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Latest Data on Major Global Challenges

We provide a collection of latest data on major global challenges that result from limited access to vital resources (such as food, clean air or health care). Where possible, trend data was included, also in relation to targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Between their adoption in 2015 and the target year 2030, 2023 marks the end of the first half of the target period.

... more on "Latest Data on Major Global Challenges" (Status November 2023) ...

Information on the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 Death Toll (Status November 2023)
Approaches to Combatting the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2021)
How Serious Is the COVID-19 Pandemic and How Long Will It Have to Be Mitigated? (29 March 2020)

New Global Health Estimates by the WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a new issue of their Global Health Estimates (GHE), updated for 2000 to 2019. At Global2030, we utilize this data for major global challenges that result from limited access to vital resources such as food, clean water or health care. We assess the relative importance of these challenges and their progress towards internationally agreed time-bound targets if given – such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set in 2015.

Furthermore, we compare the GHE data to those earlier published in the Global Burden of Disease study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

... more on "New Global Health Estimates by the WHO" ...

Long-term Trends in Nutrition, Health and the Environment

A recent speech by UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the state of the planet and the critical need to take urgent climate action. Outlined was the obligation to reduce the negative consequences of, amongst other human practices, the devastating impacts of the current food system on the planet. The Secretary-General expressed that with biodiversity collapsing, ecosystems disappearing and the over-fishing of oceans, the results are "impeding our efforts to eliminate poverty" and "imperilling food security". These statements resonate with recent findings by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) on long-term trends in nutrition, global health and the environment.

... more on "Long-term Trends in Nutrition, Health and the Environment" ...

New Data on the Global Burden of Disease and Progress Towards Targets of the Sustainable Development Goals

At Global 2030, we compile newly published data by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study to address major global challenges that result from limited access to vital resources such as food, clean air or health care. We utilize the study in topics covered by our data-driven review on the most important global challenges.

Additionally, we use the new data to assess trends towards major targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the members of the United Nations (UN) committed to in 2015 for 2030. Indicators are similar to the official UN indicators.

... more on "New Data on the Global Burden of Disease ..."

World Refugee Day: Global Trends of Forced Displacement

On today's World Refugee Day, Global2030 summarizes the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

... more on "World Refugee Day: Global Trends of Forced Displacement" (20 June 2020)

How Serious Is the COVID-19 Pandemic and
How Long Will It Have to Be Mitigated?

These are the questions addressed in a new study by Imperial College London, conducted in collaboration with the WHO and other institutions. The authors stress that the results of their models are not forecasts, but indicate the magnitude of the problem and important influencing factors. The effects will depend above all on action in the coming weeks and months (p. 3).

... more on "How Serious Is the COVID-19 Pandemic ..." (29 March 2020)

Achievements of the Time-Bound MDG Targets

Title page of the MDG targets assessment. Global2030 released the first comprehensive assessment of all time-bound targets of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. The report, which comes following the close of the MDG time frame, documents the achievements and the shortcomings of the targets.

A key finding is that 8 of the 15 MDG targets reached between 80 and 320% of their goals, with most achieving about 150%. It also calculates the number of annual deaths prevented since the introduction of the targets to be between 6.85 million and 8.75 million. The child mortality target is found to be the biggest life saver. Furthermore, the pace of progress is shown to have increased in most indicators of the MDG targets. The report will be sent to heads of states, UN organizations and business companies.

P.S.: A summary of the report was released at Deliver2030 - external., which is run by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI).

... more on "Achievements of the Time-Bound MDG Targets"

Download: Global2030: Achievements and Unfinished Business of the Time-Bound MDG Targets - PDF, 10 pages plus annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)

Internship Placements for Refugees

Global2030 offers internships or volunteering placements for refugees with a scientific background. See www.Global2030.net/refugees.

Global2015 Project Renamed to Global2030

Logos of Global2015 and Global2030 (animated). Global2030 is the new name for the successor project of Global2015. The name change is related to the close of 2015 as the main target year of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the adoption of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As Global2015 did, Global2030 monitors the most important global challenges including, among other topics, all MDGs and many SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). The legal name of the registered association (Global2015 e.V.) will also be changed but we intend not to include a year number (in case new global challenges appear after 2030).

