the newsletter provides the most up-to-date information on news and upcoming events of interest to civil society at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva and elsewhere. The latest issue highlights recent events including the General Assembly debate addressing the water, sanitation and sustainable energy crises; the Commission for Social Development; the Committee on NGOs; and the General Assembly President’s initiative for the post-2015 development agenda.
Discussion papers
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects No. 63
Published by UN DESA’s Development Policy and Analysis Division, the February issue states that the currencies of several developing economies depreciated sharply vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar and that the GDP growth in the United States was better than expected in 2013.
Policy briefs
Achieving sustainable development: the energy investment challenge
The latest policy brief, prepared by Diana Alarcon and Eduardo Zepeda of UN DESA’s Development Policy and Analysis Division, talks about how transforming the world energy system calls for strong leadership, carefully designed policies, behavioral changes and large investments, both in developed and developing countries
Working papers
International Tax Cooperation and Innovative Development Finance
Effective income and wealth taxation is a central development cooperation issue because taxation of foreign companies and their own residents’ overseas assets remain problematic for developing countries. Estimates of the scale of undeclared expatriated profits and overseas assets, and thus the income tax lost to developing countries, are large relative to other forms of innovative development finance. The international cooperation required involves information exchange between jurisdictions to allow the full application of existing tax codes. This expanded global tax base would be a more sustainable and equitable system than the traditional donor-recipient relationship.
Aid Securitization: Beyond IFFIm
The International Finance Facility for Immunization (IFFIm), which securitized future aid commitments by donor countries, has been successful in providing funds to immunize children in poor countries. Since capital is likely to remain scarce, the paper evaluates the prospects of setting up IFFIm-like mechanisms to fund a variety of objectives. Two broad conclusions emerge. First, replicating IFFIm could prove challenging because donor pledges will lack the desired credibility. Second, credit enhancements like third party guarantees, excess coverage, and channeling of pledges through a preferred creditor, could overcome this deficiency. Finally, Advance Market Commitments and Cash on Delivery are alternatives to deliver some of the advantages of IFFIm.
Websites
A new website has been launched on February 24 for the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The website contains a wealth of information on the upcoming 2014 Third International Conference on SIDS to be held in 2014 in Apia, Samoa.
