#united nations department of economic and social affairs (desa)

[southsouthcooperationday]

Multi-stakeholder round table 9: Data, monitoring and follow-up.

8th Plenary meeting - Round table at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 22-26 July 2024. Data, including data on financing, is crucial for assessing progress and guiding actions towards achieving th...

Watch the Multi-stakeholder round table 9: Data, monitoring and follow-up!

[worldpopulationday]

World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results - Press Briefing.

Press Briefing by Mr. Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), along with Mr. John Wilmoth, Director, Population Division, UN DESA and Ms. Clare Menozzi, Senior Population Affairs Officer, Population Division, UN DESA. They brief journalists on the World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results.

Watch the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) on the World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results - Press Briefing.

[humansolidarityday]

Intergenerational Solidarity and Poverty Reduction.

Address the value of Solidarity and the intergenerational approaches as a tool for Social Development.

Press Conference: ''Intergenerational Solidarity and Poverty Reduction'' organized by the The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) on the International Human Solidarity Day 2010, to be observed on 20 December.

Participants include His Excellency Mr. Ghazi Jomaa Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations; Ms. Jessica Frank, Chairperson, NGO Committee on Aging to the United Nations; and Mr. Donald Lee, Chief of the Social Perspective on Development Branch (DESA/DSPD) who will serve as moderator.

[migrantsday]

Migrants' contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Family Remittances and Investment.

Technical meeting on "Migrants' contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Family Remittances and Investment" (in observance of the International Day of Family Remittances (A/RES/71/237)) (co-organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF))

[developmentinformationday]

U.N. General Assembly resolutions designating UN Development Decades

The United Nations General Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide with United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.

Fourth UN Development Decade (1991-2000) (A/RES/45/199, 21 December 1990)

Third UN Development Decade (1981-1990) (A/RES/35/56, 5 December 1980)

Second UN Development Decade (1971-1980) (A/RES/2626 (XXV), 24 October 1970)

First UN Development Decade (1960-1970) (A/RES/1710 (XVI), 19 December 1961)

[blackboyart]

Echoic Bird and Automobile Memory

Birds exclusive to their habitat are tuned for a unique blend of smoothness and control as found in the comfortable, full-size marsh and wetlands. These birds have an oil that they preen from their uropygial gland causing a sleek mesmerizing sheen on their vibrant plumage. Most water birds coat beads translucent with water to help create buoyancy in their habitat. As the demand for roadways increases it is clear that there is 0% interest for the land of these birds. Automobile traffic affects birds' migration duration and decreases breeding proximity. As in urban communities, an increase in habitat loss for the birds is seen as marshes and wetlands are surrounded by constant traffic. 

It is a windy evening in March 2024 and some of the birds have returned to Southern California as the constant presence of echoic memory from cars gripping the pavement never leaves. Birds such as Canada Geese ( Branta canadensis) at Magic Johnson Park and Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula)  at Bolsa Chica Wetlands are met with the proximity of vehicle traffic. Citing government data from the Census, the average travel time commuting increased from 21.7 minutes in 1980 to 22.4 minutes in 1990, and to 25.5 minutes in 2000. That equals an average of one hour of traveling in a car on the roadway to and from work. To put this in perspective there is not just one car on the road there are thousands moving all at different times of the day and night. 

  The park in Los Angeles called Magic Johnson Park has Canada Geese that roam freely, and you can sometimes catch a pack of grazing Canada Geese looking into the distance at the flow of vehicles owning the road. In recent years I have witnessed Canada Geese build nests in spring furthest away from car traffic as not all Canada Geese choose to migrate. Canada Geese are known for flying North for Spring breeding in sub-arctic regions where the population of people and traffic is normally not high. 

Traffic Congestion is known to be a stressor on the animals mainly during the breeding season based on natural observations. Research suggests that populations of migratory birds are in decline for reasons including loss and degradation of migratory stopover habitat. Migration might be the most dangerous time of a migratory bird's annual cycle. For example, 85% of the yearly mortality of the black-throated blue warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) occurs during migration. Any bird that migrates stops at several locations before reaching their destination. When there is a limited ecosystem available then this path turns into a treacherous one. The stop-over sight can be replaced with a 70-mph machine and a person with no remorse. 

