MOST

IMPORTANT
Periodic
Reports &
Indices

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 About the Document – Read Me!

The reports and Indices play a very important role in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the examinations of
RBI Gr B, NABARD Gr A/B and Phase 1 of SEBI Gr A and must be covered while preparing for the
above mentioned examinations. This document comprises of the latest edition of the most
important Reports and Indices released in the past 2-years.

This document houses the Reports & Indices which are not released annually, instead they are
released once in 2-years, 5-years or is the special edition in itself. It also comprises the report that
was released in the past month as well as the report which was released 20 months ago i.e., almost
2-years back. Now, you might be wondering that covering the past month report is absolutely
important, but does covering the report released 20 months back makes sense??

Answer is Yes!!! Let’s understand this with the help of a previous year question!!

Example of the Previous Year Question:

Passage was given on the “World Bank’s Human Capital Index”:

Q. India has been ranked at the ___1___ position in the latest edition of the World Bank’s (X)
report, after increase in score to ___2___ from 0.44 in 2018. What will come in the blank 1 and 2
respectively?

(a) 116th, 0.49

(b) 115th, 0.52
(c) 109th, 0.51
(d) 136th, 0.46
(e) 86th, 0.49

Answer: 116th, 0.49

The above mentioned question was asked in the ESI Paper of the RBI Grade B Exam 2022. The
report asked in the question was released in September 2020, and 3-questions from the report
were asked in the exam with total weightage of 6-marks.

The above mentioned example is an empirical evidence which shows the importance of these
reports which were released almost 2-years back. Another very important reason why these are
meant to be covered is because of the dynamic change in the nature of the questions asked in the
examination. Hence, covering this document will help you in attempting the questions based on
these reports successfully in the exam.

Now that we have understood the importance of this document, let’s dive in!!

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Contents
About the Document – Read Me! ............................................................................................................................ 2
Released in 2022....................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Environment Performance Index 2022......................................................................................................... 4
1.2 The State of the World’s Forest 2022 (SOFO 2022) ..................................................................................... 5
1.3 Global Land Outlook Second Edition (GL02): Land Restoration for Recovery and Resilience...................... 7
1.4 India State of Forest Report 2021...............................................................................................................10
Released in 2021.....................................................................................................................................................12
1.5 World Migration Report 2022 ....................................................................................................................12
1.6 The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index ..........................14
1.7 Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES) .....................................................................................................16
1.8 United Nations 4th Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2021 ...............................17
1.9 7th Review of Global Counter Terrorism Strategy .......................................................................................18
1.10 Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector .....................................................................20
1.11 World Report on Hearing ...........................................................................................................................21
Released in 2020.....................................................................................................................................................22
1.12 Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020: Reversals of Fortune .......................................................................22
1.13 Living Planet Report 2020: Bending The Curve Of Biodiversity Loss ..........................................................24
1.14 World Bank’s Human Capital Index 2020 ...................................................................................................25

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 Released in 2022
1.1 Environment Performance Index 2022
Released by- Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic
Forum
About the report-
• It is a biennial index which was started in 2002 as an Environmental Sustainability Index by
the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Yale Center for Environmental Law and
Policy and the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information
Network.
• The index uses 40 performance indicators across 11 issue categories, and ranks 180
countries on climate change performance, environmental health and ecosystem vitality.
• The EPI team transforms the raw environmental data into indicators that place countries on
a 0–100 scale from worst to best performance.
• These indicators provide a gauge at a national scale of how close countries are to established
environmental policy targets. Overall, EPI rankings indicate which countries are best
addressing environmental challenges.