SDG Targets: Strengths and Weaknesses

Title page of the presentation on the SDG targets. Global2015 presented its evaluation of the SDG targets at the Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT - external.). Using our data collection, a balanced assessment revealed the extent to which the goals are realistically achievable and those goals that will require extensive efforts from stakeholders. The presentation addressed shortcomings of the SDGs where tangible targets were missing and important issues were absent. However, the overall assessment revealed the strengths of the SDG targets and potential to achieve positive results by 2030.

Download: Global2015: Stärken und Schwächen der SDG-Targets - German - PDF (in German, with most diagrams in English), 32 presentation slides, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)

Fact Sheet on Trends of Old and New SDG Topics

Title page of the fact sheet on trends. In line with a series of our latest publications, Global2015 submitted a fact sheet on current trends to the UN negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The fact sheet provides trend diagrams on MDG target topics as well as new and emerging challenges. The fact sheet identifies progress, setbacks and new topics for the SDG targets. It utilizes annual trend data series from the 2015 Global Burden of Disease study and includes a comparison with the most recent WHO and UNAIDS trend data.

Download: Fact Sheet: Trends of Old and New Post-2015 Challenges - PDF, 5 pages plus an 8-page annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)

Fact Sheets on Post-2015 Targets and Indicators

Title page of the fact sheet on tweaking selected targets. Two further fact sheets of our series have been submitted by Global2015 to the UN negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The first fact sheet contributes to the tweaking of the post-2015 targets. It focusses on 8 SDG targets and provides proposals for changes as small as possible to make these targets more clearly quantifiable, to specify x-values in the draft or to preserve the intended aspiration. Our work is evidence-based and all recommendations are fully in line with the proposed post-2015 development agenda.

The second fact sheet proposes indicators for 17 selected SDG targets based on publicly available data. It was also submitted to the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC - external.) (see stakeholder feedback - external.).

Downloads:

Fact Sheet on Infectious Diseases

Title page of the fact sheet on infectious diseases. The second fact sheet of our series was submitted by Global2015 to the UN negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The fact sheet focusses on target 3.3 on infectious diseases, which was proposed by the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG). The fact sheet can contribute to the technical proofing of the SDG targets. The evidence-based recommendations are fully in line with the proposed post-2015 development agenda and do not refer to any controversial topics or risk unravelling the package of the SDGs.

The fact sheet provides a comparison of the contagious diseases with the highest numbers of deaths. For selected diseases – each on individual pages –, it presents the latest trend data and a data-derived recommendation of an ambitious but achievable target level for 2030.

Download: Fact Sheet: UN OWG Target 3.3 on Infectious Diseases - PDF, 6 pages plus a 6-page annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)

Fact Sheet on Safe and Secure Working Environments

Title page of the fact sheet on safe and secure working environments. The first fact sheet of an upcoming series was submitted by Global2015 to the UN negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The fact sheet focusses on target 8.8 on safe and secure working environments, which was proposed by the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG).

The fact sheet provides a comparison with other major global topics in terms of relative importance. Furthermore, it presents latest trend data and a data-derived recommendation of an ambitious but achievable target level for 2030. The fact sheet is based on the latest available data, in particular from the ILO, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2015 and the WHO Global Health Estimates 2014.

Download: Fact Sheet: UN OWG Target 8.8 on Safe and Secure Working Environments - PDF, 2 pages plus a 2-page annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)

Further fact sheets are being prepared, and you can register for receiving them at our fact sheets page.
 

Data-derived Recommendations for Post-2015 Targets

Title page of the proposal for the UN negotiations. Global2015 submitted a new proposal for the UN negotiations on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It addresses several open issues of the ongoing negotiations. The proposal provides an assessment of trend changes achieved by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and derives from that an average level of aspiration for the SDGs. Furthermore, it suggests an approach to define global targets that accommodates the consideration of national trends and country conditions. Additionally, the proposal identifies major topics for the post-2015 agenda, based on the latest data on mortality and economic losses. This includes the update of the Global Burden of Disease study from December 2014 and January 2015.
Finally, the proposal suggests framing or clustering the 17 SDGs into a small number of summary objectives, in order to facilitate effective communication.

Download of the proposal: Data-derived Recommendations for Post-2015 Targets - PDF, 15 pages plus a 17 page annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)
 

Data-based Recommendations on Targets Proposed

Title page of the proposal to the UN OWG. Global2015 submitted "Data-based Recommendations on Targets Proposed" to the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG- external.. The OWG has developed targets which continue on from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have an end date of 2015. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are intended to cover the time frame up to 2030 and will be agreed upon by the UN General Assembly.

