Why mental health is a priority for action on climate change, world food safety day highlights need to improve health and prevent foodborne risks, EU budget 2023: Empowering Europe to continue shaping a changing world. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Why mental health is a priority for action on climate change
Climate change poses serious risks to mental health and well-being, concludes a new WHO policy brief, launched at the Stockholm+50 conference. The Organization is therefore urging countries to include mental health support in their response to the climate crisis, citing examples where a few pioneering countries have done this effectively.
The findings concur with a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in February this year. The IPPC revealed that rapidly increasing climate change poses a rising threat to mental health and psychosocial well-being; from emotional distress to anxiety, depression, grief, and suicidal behavior.
The new WHO policy brief recommends five important approaches for governments to address the mental health impacts of climate change:
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- integrate climate considerations with mental health programs;
- integrate mental health support with climate action;
- build upon global commitments;
- develop community-based approaches to reduce vulnerabilities; and
- close the large funding gap that exists for mental health and psychosocial support.
World Food Safety Day highlights need to improve health, prevent foodborne risks
Safe food is one of the most critical guarantors of good health, the UN said – the fourth global World Food Safety Day – aiming to mobilize action for preventing, detecting, and managing foodborne risks and improving human health.
Benefits of safe food for well-being include improved nutrition and reduced absenteeism in schools and in the workplace. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), only when food is safe can fully benefit from its nutritional value and from the mental and social benefits of sharing a safe meal.
The way the world builds food systems and supply chains can prevent infectious and toxic hazards, as well as microbial pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites), chemical residues, and biotoxins, from reaching the plates.
The UN agency also reminded us that systemic changes for better health will lead to safer food – a critical enabler of long-term development and a prerequisite to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
EU budget 2023: Empowering Europe to continue shaping a changing world
The Commission has proposed an annual EU budget of €185.6 billion for 2023, to be complemented by an estimated €113.9 billion in grants under NextGenerationEU. The EU budget will continue to mobilize significant investments to boost Europe’s strategic autonomy, and the ongoing economic recovery, safeguard the sustainability and create jobs. The Commission will continue to prioritize green and digital investments while addressing pressing needs arising from recent and current crises.
The draft budget for 2023, boosted by NextGenerationEU, is designed to respond to the most crucial recovery needs of the EU Member States and the partners around the world. These financial means will continue to rebuild and modernize the European Union and strengthen Europe’s status as a strong global actor and reliable partner.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
The world’s top 10 least developed countries
A history of exploitation, weak rule of law, conflict and civil upheaval, harsh climatic conditions, and unfriendly, aggressive neighbors all contribute to the stagnation in the development of any country. Most of these issues are witnessed in some African countries which is why, according to the Human Development Index by UNDP, such nations as Niger, the Central African Republic, and Chad have the lowest scores. Moreover, these countries will need to achieve a great many positive changes in order to accomplish the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 which seems an almost impossible task.
The heavy burden of world hunger and 10 solutions to end it
The world witnessed a steady decrease in hunger between 1991 and 2014. However, the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 report developed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization shows that the problem has been steadily rising ever since.
Far-reaching action is required to eliminate child labor
During the Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour that took place in Durban, South Africa on 16-20 May 2022, over 8,000 delegates from various countries adopted the Durban Call to Action to deal with the scourge of child labor. The ILO-organized Durban conference on the elimination of child labor was the first-ever held in Africa. It was also the first to be attended by child delegates who urged officials to speed up progress in this direction. It builds on the four previous conferences in Buenos Aires (2017), Brasilia (2013), The Hague (2010, and Oslo (1997).
Here’s what else has happened
IOM: More than 7.1 million people – nearly half of the total population – are facing historic levels of drought in Somalia. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is scaling up its response and has assisted over 350,000 people affected by the drought – the worst seen in decades following the fourth consecutive failed rainy season.
UNICEF: The debilitating crisis in Sri Lanka has left nearly half of the children in the country in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. The UN has launched an appeal to address the urgent needs of the most vulnerable population within the next four months.
CEB: The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) has issued a new USD 1 billion three-year global Social Inclusion Bond (SIB) whose proceeds will be primarily used to support Ukrainian refugees hosted by CEB member countries. This transaction follows a € 1 billion seven-year social inclusion bond that the CEB issued in early April 2022 to bolster its response to the social crisis unfolding due to the war in Ukraine and to help its member states assist millions of refugees seeking safety.
Reports
Global plastic waste set to almost triple by 2060, says OECD
The amount of plastic waste produced globally is on track to almost triple by 2060, with around half ending up in landfills and less than a fifth recycled, according to a new OECD report.
Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060 says that without radical action to curb demand, increase product lifespans and improve waste management and recyclability, plastic pollution will rise in tandem with an almost threefold increase in plastic use driven by rising populations and incomes. The report estimates that almost two-thirds of plastic waste in 2060 will be from short-lived items such as packaging, low-cost products, and textiles.
New UN Food Outlook report: World’s most vulnerable are paying more for less food
The global food import bill is on course to hit a new record of US$1.8 trillion this year, but higher prices and transport costs rather than volumes account for the bulk of the expected increase, according to a new report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
“Worryingly, many vulnerable countries are paying more but receiving less food,” FAO says in its latest Food Outlook.
800% increase in UN appeal needs for extreme weather-related emergencies over last 20 years – new Oxfam research
The report, Footing the Bill, says that the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change is putting more pressure on an already over-stretched and underfunded humanitarian system. The costs of the destruction from these storms, droughts, and floods are also increasing inequality; people in poorer communities and low-income countries are the worst hit yet they lack the systems and funding that wealthier countries have to cope with the effects. The richest one percent of people on Earth are emitting twice as much carbon pollution as the poorest half of humanity.
Events
High-Level Conference on the Promotion of Good Governance and Fight Against Corruption
📅 13-14 June 2022
Gaborone, Botswana
The High-Level Conference on Governance and Corruption will discuss how Africa can reap the benefits of good governance to improve growth opportunities, create jobs, reduce poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As Africa is beginning to recover from the pandemic, the region’s policymakers have a chance to recover the momentum stalled by the pandemic, by drawing lessons from their experience in managing the COVID-19 crisis to strengthen governance and integrity systems.
Meet The Ambassadors: West Africa | Webinar
📅 13 June 2022 🕑 09:00 – 10:30 (BST)
Webinar
British Expertise International is delighted to be hosting the annual “Meet the Ambassadors” series. Join the webinar as British Ambassadors and High Commissioners in the West Africa Region share some insights on their respective countries’ geopolitical and economic perspectives as well as general overview on sectors of potential interest to UK companies.
Top 3 challenges in tender participation process and how to overcome them | Free webinar
📅 16 June 2022 🕟 4 PM (Brussels time)/ 10 AM (Washington DC time)
Virtual
DevelopmentAid, as the largest hub of funding opportunities for organizations and individual experts working in the development sector, invites professionals of all levels to join this thrilling webinar and discover the “Top 3 challenges in tender participation process and how to overcome them”. This session offers an exclusive chance to learn how to identify suitable funding opportunities, read and understand procurement notices and overcome the most common pitfalls in tender participation.
Key Takeaways
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- Learn how to choose the right funding opportunity in your preferred destination country
- Discover how to read and understand procurement notices and associated tender documents
- Understand how to organize and roll out internal tender management procedures
Speakers
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- Fabio Santoni, International tender expert & founder at Nove Business Consulting
Host:
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- Elena Rata, External Relations & Events at DevelopmentAid.
