LDC Portal - International Support Measures for Least Developed Countries - LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

The Least Developed Countries Report 2024: leveraging carbon markets for development

MTAVARES1 — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 16:30:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNCTAD

Document Summary:

"As the world confronts intertwined climate and finance crises while seeking to advance on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), carbon markets are increasingly seen as key drivers of climate ambition and capital flow. They enable countries to trade carbon credits – permits to offset a specific amount of emissions – allowing sellers to earn revenue and contribute to climate action. The least developed countries (LDCs) are already engaged in carbon markets and among the early movers in emerging trading mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The Least Developed Countries Report 2024 examines how these markets could bridge gaps between economic growth and climate action in LDCs and mobilize capital for sustainable development. It makes clear that while carbon markets offer promise, they are not a substitute for official development assistance or climate finance. Instead, they serve as one of many tools to support LDCs’ green structural transformations and global emissions goals. Using data-driven analysis and case studies, the report provides a roadmap for LDCs and their development partners to unlock the potential of carbon markets for sustainable growth."

Tags:

Climate change

UNCTAD

Publication Date:

Monday, 04 November 2024

UNCTAD

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Follow-up to the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, Report of the Secretary General, 2024

MTAVARES1 — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Document Symbol/Reference:

A/79/75

Document Type:

Link to UN Official Document (ODS)

Author:

United Nations

Document Summary:

The present report provides information on the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries for the decade 2022–2031 during its second year and is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 78/233 and Economic and Social Council resolution 2023/29. It provides an overview of recent developments towards reaching the goals and targets of the Doha Programme of Action, as well as progress made towards its monitoring and recommendations for its full implementation. The underlying data are contained in the annex to the report.

Tags:

Doha Programme of Action

DPoA

UN-OHRLLS

Publication Date:

Tuesday, 30 April 2024

United Nations

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Document Type:

Official UN report, resolution, declaration

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Leveraging Digitalization for Productivity and Decent Employment: Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Report 2024

MTAVARES1 — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNESCAP

Document Summary:

In the evolving landscape of automation and digitalization, the traditional path of labour-intensive industrialization is becoming less viable for countries in special situations in Asia and the Pacific. The shift towards technology-driven processes is decreasing manual labour reliance, while boosting the tradability of services across borders. Although a substantial portion of the workforce in these countries continues to engage in low-productivity agriculture and informal services, digitalization offers a unique opportunity for leapfrogging because of the lower capital requirements and efficiency gains in business operations and public service delivery. However, realizing these benefits necessitates adequate infrastructure, adaptive capabilities and supportive policies. This report examines the transformative role of digitalization and automation in enhancing the productive capacities of these countries. It zeroes in on the services sector and the digitalization of agricultural and industrial activities, which has the potential to enhance productivity and job creation. However, it also cautions against potential risks, including job displacement and cybersecurity threats. To navigate these challenges, the report includes policy options for enhanced connectivity and infrastructure, education and training tailored to the digital economy, and regional cooperation to foster a conducive environment for digital trade and investment.

Tags:

ESCAP

Asia

Asia-Pacific

Digitalization

Publication Date:

Monday, 01 April 2024

UNESCAP

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

UNCTAD Tradecast No 71. UN report: After years of lost growth, least developed countries need inclusive finance to meet development goals

MTAVARES1 — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNCTAD

Document Summary:

The world is facing soaring costs of food, energy and financing – along with extreme weather and geopolitical upheaval. Most vulnerable are the 46 nations classified as the least developed countries (LDCs). After some years of progress, the pandemic hit the LDCs hard, cutting economic growth sharply and pushing an extra 15 million people into extreme poverty. ��ҹ�� in to UNCTAD’s Matfobhi Riba to find out why these nations need urgent help to address inequalities and how they can get back on track for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Tags:

UNCTAD

Finance

Climate finance

Publication Date:

Tuesday, 07 November 2023

UNCTAD

Document Topic/Theme:

Finance, debt, macroeconomics

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Document Type:

Podcast or video

Archived:

Symbol year:

2023

Least Developed Countries Report 2023: Crisis-resilient development finance (UNCTAD)

MTAVARES1 — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNCTAD

Document Summary:

Given the financial challenges posed by climate change – the damages and need for adaptation and mitigation – it’s crucial for central banks to integrate climate factors into their monetary policies. Such measures are commonly referred to as “climate” central banking. But given the need for policy coherence to avoid severe tradeoffs in climate central banking, the report recommends caution. It underlines that governments, not central banks, should address these tradeoffs. If guided by industrial policy goals that target a green transition, these banks can play a pivotal role in managing climate-related risks to the financial system and economy and can channel funds towards a green structural transformation. When a central bank channels more finance to decarbonization projects it helps make domestic industries less vulnerable to climate policies implemented in other countries, improving the resilience of the country’s economy and financial system. To champion climate-centric development, LDC governments should consider updating central bank mandates. However, having a climate mandate doesn’t guarantee the effective use of climate central banking tools. The report stresses that these tools should align with other economic and social policies to avoid undermining other developmental goals. Central banks should also ensure the tools fit the local economic structure. For example, in an economy in which formal credit constitutes only a small proportion of the total credit given to households and firms, the introduction of climate central banking would have a limited impact. The report provides a decision tree for decisions on when to use climate central banking and which tools to employ.

Tags:

Finance

Climate finance

UNCTAD

Debt

Publication Date:

Tuesday, 07 November 2023

UNCTAD

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2023

UNCTAD Least Developed Countries Report 2021 - The least developed countries in the post-COVID world: Learning from 50 years of experience

MTAVARES1 — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 15:25:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNCTAD

Document Summary:

Over the last 50 years most least developed countries (LDCs) have struggled to overcome the development challenges that led to the establishment of the category in 1971. Even their strong economic growth since the mid-1990s has generally been insufficient to redress their long-term income divergence with the rest of the world. The COVID-19 crisis and the emerging two-speed global recovery threaten to reverse many hard-won development gains, which is further aggravated by the creeping adverse effects of climate change. Mainstreaming productive capacities development in these countries is a necessary condition for boosting their capacity to respond to and recover from crises. While LDCs prioritize economic transformation and diversification in their policies, they have critically lacked the means necessary to progress towards the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The average annual investment requirements to end extreme poverty (SDG 1.1) in LDCs is estimated at $485 billion, whereas doubling the share of manufacturing in GDP (SDG 9.2) is estimated at $1,051 billion. The latter amounts to more than triple the current investment by LDCs, and therefore vastly exceeds LDCs’ available resources. The international community has therefore an essential role to play in supporting LDCs in their efforts to mobilize adequate resources for their sustainable development needs, including in financing and technology. A new generation of international support measures that are more closely aligned to the expressed needs of LDCs and 21st century realities will have to be rolled out to support their domestic efforts. Bolstering multilateralism and dealing decisively with external sources of instability affecting LDCs is necessary to create a conducive climate for the achievement of the next programme of action for the least developed countries for the decade 2022-2031.

Publication Date:

Monday, 27 September 2021

UNCTAD

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

COVID-19

Document Image:

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2021

Asia-Pacific Least Developed Countries: A Review of Implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action and Way Forward

MTAVARES1 — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 15:25:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

ESCAP

Document Summary:

This paper provides an evaluation of the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on least developed countries (LDCs) in Asia and the Pacific. Drawing on analysis and estimates from various regional and national sources, this paper finds that these impacts are large relative to the number of COVID-19 cases for several reasons. First, the size of stimulus packages to cushion the economic impacts of the pandemic was significantly smaller than other developing countries. Second, their undiversified export baskets suffered from disruptions in regional and global supply chains and in tourism-related activities. Third, due to the presence of large informal sector and the lack of social protection, job losses have directly translated into income losses. All these factors are further compounded by bleak external conditions surrounding official development assistance (ODA), foreign direct investment (FDI) and remittances. Accordingly, the paper argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has dimmed prospects of Asia-Pacific LDCs to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. In addition, while the pandemic will not significantly delay their graduation from the LDC category, preparations for graduation must acquire a much more holistic focus on sustainability. Looking forward, the paper suggests Asia-Pacific LDCs reassess their development strategies to accelerate progress towards achieving SDGs and to ensure smooth graduation and transition through the following broad sets of actions: (a) scaling up mitigation and recovery programmes and relief measures; (b) building productive capacities and promoting economic diversification to fundamentally addressing multidimensional poverty in the long run; (c) investing in healthcare and social protection systems, including through the use of digital technologies; and (d) negotiating with their key trading partners and multilateral financial institutions to deepen and extend existing preferential provisions to facilitate graduation and smooth transition.