The data and diagrams in our paper show both progress and setbacks among major global challenges, including MDG topics, between 1990 and 2010. Currently most major global challenges, though not all, are covered by time-bound and quantifiable targets proposed by the UN OWG. In particular, our paper provides data and suggestions on seven post-2015 targets proposed by the OWG, with regard to epidemics, air pollution and occupational safety etc.

Progress diagram: reduction in numbers of annual deaths 1990-2010. The paper is a pre-release excerpt of an upcoming update of our previous publication "Assessing Priorities for Rio+20" (see below). It utilizes data from many trustworthy sources such as the latest version of the Global Burden of Disease study and the WHO Global Health Estimates of June 2014.

Diagram on the infectious diseases with highest numbers of deaths per year. P.S.: The final UN OWG outcome document - external. includes now: "by 2030 … combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases". A further post-2015 target has now been made time-bound: "by 2030 ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including for family planning, information and education". These changes are concurrent with recommendations made by Global2015.

Download of the proposal: Data-based Recommendations on Targets Proposed by the UN OWG - PDF, 11 pages plus a 22 page annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (kilobytes)
 

Assessing Priorities for Rio+20

Title page of the Rio+20 proposal. A proposal was written by Global2015 for the preparation of "Rio+20", the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which will take place in June 2012. The objective of Rio+20 - external. is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date, and address new and emerging challenges.

The Global2015 proposal focuses on providing neutral information on major global challenges. This includes prioritizing the most urgent challenges that the world faces today, and identifying which issues have made the most progress and which have been neglected. The data on global challenges has been updated and diagrams have been included to show the comparative relevancies of the major global challenges, the progress made on issues, and target accomplishments. The proposal has been sent to the heads of appropriate UN [United Nations] bodies along with other international organizations involved in the preparation of Rio+20.

Download of the proposal: Assessing Priorities for Rio+20 - PDF, 9 pages plus a 38 page annex, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (megabytes)
 

Report for the UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS

Title page of the HIV/AIDS report. Global2015 has created a report on "HIV/AIDS in the Context of Other Global Challenges". The purpose of the report is to assist decision-makers in assessing priorities for appropriate action, taking into consideration global challenges interlinking with HIV/AIDS. Heads of government, ambassadors to the UN [United Nations], and the heads of related UN bodies were provided with the report, in regard to the High-Level Meeting on AIDS of the UN General Assembly (8-10 June 2011). The presidents of Switzerland and the USA (United States of America), governments from countries such as Australia, Brazil and the UK (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), as well as the EU (European Union) Commission and the WHO (World Health Organization), responded with their appreciation of the objective and comprehensive nature of the analysis.

The report is complemented by a summary of the outcome of the UN meeting. This publication is the first of a Special Global Challenges Report series; the next will be on climate change, for the occasion of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) conference in December 2011.

Download of the report: HIV/AIDS in the Context of Other Global Challenges - PDF, 29 pages, PDF (Portable Document Format), [error: stat() failed!] B (megabytes)
 

Survey Presented at WHO/SIGN Conference

Global2015 was invited to present its Global Challenges Survey at the annual meeting of the Safe Injection Global Network (SIGN), which is hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO). 135 registered participants from 28 countries attended the conference, which lasted from the 9th to the 11th of November, 2010 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
  Feedback on this first international presentation of the Global Challenges Survey was very positive, and several participants agreed to give expert reviews of the draft survey.

Photograph from the presentation. The Global Challenges Survey presented by Lars Vogelsang, member of the board

New estimates of the global burden of disease due to unsafe injections were also presented at the conference. With these estimates a trend in the safety of injections globally is visible for the first time − an improving one. These estimates will be taken into account in the next update of the Global2015 draft survey.

Download of the presentation:

Special Edition for the UN MDG Summit

A Special Edition of the Global Challenges Survey was created for the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (High-Level Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly, 20-22 September 2010).
  The updated survey by Global2015 covers most of the Millennium targets as well as other important global challenges. Global2015 has provided the survey to world leaders and UN representatives, and will continue to monitor the most urgent global challenges to encourage further action.

