Global growth forecast to slow to 1.9% in 2023, warn UN economists - UN

Senior UN economists warned on Wednesday that intersecting crises are likely to add further damage to the global economy, with growth set to slow from three per cent in 2022 to 1.9 per cent this year.

This will be one of the lowest growth rates in recent decades, apart from during the 2007-8 financial crisis and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“In most countries we expect that private consumption and investment will weaken due to inflation and higher interest rates”, said Ingo Pitterle, Senior Economist at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). “Several countries will see a mild recession before growth is forecast to pick up in the second half of this year and into 2024”.

 

The findings come amid the backdrop of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and resulting food and energy crises, surging inflation, debt tightening, as well as the climate emergency.

 

In the near term, the economic outlook is gloomy and uncertain with global growth forecast to moderately pick up to 2.7 per cent in 2024.

 

However, this is highly dependent on the pace and sequence of further monetary tightening – rising interest rates - the consequences of the war in Ukraine, and the possibility of further supply-chain disruptions.

Stronger fiscal measures needed

 

The report warns that the findings also threaten the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

“This is not the time for short-term thinking or knee-jerk fiscal austerity that exacerbates inequality, increases suffering and could put the SDGs farther out of reach. These unprecedented times demand unprecedented action,” said António Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

 

“This action includes a transformative SDG stimulus package, generated through the collective and concerted efforts of all stakeholders,” he added.

Slow growth, high inflation and mounting debt burdens are threatening hard-won gains in achieving the Globa lGoals.

 

Find out more...

Go back

Partners News

20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the CBFP from 3 to 6 June 2024 in Kinshasa, DRC: registration now open!

The French-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to inform you that the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 3-6 June 2024. If you wish to attend the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP) of the CBFP and related events, please register before 05 May, 23:59, 2024 by completing the form below and clicking on the button “register”. It will not be possible to attend the meeting without a properly completed registration procedure.

Call for Proposals of Side Events at CBFP MOP 20

The Facilitation of the French and Gabonese Republics is pleased to launch a call for proposals to host side events during the 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP20) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from 3-6 June 2024. In line with the themes of MOP20 of the CBFP, side events provide opportunities for information exchange, dialogue, cooperation and the creation of synergies between CBFP partners. Deadline for submissions: 05 April 2024. Applicants for selected proposals will be contacted on 12 April 2024.

CBFP’s side event on cross-border transhumance mobilises and makes waves at the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Geneva

Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Geneva. The Franco-Gabonese Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) organised a side event on cross-border transhumance at the14th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).   At the era of climate change, access to water, agriculture, the fight against desertification, biodiversity, forest preservation and cross-border migration, transhumance is the cross-sectoral prime theme.  This explains the central theme of the event:  “Meeting Between the Sahel and northern equatorial Africa - The challenges of the nexus: cross-border transhumance, survival of protected areas, natural resources, and human lives, development, security and peace.”

Congo Basin Science Initiative the 127 members of CBFP: Welcome to our New Partner!

Kinshasa, DRC, 13 February 2024: The Congo Basin Science Initiative has officially joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). The Basin Science Initiative is now one of 127 member countries and organizations working together in the Congo Basin Forest Partnership to promote sustainable resource management, combat climate change and its impacts, improve living conditions and protect the unique biodiversity of Central Africa’s tropical forest.

Discussions on the stimulation of the forest sector between the Minister of Forestry Economy and the Associate Manager of the Deliotte Cabinet

The strategic meeting between the Minister of Forest Economy, Rosalie MATONDO and Deliotte consultancy cabinet made way to research collaboration possibilities and share prospects on reforms needed to make forestry attractive.

 

CBFP and COMIFAC discuss the results of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

From 22 to 24 January 2024, a sub-regional workshop was held in Douala, Republic of Cameroon, to analyse the results of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Her Excellency Dr Aurelie Flore Koumba Pambo, the Gabonese Co-Facilitator of the CBFP, participated in the workshop. Download the  final communiqué of the meeting..

