Abidoye, B., Banda, A., Baumwoll, J., Carman, R., Moz-Christofoletti, M., Orlic, E., Patterson, L. (2024). Advancing the SDG Push with equitable low-carbon pathways. UNDP. https://www.undp.org/publications/advancing-sdg-push-equitable-low-carbon-pathways

The ‘SDG Push x NDC 3.0’ research, a collaboration between UNDP and the Frederick S. Pardee Center, outlines a framework for a fair, low-carbon energy transition that considers the needs of both wealthy and lower-income nations. The report updates the second flagship publication, Leaving No One Behind: Impact of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), examining an integrated set of policy strategies that accelerates climate actions while promoting human development. By supporting equitable access to energy, green investments, and digital infrastructure, it aims to foster inclusive, sustainable growth and align with the Paris Agreement targets.

The research finds that an additional 60 million people could be lifted from poverty by 2030, and upwards of 175 million people by 2050, through these ambitious, yet feasible policy choices. In addition, nine out of ten low-human development countries could make significant strides towards improving their current development outcomes by 2050 while carbon emissions are reduced by two-thirds by 2050.

Sahel Human Development Report 2023. (2024, February 15). United Nations Development Programme. https://www.undp.org/africa/publications/sahel-human-development-report-2023

Sustainable energy could regenerate Africa’s Sahelian zone by using the region’s abundant clean energy potential to transform lives, diversify economies, give hope, and protect the planet. Analyzing viable pathways to move the Sahel away from energy dependency to energy agency that delivers accessible, reliable, and affordable energy for all, is the focus of this Human Development Report, which covers Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. The HDR uses empirical techniques and political economy analyses to consider optimal energy strategies that would be most appropriate for the sub-region and also for each country's context.

Full Citation: Mekonnen, S. M., Mbate, M., Osman-Elasha, B., Akol, C., Janneh, A et Al., (2022). 2022 Africa Sustainable Development Report. UNDP. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2023-01/Africa%20Sustainable%20Development-Report_2

The Coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and climate change have all hampered Africa’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Halfway towards 2030, most African countries are struggling to meet most SDG targets. Without deliberate policies to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, by 2030, at least 492 million people will be left in extreme poverty and at least 350 million people by 2050.

The report evaluates Africa’s progress towards the SDGs and the objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 in the context of the triple crises of COVID-19, climate change, and the war in Ukraine, which are all adversely impacting the continent’s performance on both agendas.

Azcona, G. & Bhatt, A. (2022). Poverty deepens for women and girls, according to latest projections. UN Women.

New projections of global poverty by UN Women, UNDP and the Pardee Center for International Futures estimate that, globally, 388 million women and girls will be living in extreme poverty in 2022 (compared to 372 million men and boys). But the outlook could be far worse. In a “high-damage” scenario, this number could balloon to 446 million (427 million for men and boys).

Abidoye, B., Felix, J., Kapto, S. & Patterson, L. (2021). Leaving No One Behind: Impact of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). New York, NY and Denver CO: United Nations Development Programme and Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures.

The Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide the futures modeling that underpins Leaving No One Behind: Impact of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using the International Futures (IFs) model, Pardee researchers analyzed multiple COVID-19 recovery scenarios to help policymakers understand the pandemic's long-term implications for sustainable development. The analysis showed that while COVID-19 threatened to widen global inequalities, strategic investments in governance, social protection, green development, and digitalization could help many countries recover and even exceed pre-pandemic development trajectories—demonstrating how long-range, evidence-based modeling can inform more resilient policy decisions.

Pardee Center for International Futures (Barry. B. Hughes, ed.). 2013.

“Development-Oriented Policies and Alternative Human Development Paths: Aggressive but Reasonable Interventions.” United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Occasional Paper 2013/05. UNDP Human Development Report Office, New York, NY.

Radusin, Svjetlana, Senad Opraṥiḉ, Mehmed Cero, Isak Abdurahmanoviḉ, and Goran Vukmir. 2013.

“Climate Change Adaptation and Low-Emission Development Strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina.” United Nations Development Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina and United Nations Development Programme Regional Office, Bratislava.

Pardee Center for International Futures (Barry B. Hughes, ed.). 2013. “Development-Oriented Policies and Alternative Human Development Paths: Aggressive but Reasonable Interventions.” In Khalid Malik and Maurice Kugler, eds., Human Progress and the Rising

Hughes, Barry B., Mohammod T. Irfan, Jonathan D. Moyer, Dale S. Rothman, and José R. Solórzano. 2011.

“Forecasting the Impacts of Environmental Constraints on Human Development.” United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Research Paper 2011/08. UNDP Human Development Report Office, New York, NY.