Sri Lanka is positioned as the leading country of the South Asian region in a new planetary pressures-adjusted human development index (PHDI) included in the new edition of the Human Development Report (HDR).
The 30th anniversary edition of the HDR 2020 was launched in Sri Lanka on January 6 by the United Nations Development Program.
Officials from the Government, public and private sector, development partners and representatives of civil society organisations participated.
Human progress is measured and countries are ranked according to their carbon dioxide emissions and material footprint in the planetary pressures-adjusted human development index. Sri Lanka also stands as the 72nd country out of 189 countries with high human development.
This 30th anniversary edition of the UNDP’s Human Development Report titled ‘The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene’, comprises three dimensions on which human development can be consolidatedcutting down probable planetary pressures at a time when the world is up against the Covid-19 virus.
The three dimensions are: renewing human development for the Anthropocene, mechanisms of change to catalyse action and exploring new metrics. The first of the three dimensions of HDR 2020 focuses on analytical, empirical and policy perspectives on how human development relates to the concept of Anthropocene.
The second dimension discusses implications for action bringing on three mechanisms for change: social norms, incentives and nature-based human development. The UNDP’s Human Development Report Office has been publishing annually the Human Development Report (HDR) since 1990 when the report was first launched by Pakistani economist MahbubUlHaq and Indian Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
The report outlines survey systems that cater for the enrichment of social norms, values and financial incentives and introduces themes to formulate those systems while working for the betterment of nature.
As Covid-19 has engrossed much of the world’s focus, the pre-existing calamities remain and silently aggravate into severe conditions. Hurricanes, extraordinary fires, plunging biodiversity and extinction of animal species reflect the social and planetary imbalances with the rising inequalities of human development.
The HDR of 2020 has provided procedures and guidelines to address the issues that arise in advancing human development while striving to erase planetary pressure and compulsion.
Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma upon receiving the HDR at the virtual launch said, “The Government aims to build a green economy that will generate new industries by local entrepreneurs. Through renewable energy, we can create law cost and law carbon energy.
A green economy will improve energy security, environmental and public health and create better and more jobs. With the vision of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, we commit to ensure that the environment is protected in all our development plans. It is with great pleasure that we welcome the UNDP’s coordinated support to ushering in aspects of a green economy.”