Launch of the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2011
The report, to be released worldwide on 18 January, predicts weaker global growth in 2011 and 2012 as the recovery has lost momentum since the middle of 2010. World gross product is forecast to expand by 3.1 per cent in 2011 and 3.5 per cent in 2012, following estimated growth of 3.6 per cent in 2010. The report emphasizes that the outlook remains uncertain and surrounded by serious downside risks. The cooperative spirit among major economies is waning, which has debilitated the effectiveness of responses to the crisis. Uncoordinated monetary responses, in particular, have become a source of turbulence and uncertainty in financial markets.
The recovery may suffer further setbacks if some of the downside risks materialize, in which case a double-dip recession is looming for Europe, Japan and the United States. In the short run, more fiscal stimulus will be needed to reinvigorate the recovery, but that it will need to be better coordinated with monetary policies and reoriented to provide stronger support to employment generations.
The report further indicates that the lack of employment growth is the weakest link of the economic recovery. Between 2007 and the end of 2009, at least 30 million jobs were lost worldwide as a result of the global financial crisis. As more governments embark on fiscal austerity, the prospects for a fast recovery of employment look even gloomier.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/index.html
World Youth Report: Youth & Climate Change
The new report is intended to highlight the important role young people play in addressing climate change, and to offer suggestions on how young people might be more effectively integrated as individuals and collective agents of change within the realm of climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The report is designated to assist youth and youth organizations in educating themselves and to become more actively involved in combating the threat of climate change. It is also meant to affirm the status of young people as key stakeholders in the fight against climate change. The publication comes at a time when efforts to address climate change are receiving unparalleled attention on the international arena, offering youth a unique opportunity for their voice to be heard in the debate.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/wyr10.htm
Handbooks
Measuring the Economically Active in Population Censuses: A Handbook
This handbook provides guidance on the measurement of economic characteristics in population censuses, based on relevant experiences of countries, with a particular focus on the questions used and the requirements for processing of responses. The handbook is intended to provide census planners with a variety of approaches to assess the questions and methods of collecting economic characteristics used in their national census, as they evaluate the performance in the past decade and plan for the 2010 round of censuses. Users of census results may also find the present text useful when evaluating the quality of census results.
For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/pubs/gesgrid.asp?id=432
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 annual and quarterly 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. LXIV – No. 11, November 2010
This month, the following tables, which are featured in the MBS on a quarterly or annual basis, are presented along with the regular recurrent monthly tables: Earnings in manufacturing, by sex; Total exports and imports by regions: volume and unit value indices and terms of trade; World exports by commodity classes and by regions.
For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mbs
Population and Vital Statistics Report
This issue presents data available as of 1 July 2010, for countries or areas on population size (total, male and female) from the latest available census, estimated total population size for 2008 or 2009 (the later available year), and the number and rate of vital events (live births, deaths, and infant deaths) for the latest available year within the past 15 years (1995-2009).
These data are presented as reported by national statistical authorities to the Demographic Yearbook of DESA’s Statistics Division. This issue also presents data for the world and its major areas and regions on estimated population size for both 2008 and 2009. These estimates were prepared by DESA’s Population Division.
For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/default.htm
Meeting records
Dialogues at the Economic and Social Council: Achieving Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment and Strengthening Development Cooperation
This publication presents the key debates that took place during the 2010 High-level Segment of the Economic and Social Council, during the Council’s Annual Ministerial Review on “Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to gender equality and the empowerment of women”. It also contains a summary of the debates on themes discussed during the Council’s second biennial Development Cooperation Forum.
For more information: http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/julyhls/index10.shtml
“Development cooperation for the MDGs: Maximizing Results” – The International Development Cooperation Report (IDCR)
DESA launched an independent report on trends in international development cooperation. The flagship report draws together analysis produced for the 2010 Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) on international development cooperation, with a particular focus on the views of various stakeholders, as well as additional research.
The report reviews trends and coherence in development cooperation. It also analyses a broad range of issues that affect the effectiveness of development cooperation, such as the impact of the multiple crises, climate change, policy coherence and changes in the global aid architecture. Building on the DCF’s work, special emphasis was placed on mutual accountability on development cooperation and aid transparency as well as South-South and triangular cooperation.
The report advocates for the United Nations to take greater leadership in the area of aid quality, building on the comparative advantages of the DCF and other aid effectiveness processes, in view of producing better development results.
For more information: http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/julyhls/pdf10/10-45690_(e)(desa)development_cooperation_for_the_mdgs_max_results.pdf .
Working papers
Growth, Poverty and Inequality: From Washington Consensus to Inclusive Growth
This paper reviews recent economic policy debates about the relationship between growth, poverty and inequality. These debates have tended to focus on whether market-led growth is sufficient to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality, or whether specific policies are necessary because untargeted growth may be insufficient or even perverse.
The paper charts the degenerating outcomes of these debates, and the emergence of the inclusive growth (IG) paradigm within the World Bank. A critical examination of IG suggests that its weaknesses are best addressed through a more ambitious restatement of the pro-poor goals of economic policy.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2010/wp100_2010.pdf
Discussion papers
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects
The Monthly Briefing No. 26 states that the euro area’s sovereign debt crisis continues, despite the agreement reached on 28 November which put together a bailout package worth 85 billion euro for Ireland. In addition, stock markets have fallen with the increased financial volatility and the exchange rates of major currencies continued to be highly volatile.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/publications/dpad_wespmbn.html
