Human development stagnating, UN report

Progress in life expectancy, education, and economic prosperity all 'fall back'

Human progress has been set back five years by multiple crises that have fueled a global wave of uncertainty, according to a report published by the United Nations Development Programme, or UNDP.

Nine out of 10 countries have fallen backwards on the UNDP's Human Development Index, which measures a nation's health, education, and standard of living well-being.

The report, titled Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World, says crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the consequences of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the impact of climate change have reversed much of the progress toward the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

For the first time in the 32 years that the UNDP has been calculating it, the index has declined globally for two years in a row.

In a news release, the UNDP said that "the world is lurching from crisis to crisis, trapped in a cycle of firefighting and unable to tackle the roots of the troubles".

UNDP chief Achim Steiner said: "The world is scrambling to respond to back-to-back crises. We have seen with the cost of living and energy crises that, while it is tempting to focus on quick fixes like subsidizing fossil fuels, immediate relief tactics are delaying the long-term systemic changes we must make.

"We are collectively paralyzed in making these changes. In a world defined by uncertainty, we need a renewed sense of global solidarity to tackle our interconnected, common challenges," he said.

Progress in terms of life expectancy, education and economic prosperity has fallen back, the report said.

"Even before COVID-19 hit, we were seeing the twin paradoxes of progress with insecurity and polarization. Today, with one-third of people worldwide feeling stressed and fewer than one-third of people worldwide trusting others, we face major roadblocks to adopting policies that work for people and planet," said Steiner.

"We have a narrow window to reboot our systems and secure a future built on decisive climate action and new opportunities for all," he added.

The report said that while some countries are beginning to recover, progress is "uneven and partial", which is further widening inequalities in human development. It noted that Latin America, the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have been hit particularly hard.

The UNDP recommends implementing policies that focus on investment and insurance.

"To navigate uncertainty, we need to double down on human development and look beyond improving people's wealth or health," said the report's lead author, Pedro Conceicao.

"These remain important. But we also need to protect the planet and provide people with the tools they need to feel more secure, regain a sense of control over their lives and have hope for the future," he added.