UNEA6 side event – Joint Action Against Nature Crime: A Pathway to Achieving Biodiversity, Climate and Sustainable Development Goals

Ministers and representatives from governments, international organisations, and civil society will explore how multi-sector collaboration in the fight against nature crime can inform wider efforts to tackle the triple planetary crisis during an official side event at the upcoming UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in Nairobi.

Southern Africa Dialogue aims to improve detection and disruption of financial flows linked to nature crime – Nature Crime Alliance

Financial crime analysts, industry experts and law enforcement officers from across Southern Africa assembled in Cape Town last week for the first in a new series of regional meetings aimed at tackling illicit financial flows associated with nature crime.

Second ministerial conference on ‘Transhumance-Protected Areas-Security’ in Central Africa: progress and perspectives

This article by Paul Scholte and Matthew Luizza in Conservation News looks at the progress and prospects for work on transhumance in Central Africa since the second international conference of ministers on transboundary transhumance of July 2023 in Yaoundé.

CAR: The United States reassert their support in forest and fauna protection

Gervais MBATA, the new Minister of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing hosted at his Cabinet this February 7, the United States’ ambassador to Central Africa, Mrs Patricia MAHONEY. During this fruitful meeting between government members and American diplomats, several topics were discussed about cooperation reinforcement, the USA’s multiform support and especially the implementation of projects on the protection of CAR wildlife areas.

Sustainable management of protected areas: A key meeting between Rosalie MATONDO and Peter FEARNHEAD

On 7 February 2024, Rosalie MATONDO, Minister for Forest Economy, welcomed Peter FEARNHEAD, Chief Executive Officer of the South African NGO African Parks Network (APN). The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the management and development of the Odzala-KMassif okoua Forest (MFOK), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The two parties also discussed the challenges of conserving protected areas.

Cocoa without deforestation: is it possible in Cameroon?

This is the question posed by Development Advocates (GDA) in its new publication: Deforestation-free cocoa in Cameroon: questions, concerns and priorities from smallholder farmers. The document sets out the challenges Cameroon faces in doubling its domestic cocoa production, retaining access to its biggest market (the EU) and reducing the pressure on its forests. Please download the GDA publication...

New body aims to limit pollution’s deadly toll - unep

Pollution is widespread – and often fatal.Dirty air alone is responsible for 6.7 million deaths globally every year, while conservative estimates suggest that in 2019, 5.5 million people died from heart disease linked to lead exposure. To stem the pollution crisis, countries agreed in 2022 to establish a new body that would provide policymakers with robust, independent information on chemicals, waste and pollution.

Press release - Climate Chance Europe 2024 Wallonia summit adaptation to climate change, nature-based solutions and resilience

The Climate Chance Europe 2024 Wallonia Summit "Adaption to climate change, Nature-based Solutions and Resilience" was held at the Palais des Congrès in Liège on 8 and 9 February 2024. Over two days, the Summit brought together nearly 1,000 participants of more than 20 nationalities, from numerous European networks and organisations of non-state actors such as businesses, researchers, civil society and local governments.

Towards UNEA-6: Multilateral solutions to triple planetary crisis - UNEP Speech delivered by Inger Andersen

As the world’s top decision-making body on the environment, UNEA-6 will bring together ministers, intergovernmental organizations, the broader UN system, civil society groups, the scientific community and private sector to shape global environmental policy. This year, we’re expecting more than 70 Ministers and 3,000 delegates to join us in Nairobi. We currently have 20 draft resolutions and two draft decisions submitted for countries to discuss. Ms. Ochalik will share more on this. I will talk about the wider context of UNEA-6, and what it means.

GABON: Mrs Nzoma née Arcadie Svetlana Minguengui Ndomba, new Minister for the Environment, Climate and Human-Wildlife Conflict

Following a ministerial reshuffle yesterday, Wednesday 17 January 2024, the Ministry of Water and Forests, formerly responsible for the Environment, Climate and Human-Wildlife Conflict (CHF), has been split into two separate ministries: one responsible for the Environment, Climate and Human-Wildlife Conflict (CHF), managed by Arcadie Svetlana Minguengui Ndomba épse. Nzoma, and the other in charge of Water and Forests, which remains under its full management.

