Date Time
Step up climate change adaptation, says UN report
As temperatures rise and climate change impacts intensify, nations must urgently step up action to adapt to the new climate reality or face serious costs, damages and losses, a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report finds.
WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petter Taalas joined a high-level panel on 14 January to release the report, which finds that the pace of adaptation financing is indeed rising, but is outpaced by rapidly increasing adaptation costs. Annual adaptation costs in developing countries are estimated at USD 70 billion. This figure is expected to reach USD 140-300 billion in 2030 and USD 280-500 billion in 2050.
Digitalization crucial to SIDS’ COVID-19 recovery, long-term development
VIENNA, 12 January 2021 - The upscaling of digital technologies presents a host of opportunities for small island developing states (SIDS) to diversify their economies, boost manufacturing, gain greater access to global value chains, and improve disaster preparedness. However, significant obstacles remain, including inadequate digital infrastructure, insufficient training opportunities for women and young people, a growing digital divide, and a lack of data and policy knowledge. That’s according to an expert panel convened for the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit
Ralf Bredel, Chief of the Asia-Pacific Regional Programme at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said that SIDS share common challenges such as limited resource bases, long distances to primary markets, and vulnerability to climate change.
Bangladesh gets closer to LDC graduation
Staff Correspondent
12th January, 2021 10:46:20
Bangladesh is set to meet the LDC graduation criteria for the second consecutive time to be recommended for graduation during the upcoming triennial review of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) of the United Nations (UN) next month.
The country has called on the international community for the continuation of international support measures for an extended period to make the upcoming graduation smooth and sustainable.
Bangladesh has made the call during a session of the ongoing Expert Group Meeting of the Committee for Development Policy held on Tuesday as part of the preparation for the upcoming triennial review meeting, says a finance ministry release.
Daily Monitor
Tuesday January 12 2021
A vehicle on the Kampala Entebbe Expressway. The Kampala- Entebbe Expressway constructed at the cost $9.3 million per Km. PHOTO/FILE
Summary
Experts are concerned that under the PPP financing arrangement, projects often cost the host countries almost twice the amount they would have otherwise spent if the contract was directly awarded to the public sector works and not to a private entity,
Ismail Musa Ladu writes.
The country’s ability to negotiate favourable public private partnerships deals is being affected by the “least developed countries” label under which Uganda is categorised.
The least developed countries (LDC) is a list of developing countries that are yet to attain proper economic well-being and desirable quality of life as per targeted goals.