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. 12, December 2010

This month, the following tables, which are featured in the MBS on a quarterly or bimonthly basis, are presented along with the regular recurrent monthly tables: Retail price indices relating to living expenditures of United Nations officials; Earnings in non-agricultural activities, by sex; Fuel imports, developed economies: unit value and volume indices, value; Indicators on fuel imports, developed economies; Registration of new motor vehicles; External trade conversion factors; Manufactured goods exports: unit value indices, volume indices and value; Selected series of world statistics.

For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mbs

Working papers

Economic Integration, Inequality and Growth: Latin America vs. the European economies in transition

This paper presents a simple theoretical framework to explain variations in income inequality over time and between countries. It also analyses the factors responsible for the widespread rise in inequality during the neo-liberal reforms of 1980-2000 in the fields of trade, foreign direct investment (FDI) and capital flows, and the rise in migration. Finally, it compares the decline in inequality observed in most of Latin America over 2000-2008 with the steady increase of inequality in many European transition economies during this period despite their return to robust growth. The paper argues that such divergence is explained by differences in policies.

For more information: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/papers/2011/index.shtml

Discussion papers

Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects

The Monthly Briefing No. 27 states that a further slowdown in global economic growth is expected and that developing economies continue to lead the recovery. There are major downside risks for a gloomier outlook, including too early moves to fiscal austerity, further exchange rate volatility and a renewed widening of the global imbalances

For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/publications/dpad_wespmbn.html

Meeting records

Preliminary Synthesis Report on “Best Practices and Lessons Learned on the Objective and Themes of the Conference”

The report was made available at the First Intersessional Meeting for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD – Rio+20) held on 10-11 January in New York. More than 100 member States, Major Groups’ organizations, and United Nations system entities responded to the five-part questionnaire that was proposed by the first Preparatory Committee of UNCSD in May 2010, soliciting their views and requesting information pertaining to the objectives and themes of the Conference.

This report is a reflection of these responses, examining growth in political commitment to sustainable development and evaluating progress in implementation since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit; identifying new and emerging challenges; and offering opinions and suggestions that will set the foundation for future discussions and actions on the themes of a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication (GESDPE) and the institutional framework for sustainable development. The results will continue to evolve as additional responses are compiled and synthesized as part of the UNCSD preparatory process.

For more information: http://tinyurl.com/48xld7b

Objective and Themes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

The advanced unedited copy of the Secretary-General’s Report highlights that despite two decades of progress since countries first laid out a blueprint for sustainable development at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the use of the planet’s natural resources continue to damage crucial ecosystems.

It examines the two themes of UNCSD — green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication (GESDPE), and the institutional framework for sustainable development (IFSD) — in relation to the objective of renewed political commitment to sustainable development, reviewing progress and implementation gaps and addressing new and emerging challenges.

The starting point is the recognition that sustainable development, with each of its three pillars reinforced and mutually reinforcing, has been the overarching goal of the international community since Rio 1992. Thus, the question posed here is how a focus on GESDPE and IFSD can help accelerate progress on the sustainable development agenda.

For more information: http://tinyurl.com/4jnz86z

Outreach Material

Rio20: Making it Happen

The latest issue of the biweekly e-newsletter on the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Secretariat keeps readers abreast of the preparatory work and focuses on the preliminary synthesis report, intergovernmental meetings, inter-agency news and on regional updates.

For more information: http://www.uncsd2012.org/files/newsletter-pdf/Newsletter-Volume2-Issue1Rio20Making-it-happen-January%202011rev1_1.pdf

e-Publications

Contribution of the United Nations to the Improvement of Public Administration: A 60-Year History

This publication is now available on Amazon Kindle, iBookstore and Barnes &Noble Nook platform. This is the second E-Book of DESA’s Division for Public Administration & Development Management, following the October 2010 release of the E-Book edition of the flagship publication “United Nations E-Government Survey 2010″. Both titles will soon be available on the Sony platform, as well.

iBooks:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-united-nations-contribution/id411689579?mt=11

Amazon Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB3KS

Barnes&Noble Nook:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ean=2940012032751

Websites

Redesigned website of DESA’s Development Policy and Analysis Division

The newly launched site includes news, events and recent publications and features its flagships the Word Economic Situation and Prospects and the World Economic and Social Survey, the Committee for Policy Development, Project LINK and other initiatives.

To browse: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/index.shtml