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November 25, 2023 Gender Equity

Graphic: No excuse (hashtag). Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: 86,500 women and girls got killed in intimate partner violence in 2019.
1 every 6 minutes!
This includes intentional killings, deaths from injury or HIV infection due to sexual violence.
Source: IHME/GBD study - external..

November 24, 2023 Antimicrobial Resistance

Photo: bacteriae. World Antibiotic Awareness Week: Around 1.27 million people died due to bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019. Drug resistance killed most often in pneumonia, other lower respiratory infections and bloodstream infections.
Source: IHME/GBD study - external..

November 21, 2023 Latest Data on Major Global Challenges

Bar diagram on deaths due to major global challenges. We provide a collection of latest data on major global challenges that result from limited access to vital resources (such as food, clean air or health care). Where possible, trend data was included, also in relation to targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - external.). Between their adoption in 2015 and the target year 2030, 2023 marks the end of the first half of the target period.

COVID-19

Diagram on reported and estimated COVID-19 deaths by November 2023. In total, the COVID-19 pandemic caused 6.98 million reported deaths by today (Nov. 2023), or an estimated 14.9 to 18.2 million deaths by the end of 2021, or 27.4 million by today (excess deaths).

Bar diagram on annual COVID-19 deaths 2019-2023 (reported and estimated deaths). The annual death toll of COVID-19 rose from 4.44 to 5.27 million in 2020 to a peak of 10.4 to 12.5 million in 2021. Afterwards, it decreased to 7.11 million in 2022 and to 2.8 million in 2023 (extrapolated from 2.5 mn by Nov. 18) – still infectious killer no. 1.
Mortality rates in Singapore, Japan and South Korea were much lower than in Western high-income countries.
Sources: WHO (reported deaths) - external. (updated 16 November 2023), WHO (excess deaths) - external., WHO (annual excess deaths) - external., IHME/GBD study - external. (excess deaths), The Economist - external. (excess deaths, updated 18 November 2023).

Outdoor Air Pollution

Diagram on deaths due to outdoor air pollution 1990-2019. Outdoor air pollution led to about 4.14-4.2 million deaths globally in 2019. This figure is up from 3.87 million in 2015, which diverts from SDG 3.9 to substantially reduce the number of deaths from air pollution by 2030.
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), WHO - external..

Climate Change

Diagram on deaths related to climate change 2004-2100. Climate change is estimated to result in 141,000 to 400,000 annual deaths at present. By 2050, it is projected to lead to between 250,000 and 1.09 million deaths per year. And by the end of the century, the annual death toll may rise to at least 3.35 or 4.6 million.
By 2100, climate change is projected to result in a cumulative 83 million excess deaths (from 2020 to 2100). Most deaths are projected to occur at the end of the century, but they are caused by emissions today and throughout the century. At least 74 million deaths could be avoided by keeping global warming below 2.4° C.
Sources: WHO - external. (on 2004, p. 50), WHO - external. (on 2030 and 2050), IPCC - external., CVM 2 - external., CVM 3 - external. (p. 93), GHF - external. (pp. 90, 87), Springmann et al. - external. (p. 17), Bressler - external..

Hunger

Diagram on deaths due to undernutrition 2005-2022. Undernourishment claimed the lives of around 2.94 million children in 2019. In 2022, 735 million people suffered from chronic hunger. That was 122 million people more than before the pandemic and 146 million more than in 2015. Therefore, the trend is contrary to the SDG 2 target to end hunger by 2030.
Sources: GBD study/IHME - external., FAO - external..

Harmful Medical Care

Photo: Midwife nurse washing her hands at the Mother and Child (MCH) Center in Hargeisa, Somalia, 2019. About 2.6-3 million deaths occur annually as a result of harmful medical care in low- and middle-income countries. Most of these are due to infections from unsafe equipment or procedures (insufficient hygiene).
Sources: WHO - external., Jha et al. - external. Photo: WHO/Ilyas Ahmed - external..

Indoor Air Pollution

Diagram on deaths due to indoor air pollution 1990-2019. Indoor air pollution, resulting from burning solid fuels for cooking and heating, claimed the lives of 2.31 to 3.2 million people in 2019/2020. It fell from 2.58 million in 2015 to 2.31 million in 2019. Whether this complies with SDG target 3.9 to substantially reduce the number of deaths from air pollution by 2030 may depend on the understanding of "substantially".
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), WHO - external..

