Moldova has made important positive progress when it comes to sustainable human development. But the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities and put tremendous strain on Moldova’s small and open economy. Moreover, the country has recently witnessed severe droughts, floods and other natural disasters that irreversibly affect its economy and society at large, says the UNDP’s Human Development Report that is quoted by IPN.
The 30th anniversary edition of the report, entitled “The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene”, argues that as people and planet enter a new geological epoch, it is time for all countries to redesign their paths to human development progress by fully accounting for the dangerous pressures humans put on the planet, and dismantle the gross imbalances of power that prevent change.
“Our Human Development Index has steadily increased and we are now a country in the group of countries with high HDI. Yet, the circumstances require more accelerated efforts on almost all Sustainable Development Goals, but also greater ambition to sustain the achievements and increase resilience to the new surfacing risks,” said Gheorghe Leuca, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova.
By adjusting the HDI, which measures a nation’s health, education, and standards of living, to include two more elements: a country’s carbon dioxide emissions and its material footprint, the index shows how the global development landscape would change if both the wellbeing of people and also the planet were central to defining humanity’s progress.
UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova Dima Al-Khatib said COVID-19 is the most convincing global and local flashing red light that unveiled the vulnerabilities of the past, present and future. “In Moldova, the pandemic started in an already difficult socioeconomic context characterized by massive migration and a fragile socioeconomic situation. Its impact, as it was assessed by the analysis of the socioeconomic impact carried out by UNDP, on the most vulnerable ones, the new vulnerable groups and on the economy is profound, while the consequences will remain with us for a long period of time,” stated Dima Al-Khatib.
The online dialogue within the national launch of UNDP’s Human Development Report gathered more than 100 participants, including representatives of the Government, development partners, private sector and civil society. Participants at the event discussed several policy recommendations for green recovery.
