Publications | Economic Analysis and Policy Division

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18 July 2025

Frontier Technology Issues: Recycling of energy transition critical minerals from waste and scrap: accelerating the journey to a greener future

Introduction: The importance of access to critical minerals for the energy transition Achieving a sustainable energy transition that limits greenhouse gas emissions while promoting inclusive economic growth and development is crucial for addressing climate change yet remains a significant challenge. Green technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells lie at the heart of this transition. These technologies, however, rely on specific metals and minerals—aluminium, cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, and others—several of which remain hard to access for many countries, and are in limited supply. Demand for each mineral varies by each clean…

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01 October 2024

World Social Report 2024: Social Development in Times of Converging Crises: A Call for Global Action

According to the World Social Report 2024, urgent global action is needed to support national efforts to address the setbacks caused by the recent global crises, and to avoid the conversion of future shocks to crises. Titled “Social Development in Times of Converging Crises: A Call for Global Action”, the World Social Report 2024 explains that, in our current global policy environment, shocks more readily turn into crises that cross boundaries, demanding international action. Particularly as such crises disproportionately impact the most vulnerable people, societies and countries. Crisis-driven setbacks in poverty reduction and unemployment Successive shocks, starting with the COVID-… Download (PDF)

06 July 2023

Frontier Technology Issues: Harnessing the economic dividends from demographic change

Introduction Virtually every country is experiencing a growth in the size and proportion of older persons in the population, a demographic change with significant economic and social consequences (UN DESA, 2023). Several of these developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, will also experience a large increase in their young working age populations, presenting a unique opportunity to improve living standards for all, including those who would be ageing out of the workforce. A larger working-age population can contribute to increased labour force participation, driving economic growth and productivity. Individuals in this group tend to also accumulate savings at a higher rate,… Frontier Technology Issues: Harnessing the economic dividends from demographic change

17 November 2021

Frontier Technology Issues: Frontier technologies for smallholder farmers: addressing information asymmetries and deficiencies

Introduction While fertilizers, genetically modified crops, and biotechnology have brought substantial benefits for farmers in recent decades, the accelerated application of smart, digital, and precision agricultural technologies offers a historic opportunity to improve farm productivity going forward. Such technologies are wide-ranging, including small mobile applications for decision support, field sensors and remote sensing technologies for data collection, drones and robots for automation of processes, and digital platforms for market access and sales. Use of these technologies helps address information asymmetries and deficiencies facing farmers, particularly smallholders, which can… Frontier Technology Issues: Frontier technologies for smallholder farmers: addressing information asymmetries and deficiencies

20 September 2021

Sustainable Development Outlook 2021: From anguish to determination

The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed the global awareness that we are all in this together. The pandemic has set back progress on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but it has also made it possible for the international community to see the pursuit of sustainable development in a new light, and to learn from both successes and challenges of the pandemic to reinvigorate efforts towards achieving the SDGs. The Sustainable Development Outlook 2021 charts a way forward for the world community to achieve the SDGs, despite the setback caused by COVID-19. In doing so, it focuses on SDG 1 (poverty), SDG 2 (hunger), SDG 3 (health and well-being), SDG 8 (growth and employment), SDG 10 (… Sustainable Development Outlook 2021: From anguish to determination

08 July 2021

Frontier Technology Issues: Lithium-ion batteries: a pillar for a fossil fuel-free economy?

Download Frontier Technology Issues: Lithium-ion batteries: a pillar for a fossil fuel-free economy? (PDF) Introduction In 2019, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to three scientists for the development of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that, according to the Academy, have laid the foundation for a fossil fuel-free economy. Li-ion batteries can safely store large amounts of energy, ensuring stable and predictable flows of electricity even in decentralized immobile (i.e., stationary) or mobile modes in remote areas. The increasing popularity of passenger electric vehicles and electric buses is largely a result of the capacity improvement of Li-ion… Frontier Technology Issues: Lithium-ion batteries: a pillar for a fossil fuel-free economy?

03 May 2021

World Social Report 2021: Reconsidering Rural Development

New approaches made possible through improved access and Internet connectivity can raise the standard of living for approximately 3.4 billion people living in rural areas, without them having to migrate to cities, according to the newly released 2021 World Social Report “Reconsidering Rural Development.” The COVID-19 pandemic, together with already persistent high levels of poverty and inequalities, are threatening to stall progress for the world’s rural populations. But the pandemic has also proven that new technologies can enable rural populations to flourish, ending the rural-urban divide. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the new technologies opened up new opportunities for… Download (PDF)

13 July 2020

Sustainable Development Outlook 2020: Achieving SDGs in the wake of COVID-19: Scenarios for policymakers

COVID-19 has been a tragedy, killing more than half a million people and bringing the economy and life to a standstill in many parts of the world.It is directly impacting life and health, with more than ten million confirmed cases.The various containment measures are affecting hundreds of millions of people and their livelihoods.The aggregate effect at the national and global levels will persist for a long time. COVID-19 has slowed economic growth, increased unemployment, and raised poverty and hunger.The global output is estimated to shrink by 5.2 per cent in 2020, with a downside estimate of about 8 per cent contraction should the lockdowns continue into the second half of the year.?The… Sustainable Development Outlook 2020: Achieving SDGs in the wake of COVID-19: Scenarios for policymakers

11 October 2019

Sustainable Development Outlook 2019: Gathering storms and silver linings BP2

An overview of SDG challenges Sustainable Development Goals facing strong headwinds The Sustainable Deve?lop?ment Goals (SDGs) have registered some progress since their adoption in 2015. Thanks to concerted efforts of many Governments and development partners, child mortality continues to fall. Hepatitis is on the retreat, while new chronic hepatitis B virus infections is nearly zero. Access to electricity has increased globally and the proportion of urban population living in slums is declining. Notwithstanding this progress, gathering storms of weakening global economic growth, rising income inequality, unabated global warming and climate change, and escalating conflict are impeding SDG… Sustainable Development Outlook 2019: Gathering storms and silver linings BP2

11 October 2019