Poverty

Diagrams on extreme poverty 2010-2023. Around 691 million people are living in extreme poverty (i.e. at a consumption level below $2.15 per day). This estimate for 2023 does not take into account current food price inflation. The figure fell from 800 million in 2015, but we are not on track to meet target SDG 1 to end poverty by 2030.
Poverty contributes 23-51% to mortality from hunger, unsafe water/sanitation and indoor air pollution.
Sources: World Bank - external., WHO - external. (pp. 1942, 2068-2069).

Unsafe Birth Conditions

Diagrams on global and regional neonatal mortality rates 1990-2021. About 2.3 million newborns died in 2021, and 287,000 women died during pregnancy or childbirth in 2020. The neonatal mortality rate decreased from 20 deaths per 1000 live births in 2015 to 18 in 2021, but progress is not sufficient to reach SDG 3.2 target of 12 by 2030. The maternal mortality rate fell slightly from 227 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 to 223 in 2020, being off-track to meet SDG 3.1 target of 70 by 2030.
Source: UNICEF (deaths - external.; target 3.2 - external., p. 10; target 3.1 - external.).

Pneumonia

Diagram on deaths from lower respiratory infections 1990-2019. About 2.49 to 2.59 million people died from pneumonia and other lower respiratory infections (such as influenza or RSV) in 2019. Among those killed, 672,000 to 740,000 were children under the age of five. Trends are declining.
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), WHO - external..

Work-related Accidents

Diagram on deaths from occupational diseases or accidents 1990-2019. Between 1.22 and 1.88 million people die annually from occupational diseases or accidents. The trend is rising slightly, despite SDG 8.8 calls to promote safe and secure working environments for all workers.
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), ILO - external. (p. 59).

Passive Smoking

Diagram on deaths due to second-hand smoke 1990-2019. Second-hand smoke led to around 1.30 million deaths in 2019. This death toll has risen from 1.21 million in 2015.
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), WHO - external..

Antimicrobial Resistance

Photo: electron micrograph of Escherichia coli. At least 1.27 million people died from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in 2019. Such infections contribute to many more deaths.
Source: GBD study/IHME - external.. Photo: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, USA.

Road Traffic Accidents

Diagram on road traffic fatalities 1990-2019. Road accidents cause 1.20-1.3 million fatalities per year. The latest figure relates to 2019 and was the same as in 2015, completely missing SDG 3.6 target to halve the number of global deaths from road traffic by 2020.
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), WHO - external..

Unsafe Water

Diagram on deaths resulting from unsafe water 1990-2019. Unsafe water led to about 1.23 million deaths in 2019, mainly among children. This is a decrease from 1.36 million in 2015, which may or may not be in line with SDG 3.9 to "substantially reduce" the number of deaths from water pollution and contamination by 2030.
In 2022, 2.2 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water. Between 2015 and 2022, global coverage of safely managed drinking water increased from 69% to 73%. Progress is not sufficient to achieve SDG 6.1 target of universal access to safe water by 2030.
Sources: GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), UNICEF - external. (p. 14).

Tuberculosis

Diagram on tuberculosis deaths 2010-2022. Tuberculosis caused about 1.13 million deaths in 2022 (not including the 167,000 people killed by AIDS with TB co-infection). That was down from 1.24 million deaths in 2015 but still not on track to meet SDG 3.3 target to end TB by 2030.
Sources: WHO - external., WHO on 2015 etc. - external.

Hepatitis B and C

Diagram on deaths from hepatitis B and C 1990-2019. Hepatitis B and C resulted in around 1.1 million deaths in 2019, mainly through related cirrhosis and liver cancer. The trend is rising, despite SDG 3.3 to "combat hepatitis".
Sources: GBD study/IHME summary - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required), WHO on hepatitis B - external., WHO on hepatitis C - external..

Lead Pollution

Diagram on deaths resulting from lead exposure 1990-2019. Lead pollution resulted in around 902,000 deaths in 2019. The death toll rose from 855,000 in 2015, deviating from SDG 3.9 to substantially reduce the number of deaths from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution by 2030.
Sources: WHO - external., GBD study/IHME fact sheet - external., GBD study/IHME trend data and diagram - external. (registration required).