Other bird habitat locations in Southern California that have a relationship with traffic is the Pacific Coast Highway which borders Bolsa Chica Wetlands Botanical Park. There is a pack of Snowy Egrets that currently roost in a tree near the highway during sunset. I hypothesize these birds are using the highway as security from pedestrians or predators throughout the night such as coyotes. Given the recent statistics of California bird density and automobile traffic are negatively correlated. However, the birds have no choice and are adjusting to cars. According to The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) report World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision, half of the global population now lives in urban areas. Stating that by the year 2050, two-thirds of the world's people will be city dwellers. The relationship people have with their cars is a love affair that is sending sorrow to birds in more ways than I can imagine. A more dense population will create a more dense congestion of traffic resulting in a demand for vehicle travel space. If interest is not met with these species to a wider audience there will be fewer ecosystems with water in the urban community. 

In 2019 at Madrona Marsh Nature Reserve I conducted research on bird species such as the Egrets and Herons at the Madrona Marsh Nature Center. A center with 10-foot metal gates that surround the park. I researched interactions that arise from being in a central habitat. The objective was to create an understanding of how much the Egret reacts to the activity with other Egrets at the Marsh being in a habitat that is surrounded by industrialism. The research showed the significance and relationship egrets have with the location based on the number of birds and population density at the marsh. Their interactions with each other despite being in a marsh surrounded by traffic were surprising. The birds were aware of the vernal pools that eventually dried up and that is their reason for them leaving. The information was based on the birds before migrating. Rien Reijnen' conducted a similar study in 1995 that possesses relevance concluding that a large number of species had a reduced density with a high noise load than with a low noise load. On the other hand, there were no clear differences between subsets of paired plots which differed in visibility of cars but not in noise load. However, it seems that birds are evolving to live near cars and understand their relationship with them. The snowy egrets completely disregard the traffic during the day as hunger arise  they spend most of their time at the Bolsa Chica hunting for food. Egrets are not the only birds taking advantage of cars. This relationship with the birds and vehicles is now being seen throughout the city. In parking lots for markets, cowbirds are using cars as shade and momentary shelter from the beaming sun. 

The more cars produced on the road the more demand for road space will be needed. The population is growing in urban cities and as the population grows so does the love affair with cars. According to the United States Census Bureau (2023), Los Angeles has a population estimated at 3,822,238 making it one of the largest cities in the United States. Los Angeles is widely known for its congested roadways and impatient traffic due to its large population. In recent decades, researchers have viewed traffic in Los Angeles as having a negative correlation to bird habitat loss. Differing from the traditional stance on traffic that causes global warming, traffic congestion also puts pressure on the city to expand roadways putting habitats for birds as a mirage. I feel land should be shared with people and animals. As the population of various species of birds is decreasing along with their -proximity to land, the population of humans is going in the opposite direction. The population of humans is increasing. The more population the more roadways will be made resulting in less environment available to the birds. 

My 2020 research at Madrona Marsh Nature Center pertained to concentrated areas of activity that are chosen by the birds within their habitat. The surrounding area has lost the wilderness for the birds. An alternative, or more likely supplementary explanation is that birds also avoid areas close to roads because of stress (Illner, 1992a; Reijnen et al., 1995b) I measured the activity by taking images of the birds interacting with each other. The results were images of birds near the largest pools of water furthest away from the flow of traffic. 

As I wash my car the next time I will consider the complications and what is at stake when I ignite the engine to join Los Angeles traffic. I enjoy my car and have even nicknamed it the Grey Goose. If taking the bus now and then means I get to see a miracle of flight then I believe it is worth it. We as people have evolved for ourselves and some birds are evolving for everybody. Legislation, however, is not a popular solution when it comes to finding equality in the environment. In this modern era of ecosystems decreasing, government officials should consider land to be permanent which promotes an ecological balance to help all living organisms become sustainable for future generations. The only law that seems to be taking effect is Gresham's Law where the bad cars are driving out the good, the birds. Americans must consider whether to allow the increasing trend of traffic to abolish the discrete ecosystem that is available. Boundless to the pavement with elegance, they glide as a breeze through a mountain. Boundless to the land the bird leaves with no passport. It is seen with amazement that millions of years bring these two organisms together as a last choice for shared land. Humans and birds have the potential to share land to have a sustainable future.

Work Cited

Akerlof, G. A. (1970). The Market for “Lemons”: Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 84(3), 488–500. https://doi.org/10.2307/1879431

Reschovsky, C. A. (2004). Journey to work, 2000. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau.