RELEASE: Landscape Restoration Champions Across Africa Receive USD 17.8 Million in Financing from TerraFund for AFR100 - WRI

This second cohort of investments, named TerraFund for AFR100 Landscapes, is restoring land in three of the continent’s vital landscapes: the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin in Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; the Ghana Cocoa Belt; and the Greater Rift Valley of Kenya. These landscapes were chosen because they provide food and water for millions of people and protect crucial biodiversity; yet they are suffering from decades of degradation.

Tenure Facility joins Congo Basin Forest Partnership

To bolster its work in the region, Tenure Facility has joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), a strategic alliance of countries and organisations dedicated to fostering sustainable practices, improving living conditions, and preserving the rich biodiversity of Central Africa’s tropical forest.Tenure Facility will bring its longstanding collaboration with several stakeholders – including Indigenous Peoples, local communities, organisations, and governments – to CBFP as it works toward finding inclusive and equitable solutions to forest-related challenges.

Her Excellency Dr Aurelie Flore Koumba Pambo, Co-Facilitator of the CBFP, takes part in the analysis of the results of COP28

Douala, Cameroon, 22-24 January 2024 - The Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC), with financial support from the German cooperation via the GIZ support project for COMIFAC and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), organised a sub-regional workshop to analyse the results of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

Turning the corner on environmental crises in 2024 - UNEP

When it comes to climate, we do have something new to build on. Yes, the Dubai Consensus that emerged from COP28 was not everything everyone had hoped for. But it did signal a global decision to move away from fossil fuels, which is critical, as we all know. And, of course, the Loss & Damage Fund was put into operation. This was an important show of solidarity with vulnerable nations, although there is a long way to go to capitalize the fund. The positives did not stop there. We saw new commitments on sustainable cooling and reducing methane emissions. A tripling of renewable energy targets. Nature breakthroughs. Crucially, there was agreement on the framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation.

Strengthening land rights for women and young people supports fair conflict resolution -Tenure Facility

Cicin Juarsim, 52, smiled with joy when the land she has been cultivating officially became hers. “Now I am holding a private ownership certificate in my land. This is not only important for me. This land is important for my children,” said Cicin Juarsim who lives in Muktisari village, Ciamis District, in Indonesia’s western province of Java.

PRESS RELEASE: CBFP Side Event at the 14th Summit of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday 24 January 2024, 17:00 - 18:30, Virtual.

Under the aegis of the Co-Facilitator of France, Ambassador Christophe Guilhou, the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is taking part in the GFMD and is organising a side event on Wednesday 24 January 2024, from 5.00 pm to 6.30 pm (virtual), on the theme: Meeting between the Sahel and northern equatorial Africa - The challenges of the nexus: cross-border transhumance, survival of protected areas, natural resources, and human lives, development, security and peace.

What is phosphorus and why are concerns mounting about its environmental impact? - UNEP

For months last year, Florida’s beachgoers were plagued by rotting tangles of decaying seaweed that had washed ashore. Known technically as sargassum, the thick clumps were part of a record-setting 8,000-kilometre-long seaweed belt in the Atlantic Ocean. Sargassum blooms cause a range of environmental problems, including coastal “dead zones” bereft of aquatic life. Past sargassum outbreaks have been linked to the excessive release of phosphorus and other chemical substances known as nutrients.

 

SAVE THE DATE - GEF Technical BBL Series: Taking the lessons from Integrated Approach Pilots to the GEF8 Amazon, Congo, and Critical Forest Biome Integrated Program. Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 12:30 - 14:00 pm EST (hybrid event, in English)

Location: Gustavo Fonseca Meeting room (N 8 – 180) and virtually on Zoom. 3. Speakers: Carlos Manuel Rodríguez. CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility; Ana Maria Gonzalez Velosa, Senior Environmental Specialist, Coordinator of the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program, World Bank Group, Latin America Region; Jean-Marc Sinnassamy, Senior Environmental Specialist, Lead of the CFB IP, GEF Secretariat; Charity Nalyanya, Director, Project Management and Technical Oversight, Conservation International (CI); George Akwah Neba, Team Leader of UNEP’s Congo Basin Team; Yawo Jonky Tenou...