HIV/AIDS

Diagram on AIDS deaths 1990-2022. AIDS claimed about 630,000 lives in 2022. Although this number of deaths dropped from 900,000 in 2015, it may meet neither the 2025 UNAIDS target nor the 2030 SDG 3.3 target to end AIDS.
Sources: UNAIDS fact sheet - external., UNAIDS trend data - external..

Malaria

Infographic on malarial deaths 2021. Malaria killed around 619,000 people in 2021, predominantly children. This figure has risen from 577,000 in 2020 as the pandemic has disrupted the provision of means to fight malaria. So far, we are not on track to meet SDG 3.3 target to end malaria by 2030.
Source: WHO - external. (p. 15).

Armed Conflicts

Diagram on reported battle deaths 1995-2022. Armed conflicts caused 204,000 reported battle deaths in 2022, including civilian casualties. This was by far the highest death toll for almost three decades. Most battle deaths occurred in Ethiopia (100,000) and Ukraine (81,500). Attacks directly targeting civilians led to 49,700 reported casualties (not including "collateral" civilian casualties). The increase of battle deaths negates the aim of SDG 16.1 to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
Sources: PRIO - external., OWID - external., UCDP - external., ACLED - external..

Natural Disasters

Diagram on deaths from natural disasters 1990-2022. Natural disasters caused 76,125 reported deaths in 2022. This included more than 61,000 excess deaths resulting from at least five record-breaking heatwaves in Europe. In its World Disaster Report 2022, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) also included the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the biggest disasters in living memory. Even if excluding the pandemic, the death toll has risen sharply from 22,874 reported deaths in 2015, which is not in line with SDG 11.5 to significantly reduce the number of deaths caused by disasters by 2030.
Sources: OWID - external., CRED - external., IFRC - external..

Conclusion

Among these 21 major global challenges arising from limited access to vital resources, 10 have worsened and 8 have improved since 2015 (one challenge has not changed and no trend data is available for two challenges). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) contain time-bound and quantifiable targets for 12 of these topics. None of these targets are clearly on track to be met by their target year (most often 2030). For two targets, the assessment may depend on the interpretation of what it means to reduce a problem "substantially". As we pass the midpoint of the SDG target period, the SDGs still need a booster.

Diagram on displaced persons 1993-2022. As a consequence of various global challenges, about 108 million people were displaced at the end of 2022. Of these, 62.5 million were displaced within their home country. Most refugees came from Syria (6.5 million), Ukraine and Afghanistan (each 5.7 mn). About 76% of refugees were hosted in low- and middle-income countries. The countries hosting most refugees were Turkey (3.6 mn), Iran (3.4 mn), Colombia (2.5 mn) and Germany (2.1 mn).
Worldwide, there were around 281 million migrants in 2020 (people living in a country other than they were born). They transferred 540 billion U$ in remittances to low- and middle income countries of origin in 2020 – more than three times the official development assistance (172 billion U$ in 2020).
Sources: UNHCR - external., IOM - external. (p. 3), OECD - external..

November 20, 2023 Child Mortality
Today is World Childrens Day. About 5.0 million children under the age of five died in 2021 – that was more than 13 000 deaths per day!
Source: UNICEF - external..

November 9, 2023 Tuberculosis
New report: Tuberculosis caused about 1.13 million deaths in 2022 (not including the 167,000 people killed by AIDS with TB co-infection). That was down from 1.24 million deaths in 2015 but not on track to meet SDG 3 to end TB by 2030.
Sources: WHO fact sheet - external., WHO report - external..

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Global Challenges Survey

The Global2015 draft survey summarizes the most urgent issues for human life and needs. The information is exclusively drawn from reports of scientific institutes, UN (United Nations) organizations, national departments, and other trustworthy sources.


Global Challenges Survey, September 2010

The most recent data on global challenges can be found in our social media posts and in our latest publications, such as the "Latest Data on Global Challenges" of November 2023. The most comprehensive compilation of our indicators and topics is included in the proposal "Assessing Priorities for Rio+20" - PDF of November 2011 (9 pages plus a 38 page annex, 1370141B [megabytes])

 

 

Participating in the Project

Participating

Everyone is welcome to contribute ideas and suggestions to the further development of the draft overview on main global challenges. Please use the contact page. Furthermore, Global2030 approaches scientists and experts to review the draft.

After being reviewed, the completed survey report on global challenges will be published here. The purpose of the survey is to inform and motivate decision-makers in particular, but also the public, to increase their efforts to tackle the global challenges addressed.

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