Key findings of the report-

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Top 3 countries
Rank Country Score
1 Denmark 77.90
2 United Kingdom 77.70
3 Finland 76.50

Bottom 3 countries
Rank Country Score
178 Viet Nam 20.10
179 Myanmar 19.40
180 India 18.90
• India has been ranked 180th in the index.
• As per EPI estimates, only a handful of countries including Denmark and the United Kingdom
are on track to meet net zero-emission goals by 2050.
• Nations such as China, India and Russia are headed in the wrong direction with rapidly rising
greenhouse gas emissions.
• The index projects that four countries — China, India, the United States, and Russia — will
account for over 50% of residual global greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 if the current
trends hold.
India specific findings
• India has been ranked at last position i.e. 180th in the index with a score of 18.90.
o In 2020, India was ranked 168th.
• India’s score across categories:
o Climate change performance - ranked at 165th position with score of 21.7.
o Environmental health - ranked at 178th position with score of 12.5.
o Ecosystem vitality – ranked at 178th position with score of 19.3.
• The index has said that India has prioritized economic growth over environmental
sustainability.

1.2 The State of the World’s Forest 2022 (SOFO 2022)

Released by- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
About the report-
• The report is published every two years and presents an analysis of the interaction between
forests and people, with a focus on a specific pertinent topic.
• It explains the importance of forests to the global economy and biodiversity and is regarded
as one of the most important stocktakes on forest ecosystems.
Key findings of the report-
• The world has lost 420 million hectares (mha), approximately 10.34% of its total forest area
in the last 30 years (between 1990 and 2020) due to deforestation.
o The forests cover 31% of the Earth’s land surface (4.06 billion ha).
o Though the rate of deforestation was declining, 10 mha of forests were lost every
year between 2015 and 2020.

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 o Forest biodiversity remains under threat from deforestation and forest degradation as
it poses for the 68% of mammal species, 75% of bird species, and 80% of amphibian
species that inhabit forests.
• 47 mha of primary forests were lost between 2000 and 2020.
• More than 700 mha of forest (18 per cent of total forest area) is in legally established
protected areas.
• Unless additional action is taken, an estimated 289 mha of forests would be deforested
between 2016 and 2050 in the tropics alone, resulting in the emission of 169 GtCO2e.
• 15% of 250 emerging infectious diseases have been linked to forests and moreover, 30% of
new diseases, reported since 1960 can be attributed to deforestation and land-use change.
• Approximately 124 million more people fell into extreme poverty after Covid-19 and this
may have longer-term impacts on wood-based fuel (such as firewood, and charcoal) due to
the increase in wood-based fuel use in some countries during the pandemic.
• Forests are crucial for mitigating climate change: Trees and forests are major means for
combating climate change. Forests contain 662 billion tonnes of carbon, which is more than
half the global carbon stock in soils and vegetation. Despite a continued reduction in area,
forests absorbed more carbon than they emitted in 2011–2020 due to reforestation,
improved forest management and other factors.
• The world population is projected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050.
o Due to this, the annual global consumption of all-natural resources combined is
expected to more than double from 92 billion tonnes in 2017 to 190 billion tonnes in
2060 due to increases in population size and affluence.
o This will increase competition for land, as the demand for food for this large
population will rise by 35 to 56 per cent by the 2050s.
• The annual biomass extraction is expected to reach 44 billion tonnes by 2060, from 24 billion
tonnes in 2017.
• Restoration of degraded land through afforestation and reforestation could cost-effectively
take 0.9 to 1.5 GtCO2e per year out of the atmosphere between 2020 and 2050.
• It is estimated that more than half of the world’s gross domestic product ($84.4 trillion in
2020) depends moderately ($31 trillion per year) or highly ($13 trillion per year) on
ecosystem services, including those provided by forests.
• India and China could emerge as the biggest hotspots for new zoonotic viral diseases over
the next few decades if human pressure on forests continues to increase.
o Due to increasing human-wildlife interactions, infectious diseases can easily spread to
humans.
• Globally, ecosystems at risk of deforestation or degradation contain at least 260 Gt of
irrecoverable or difficult-to-recover carbon, particularly in peatlands, mangroves, old-growth
forests and marshes.
• The report also estimated the cost of global strategies to prevent pandemics based on
reducing the illegal wildlife trade, avoiding land-use change and increasing surveillance to be
$22 billion to $31 billion.
• Establishing and maintaining forests, for example, may cost $203 billion every year by 2050.

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 • It has recommended 3 interrelated pathways involving forests and trees can support
economic and environmental recovery.
o Halting deforestation and maintaining forests.
o Restoring degraded lands and expanding agroforestry.
o Sustainably using forests and building green value chains.