Watch the guardians of the forest - Tenure Facility

Seated by a crackling fire burning during an inky night, community elder Cosmas Murunga shares some advice to his audience of young listeners. “As you grow up, women might get married outside of the community. But they shouldn’t forget where they came from,” he says. “And you young men, as you grow, know that you will inherit the ways of your fathers, grandfathers and those of your ancestors.”

Second International Conference of Ministers on Cross-Border Transhumance - Compendium of Country Investment Plans

In the case of Cameroon, the government established an inter sectoral committee chaired by the prime minister office to facilitate development of the country’s PIP. The methodology adopted for writing of this document, followed a participatory approach. After validation of the draft logical framework by the Expert Committee in Douala, the national Steering Committee which brings together various sectoral ministries met in May 2023 to work on priority sectoral activities of the seven strategic axes of the logical framework. A consultant was hired to technically assist the national steering committee in development process of the PIP. The main tasks of the consultant included further consultation of sectoral ministries to discuss priorities, consultation of strategic partners, desktop review of technical reports and other related documents on transhumance, budgeting and development of 5years investment plan.

Welcome to our New Partner: The Tenure Facility!!

Paris, 10 January 2024: The Tenure Facility has officially joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). The Tenure Facility is now one of 126 member countries and organizations who work together to promote sustainable resource management, to combat climate change and its impacts, improve living conditions and protect the unique biodiversity of Central Africa’s tropical forest.

Global Report on Sanitation and Wastewater Management in Cities and Human Settlements -unhabitat

The report, prepared by a consortium led by Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), and supported by Agence Française de Développement and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to provide professionals and policymakers working at the intersections of water, the environment, health, energy, agriculture, spatial planning, and land use with a global cooperative and cross-sectoral reference on the current situation and developments in sanitation and wastewater and fecal sludge management in cities and human settlements.

Population growth and climate change: The 2023 world population data sheet is now available

The 2023 edition of the Population Reference Bureau’s (PRB) World Population Data Sheet explores the role of population data in helping countries prepare for and adapt to climate change. It finds that “[b]y examining the association between population vulnerability and risk of exposure to climate shocks, decisionmakers can allocate resources to areas of greatest need and prepare essential systems to respond effectively to climate change.”

 

Embracing Digital Health in the Face of Climate Crises - IISD

In recent years, climate crises such as floods, wildfires, drought, and extreme heat have disrupted ecosystems and negatively impacted human health. The Global South is often the hardest hit by climate change. Amid these crises, digital health emerges as a beacon of hope given its ability to provide accessible, cost-effective, and resilient healthcare services, which are increasingly necessary in the face of the growing challenges posed by climate change, particularly in hard-to-reach regions.

Partnering with FMAFS to scale innovation for food security in Nigeria - IITA

The Nigeria Ministry for Agriculture and Food Security is set to collaborate with IITA to scale technologies as part of measures to implement the government’s 8-point agenda. During a recent visit to the office of the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Honorable Abubakar Kyari, in Abuja, IITA Director General and Regional Director for CGIAR in Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, said the Institute values the strong support of the Nigerian government and would like to align with the national programs.

Translating SDGs into Public Policies: A Case for Permanent VNRs - IISD

Last September, 193 UN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a shared roadmap, as well as to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. At the same time, countries gathered at the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) SDG Summit acknowledged that achieving the Global Goals on time is “in peril” due to major setbacks related to multiple global crises.

Summary of the 2023 Dubai Climate Change Conference: 30 November – 13 December 2023

The 2023 Dubai Climate Change Conference began on a high note. During the opening plenary, parties adopted a decision operationalizing the new loss and damage fund that was established the previous year in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and a number of parties announced pledges for its initial capitalization. This success was made possible by an agreement reached in the Transitional Committee that was tasked and met throughout 2023 to make a recommendation on the institutional arrangements for the fund.