International Economics: IB Economics

As the global climate crisis escalates, its devastating impacts on human health and well-being will also accelerate. No one anywhere around the globe is beyond its reach, though millions of people – notably, women, children, the elderly, ethnic minorities, people with pre-existing health conditions, and those living in poverty – are among the most vulnerable. Unabated climate change is also expected to make the global goal of poverty reduction even more challenging to reach. A recent World Bank study estimates that climate change may push an additional 132 million people (more than half of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia), into extreme poverty by 2030, with 44 million of these driven by health impacts. In Madagascar, this World Bank project helps lifts people out of extreme poverty with cash transfers, nutrition services and skills training.

Haji Mohammad Zahir is among thousands of residents in a Kabul city neighborhood who enjoy better living conditions since a road rehabilitation project eased their daily commutes and reduced air pollution. The roads are rehabilitated by Kabul Municipal Development Project with support from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). 

Just as world leaders came together after the second world war, now we need to create a new framework for health security, says writer and researcher on politics and economics Tom Kibasi

Over the past 20 years, Lao PDR has had one of the fastest growing economies in East Asia and the Pacific. Rapid economic growth has led to a huge increase in waste produced, but systems for dealing with this have not kept pace. Rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a doubling of waste over the past 20 years in some areas. This has short- and long-term health and economic implications. As the Lao economy develops and towns continue to grow, proactive steps are needed to prevent further plastic pollution and ensure sustainable economic development. The World Bank brings continued support to the government’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution and develop the country’s solid waste sector. 

We must act now to stop the pandemic inflicting long-term damage, says the head of the IMF

Shift in stance comes as more countries raise concerns about inequality – Christine Lagarde