Reijnen, R., Foppen, R., Braak, C. T., & Thissen, J. (1995). The Effects of Car Traffic on Breeding Bird Populations in Woodland. III. Reduction of Density in Relation to the Proximity of Main Roads. Journal of Applied Ecology, 32(1), 187–202. https://doi.org/10.2307/2404428

Reijnen. (1997). Disturbance by traffic of breeding birds: Evaluation of the effect and considerations in planning and managing road corridors. Biodiversity and Conservation, 6(4), 567–581. https://doi.org/info:doi/

Matheson, Andrew M. M., and Jon T. Sakata. "Relationship between the Sequencing and Timing of Vocal Motor Elements in Birdsong." PLoS ONE, vol. 10, no. 12, 9 Dec. 2015. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A437105939/AONE?u=csudh&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=d6908cba. Accessed 30 Mar. 2024.

McClure CJ, Ware HE, Carlisle J, Kaltenecker G, Barber JR. An experimental investigation into the effects of traffic noise on distributions of birds: avoiding the phantom road. Proc Biol Sci. 2013 Nov 6;280(1773):20132290. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2290. PMID: 24197411; PMCID: PMC3826227.

 Uropygial or Preening Gland in Birds | VCA Animal Hospitals (vcahospitals.com)

[intlforestday]

(5th meeting) UN Forum on Forests, 19th session (UNFF19).

Item 6 (continues): Forest partnership forum with heads of CPF member organizations, nongovernmental organizations and private sector CEOs

3:00-5:30pm: Dialogue with CPF Heads and UNFF partners on: Achieving globally agreed goals on forests, climate change, and biodiversity

5:30-6:00pm: Adoption of the draft HLS Declaration 

The thematic priorities for the nineteenth session of the Forum are:

(a) enhancing forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits;

(b) increasing significantly the area of protected forests worldwide and other areas of sustainably managed forests, as well as the proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests;

and (c) mobilizing financial resources and strengthening scientific and technical cooperation; promoting governance frameworks to advance implementation; and enhancing cooperation, coordination and coherence for sustainable forest management.

The nineteenth session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) (6 -10 May 2024) will hold policy discussions on the thematic priorities in support of the implementation of the United Nations strategic plan for forests 2017–2030.

Watch the (5th meeting) UN Forum on Forests, 19th session (UNFF19)! United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

[coopsday]

Cooperatives in Social Development: Supporting Cooperatives as Sustainable and Successful Business Enterprises.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) conducted an expert group meeting (EGM) on “Cooperatives in Social Development: Supporting Cooperatives as Sustainable and Successful Business Enterprises”. The main objective was to produce insights and a series of recommendations to help expand the sector. The conclusions will support in drafting the 2023 report of the United Nations Secretary-General on cooperatives in social development.

Held at the UN Headquarters in New York from the 31 May to the 1 June, the event consisted of seven sessions where cooperative experts presented ideas and discussed the key challenges and opportunities faced by the cooperative movement and create guidelines and recommendations for governments and other actors to help enhance cooperative development, which would inherently boost social development.

The experts were drawn from various fields including researchers from the academia, practitioners from the cooperative movement and government departments in charge of cooperatives from Argentina, t. The International Cooperative Alliance was represented by Joseph Njuguna, the Director of Policy; Iñigo Albizuri, member of the ICA Board and President of CICOPA as well as Mondragon Corporation’s Global Head of Public Affairs.

Find more information together with the papers and presentations of the expert here.  

Cases from Mondragon Corporation and Kibbutz movement were discussed to evaluate their entrepreneurial ecosystem and analyse a range of support measures for promoting cooperatives. 

“This framework allows policymakers to identify policies and practices that are implemented in each of the ecosystem areas and compare them with other regional experiences. The configuration of the ecosystems may change depending on the context, but the framework serves as a general basis for the analysis of existing situation”, says Joseph Njuguna, ICA Director of Policy. 

Some of the key recommendations proposed includes supporting research on cooperative ecosystems, capacity building of cooperative members and leaders, deepening and widening knowledge on cooperatives and governments’ support in promoting the potential of cooperatives, through inclusion in the national development plans and SDG reporting processes, including Voluntary National Reviews for the High-level Political Forum, among others.

The report of the meeting will be published and shared in due course.

The United Nations has long viewed the cooperative movement as a key partner in enhancing social development and cooperatives as very suited enterprises to achieve the SDGs. The United Nations General Assembly has been adopting resolutions concerning cooperatives in social development since 1950s and systematically every 2 years since 1992.  These resolutions recognize that cooperatives, in their various forms, promote the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of local communities and all people, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, whose inclusion strengthens economic and social development, and contribute to the eradication of poverty and hunger. 