1.3 Global Land Outlook Second Edition (GL02): Land Restoration for Recovery and Resilience
Released by- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
About the report-
• The report, took five years in development with 21 partner organizations, and with over
1,000 references, is the most comprehensive consolidation of information on the topic ever
assembled.
o The 1st edition of the Global Land Outlook (GLO1) was launched in September 2017
at COP13 in Ordos, China.
• 8 working papers were commissioned to provide insights and analysis on the major themes
addressed in GLO2.
• The report predicts the outcomes by 2050 and risks involved under three scenarios:
Baseline; Restoration; and Restoration and Protection.
• The scenarios provide an estimate of the potential of land restoration to mitigate and adapt
to climate change as well as provide food, materials, and energy.
Key findings of the report-
• The degradation of land will result in severe climate induced disturbances which will result
in disruption of food supply, forced migrations and increased species extinction.
• Baseline Scenario: This is business as usual, where current trends in land and natural
resource degradation are projected to continue through to 2050, while demands for food,
feed, fiber, and bioenergy continue to rise.
o Land management practices and climate change continue to cause widespread soil
erosion, declining fertility and growth in yields, and the further loss of natural areas
due to expanding agriculture.
o By 2050:
✓ 16 million square kilometers (the size of South America), which is 11% of the
world’s land surface will be degraded by 2050.
✓ A persistent, long-term decline in vegetative productivity is observed for 12-
14% of agricultural, pasture and grazing land, and natural areas – with sub-
Saharan Africa worst affected.
✓ An additional 69 gigatonnes of carbon is emitted from 2015 to 2050 due to
land use change and soil degradation.
• This represents 17% of current annual greenhouse gas emissions: soil
organic carbon (32 gigatonnes), vegetation (27 gigatonnes), peatland
degradation/conversion (10 gigatonnes).
✓ Agricultural yields are expected to increase in all regions, land degradation
curb will increase, especially in the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan
Africa, and Latin America.

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 ✓ The loss of soil organic carbon and the soil’s ability to hold water and nutrients,
will be responsible for slowing in the growth of agricultural yields.
✓ The demand for food, expected to rise by 45% between 2015 and 2050, this
has to be met through intensification and expansion of agricultural land, which
will result in loss of an additional 3 million square kilometers of natural areas
(the size of India), mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
• Restoration Scenario: Assumes the restoration of around 5 billion hectares (50 million
square kilometers or 35% of the global land area) using measures such as agroforestry,
grazing management, and assisted natural regeneration. (Current international pledges: 10
million square kilometers).
o By 2050:
✓ Crop yields increase by 5-10% in most developing countries compared to the
baseline. Improved soil health leads to higher crop yields, with the largest
gains in the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, and sub Saharan
Africa, limiting food price increases.
✓ Soil water holding capacity would increase by 4% in rainfed croplands.
✓ Carbon stocks rise by a net 17 gigatonnes between 2015 and 2050 due to
gains in soil carbon and reduced emission
✓ Biodiversity continues to decline, but not as quickly, with 11% of biodiversity
loss averted.
• Restoration and Protection Scenario: This scenario includes the restoration measures,
augmented with protection measures of areas important for biodiversity, water regulation,
conservation of soil and carbon stocks, and provision of critical ecosystem functions.
o By 2050:
✓ The restoration of the land by 2050 will add an additional 4 million square
kilometers of natural areas (the size of India and Pakistan); largest gains
expected in South and Southeast Asia and Latin America.
✓ Protections would prevent land degradation by logging, burning, draining, or
conversion.
✓ About a third of the biodiversity loss projected in the baseline would be
prevented.
✓ An additional 83 gigatonnes of carbon are stored compared to the baseline.
Avoided emission and increased carbon storage would be equivalent to more
than seven years of total current global emissions.
• $44 trillion, roughly half the world’s annual economic output – is being put at risk by the
loss of finite natural capital and nature’s services, which underpin human and environmental
health by regulating climate, water, disease, pests, waste and air pollution, while providing
numerous other benefits such as recreation and cultural benefits.
• The economic returns of restoring land and reducing degradation, greenhouse gas
emissions and biodiversity loss could be as high as $125-140 trillion every year, up to 50%
more than the $93 trillion global GDP in 2021.