Publication Date:

Monday, 21 June 2021

ESCAP

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Archived:

Symbol year:

2021

State of the Least Developed Countries 2021 - Building back better in response to COVID-19

MTAVARES1 — Fri, 28 May 2021 02:10:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UN-OHRLLS

Document Summary:

The State of the Least Developed Countries 2021 report is a comprehensive assessment of where the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) stand a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. The report calls for a global coordinated response for LDCs that goes beyond recovery, ensuring that the most vulnerable countries can both get their development back on track and better prepare for future crises. The report provides recommendations where actions are most needed - from investment in people to sustainable structural transformation and the use of technologies to the mobilization of finance. These recommendations go well beyond recovery from COVID-19, but their implementation would ensure that LDCs can also enhance resilience to future shocks and accelerate the achievement of their development goals.

Tags:

LDC

COVID-19

UN-OHRLLS

LDC5

Publication Date:

Thursday, 27 May 2021

UN-OHRLLS

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Document Image:

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2021

Strengthening the resilience of LDCs in the wake of the Coronavirus disease pandemic: Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Report (UNESCAP)

MTAVARES1 — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:25:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNESCAP

Document Summary:

The year 2020 marked the end of the Fourth United Nations Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011−2020 or informally called the Istanbul Programme of Action. During that year, the world encountered an unprecedented global pandemic which significantly affected the Asia-Pacific least developed countries (LDCs). The Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report provides a summary of the progress made and challenges encountered by the Asia-Pacific LDCs in implementing the Programme of Action. It also includes an evaluation of the socioeconomic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on these countries and offers perspectives on how the pandemic is likely to affect their progress towards graduation from the LDC category and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The report presents policy areas that should be covered in the next programme of action for LDCs for the next decade to initiate sustained socioeconomic recovery in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic and to realize the Sustainable Development Goals. Also, in the report, the importance of regional and subregional cooperation going forward to improve the resilience of these countries in dealing with shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, is reinforced. For graduating countries, continued support from development partners, beyond graduation, is essential to ensure a smooth transition from the category.

Tags:

UNESCAP

COVID-19

Asia-Pacific

Regional cooperation

Publication Date:

Tuesday, 27 April 2021

UNESCAP

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

COVID-19

Document Image:

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2021

UNCTAD Least Developed Countries Report 2020: Productive Capacities for the New Decade

MTAVARES1 — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 16:25:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

UNCTAD

Document Summary:

The least developed countries (LDCs) have so far been spared by the worst effects of the health emergency, yet the fallout from COVID-19 has taken its toll on their economies, threatening to roll back progress towards sustainable development, worsening entrenched inequalities, and possibly leading to long-term damage. The ongoing crisis has brought back to the fore the pivotal role of productive capacities for resilience to shocks, as well as for a sustainable and inclusive recovery and sustainable development. Bold concerted policies to strengthen LDC productive capacities are as imperative as ever and they should constitute a key pillar of any sustainable recovery and development strategy. Beyond countercyclical policies to cushion the impact of the crisis, LDCs need to enact medium- to long-term policies and strategies that address the LDCs’ lingering vulnerabilities and development deficits. The international community should play its part, assisting LDC efforts in this direction.

Publication Date:

Thursday, 03 December 2020

UNCTAD

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC Progress reports/Flagship reports

Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation

Document Type:

UN and WTO reports and publications

Archived:

Symbol year:

2020