The most recent United Nations General Assembly resolution on Cooperatives in Social Development adopted in December 2021,  A/RES/76/135, recognizes that cooperative enterprises often serve the socially excluded and vulnerable segments of the population and encourages governments to focus their support to cooperatives as sustainable and successful enterprises that contribute directly to “decent employment generation, poverty and hunger eradication, education, social protection, including universal health coverage, financial inclusion and the creation of affordable housing options across a variety of economic sector.

As a follow-up to these resolutions, the UN Secretary General writes a report to examine their implementation. In his recent report on cooperatives in social development of 2021, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres recognised the importance of cooperatives as key economic and social actors in the global recovery strategy after the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 report will be examining the implementation of the resolution that was adopted in 2021.

[hardynwa]

Reps reject motion seeking to ban “Japa” syndrome

The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a motion seeking to declare the emigration of young Nigerians abroad, known as “Japa” syndrome, a national emergency. This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Philip Agbese (APC-Benue), who was based in the United Kingdom before becoming a lawmaker in Nigeria during plenary. Presenting the motion, Agbese said statistics from the Nigerian Economic Summit showed that a growing number of young Nigerians were relocating abroad. He said the recent reports by African Polling Institute indicated that 69 per cent of young people would opt to relocate if given the chance. Agbese said there was a 40 per cent increase in the number of young Nigerians leaving the nation compared to the number captured in 2019, as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) reported. He said the UN DESA revealed that international emigration from Nigeria in 2020 totalled 1.7 million, which was a substantial increase from 990,000 in 2010. Agbese said the growing statistics of young Nigerians leaving Nigeria and securing permanent residence in the UK, the USA, and Canada portends a grave danger for the country from Economic to intellectual and Social aspects. When the Speaker of the House, Reps Abbas, subjected the motion to a vote, it was unanimously rejected by the lawmakers, NAN reports. Read the full article

[thepursuitroom]

UN Report Projects India’s GDP to Remain Strong at 5.8%

India’s GDP is projected to moderate to 5.8% in 2023 as higher interest rates and global economic slowdown weigh on investment and exports, the United Nations said on Wednesday, noting that the country’s economic growth is expected to remain strong even as prospects for other South Asian nations are more challenging.

The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2023 report state that world output growth is projected to decline from an estimated 3% in 2022 to 1.9% in 2023, marking one of the lowest growth rates in recent decades. The report, produced by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), said that in South Asia, the economic outlook has significantly deteriorated due to high food and energy prices, monetary tightening, and fiscal vulnerabilities. Average GDP growth is projected to moderate from 5.6% in 2022 to 4.8 % in 2023.

[unpublicserviceday]

Panel Discussion co-organized by the Division for Public Administration and Development Management, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Message by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the High-level panel discussion on "Leaving No One Behind: Innovative Institutional Approaches and Public Service Delivery for celebrating the 2016 United Nations Public Service Day" Co-organized by the Permanent Missions of the Netherlands and the Plurinational State of Bolivia, and the Division for Public Administration and Development Management, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

[southsouthcooperationday]

Multi-stakeholder round table 8: Science, technology, innovation and capacity-building.

7th Plenary meeting (continued) - Round table at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 22-26 July 2024. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda (Addis Agenda) recognizes science, technology, innovation (STI), an...

Watch the Multi-stakeholder round table 8: Science, technology, innovation and capacity-building!

[worldpopulationday]

Explore the World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision.

World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision is accompanied by a briefing of 10 key messages, a summary of results, a portal to explore graphs and country profiles, and a robust data portal that allows users to view life expectancy and fertility trends over time and generate country-specific and regional demographic profiles and projections.

[remittancesday]

Migrants' contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Family Remittances and Investment.

Technical meeting on "Migrants' contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Family Remittances and Investment" (in observance of the International Day of Family Remittances 2017 (A/RES/71/237)) co-organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

[worldelderabuseawarenessday]

Understand and End Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue.

Event entitled "Understand and End Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue" on the occasion of the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2017 (15 June), organized by the Group of Friends of Older Persons, in collaboration with the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York, the Focal Point on Ageing of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

[developmentinformationday]

Launch of the 2024 mid-year update. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Learn insights on the world’s economic outlook at the midpoint of 2024 and the way forward. Join us for the launch of the World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2024 report!