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 • Humans have already transformed more than 70% of the earth’s land area from its natural
state, causing unparalleled environmental degradation and contributing significantly to
global warming.
• Up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of humanity and
threatening roughly half of global gross domestic product ($44 trillion).
• Globally, at least $300 billion will be required annually to achieve significant results in
restoring land by 2030.
o This is far less than the amount of subsidies currently provided to farmers in
developed countries.
• Nations’ current pledge to restore one billion degraded hectares by 2030 requires $1.6
trillion this decade, a fraction of today’s annual $700 billion in fossil fuel and agricultural
subsidies.
• Eliminating or repurposing harmful farm subsidies would trigger a shift from resource-
depleting practices to those that link resource efficiency and productivity gains to healthy
and resilient food systems.
• The report termed food systems to be the ‘single greatest driver’ of terrestrial natural
capital loss currently, as crop and grazing lands now covered more than five billion hectares,
almost 40% of the earth’s land surface.
o The ongoing destruction of nature for food production (ie extensification) is now
encroaching on some of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet.
o While agricultural intensification can increase yields in the short term, unless done in
a sustainable manner, it tends to cause high levels of land and soil degradation and
contamination.
o Our global food systems, which are responsible for 80% deforestation, 70% of
freshwater use and the single greatest cause of terrestrial biodiversity loss.”
o Investing in large-scale land restoration is a powerful, cost-effective tool to combat
desertification, soil erosion and loss of agricultural production.
• Restoring land, soils, forests and other ecosystems would contribute more than one-third of
the cost-effective climate change mitigation needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C while
supporting biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, human health and other key
sustainable development goals.
• Many traditional and modern regenerative food production practices can enable agriculture
to pivot from being the primary cause of degradation to the principal catalyst for land and
soil restoration.
• Poor rural communities, smallholder farmers, women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and other
at-risk groups are disproportionately affected by desertification, land degradation, and
drought.
o At the same time, traditional and local knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local
communities, proven land stewards, represent a vast store of human and social
capital that must be respected and can be used to protect and restore natural capital.

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 • Immediate financial support is needed to fund conservation and restoration in those
developing countries with a greater share of the global distribution of intact, biodiverse, and
carbon-rich ecosystems.
• Restoration projects and programs tend to have long-term multiplier effects that
strengthen rural economies and contribute to wider regional development. They generate
jobs that cannot be outsourced, and investments stimulate demand that benefits local
economies and communities.
• Land and resource rights, secured through enforceable laws and trusted institutions, can
transform underperforming land assets into sustainable development opportunities, helping
maintain equitable and cohesive societies.
• Inclusive and responsible land governance, including tenure security, is an effective way to
balance trade-offs and harness synergies that optimize restoration outcomes.
• Grasslands and savannas are productive, biodiverse ecosystems that match forests both in
their global extent and their need for protection and restoration. Equally important are
wetlands, which are in long-term decline averaging losses at three times the rate of global
forest loss in recent decades. Sustaining their capacity to absorb and store carbon is key to a
climate-resilient future.
• Intensive monocultures and the destruction of forests and other ecosystems for food and
commodity production generate the bulk of carbon emissions associated with land use
change.
• If current land degradation trends continue, food supply disruptions, forced migration, rapid
biodiversity loss and species extinctions will increase, accompanied by a higher risk of
zoonotic diseases like COVID-19, declining human health, and land resource conflicts.

1.4 India State of Forest Report 2021

Released by- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
About the report-
• The report is an assessment of India’s forest and tree cover, which is published every two
years by the Forest Survey of India under the MoEFCC.
• The first survey was published in 1987, and this is the 17th edition.
• It compiles data computed through wall-to-wall mapping of India’s forest cover through
remote sensing techniques.
• The Forest Survey of India has listed four categories of forests which are:
o Very Dense Forest (with tree canopy density of 70% or above)
o Moderately Dense Forest (tree canopy density of 40% or above but less than 70%)
o Open Forest (tree canopy density of 10% or above but less than 40%)
o Scrub (tree canopy density less than 10%)
Key findings of the report-
• Forest cover is increasing:
o The total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million hectare which is 24.62%
of the geographical area of the country.
o As compared to the assessment of 2019, there is an increase of 2,261 square
kilometre in the total forest and tree cover of the country.
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 ✓ The forest cover in the country has increased by 1,540 square kilometres over
the past two years, while the tree cover has increased by 721 square
kilometres
o India’s forest cover is now 7,13,789 square kilometres, which is 21.71% of the
country’s geographical area, an increase from 21.67% in 2019.
o The tree cover is now 95,748 square kilometre (2.91% of the geographical area).
o Bamboo forests have grown from 13,882 million culms (stems) in 2019 to 53,336
million culms in 2021.
o Currently, 17 states/UT’s have above 33% of the geographical area under forest
cover.
✓ Out of these states and UT’s, 5 states/UTs namely Lakshadweep, Mizoram,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have more
than 75% forest cover.
✓ While 12 states/UTs namely Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Goa, Kerala, Sikkim,
Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Assam,
Odisha, have forest cover between 33% to 75%.
o The increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very
dense forest, while moderately dense forests (natural forests) have declined.
• State-wise gain/losses:
o The top three states showing increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq
km) followed by Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km).
o The states that have shown the highest increase in forest cover are Telangana
(3.07%), Andhra Pradesh (2.22%) and Odisha (1.04%).
o Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by
Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
o In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States
are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur
(74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
o The forest cover in the North East region has shown an overall decline of 1,020
square kilometre in forest cover.
o The Northeast states account for 7.98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of
total forest cover.
o Five states in the Northeast – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and
Nagaland have all shown loss in forest cover.
o The decline in the forest area in NE states is attributed to a spate of natural
calamities, particularly landslides and heavy rains, in the region as well as to
anthropogenic activities.
• Increase in Mangrove cover:
o Mangroves have shown an increase of 17 square kilometres and India’s total
mangrove cover is now 4,992 square kilometres.
o The top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Odisha (8 sq km) followed
by Maharashtra (4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).
• Increase in carbon stock:
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 o The total carbon stock in country’s forests is estimated at 7,204 million tonnes, an
increase of 79.4 million tonnes since 2019.
✓ The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.
• Big cats population
o The ISFR 2021 has for the first time assessed forest cover in tiger reserves, tiger
corridors and the Gir forest which houses the Asiatic lion.
o The forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 square kilometres (0.32%)
from 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 square kilometres (0.04%) in tiger reserves.
o Buxa, Anamalai and Indravati reserves have shown an increase in forest cover while
the highest losses have been found in Kawal, Bhadra and the Sunderbans reserves.
o Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly
97%.
o Between 2011 and 2021, forest cover has decreased in 32 tiger reserves and
increased in 20 tiger reserves.
• Impact of climate change:
o The report estimates that by 2030, 45-64% of forests in India will experience the
effects of climate change and rising temperatures, and forests in all states will be
highly vulnerable climate hot spots.
o Ladakh (forest cover 0.1-0.2%) is likely to be the most affected.
o India’s forests are already showing shifting trends of vegetation types, such as Sikkim
which has shown a shift in its vegetation pattern for 124 endemic species.
• Forest fires:
o The survey has found that 35.46% of the forest cover is prone to forest fires.
o Out of this, 2.81 % is extremely prone, 7.85% is very highly prone and 11.51 % is
highly prone
o The highest numbers of fires were detected in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh.
• Concerns with the declining trends
o 1,582 square kilometre decline was in moderately dense forests, or “natural
forests”.
o Also, scrub area has increased by 5,320 square kilometre – indicating the complete
degradation of forests in these areas.

Released in 2021
1.5 World Migration Report 2022
Released by- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
About the report-
• It is the 11th edition of the biennial report which focuses on migration caused by climate
change induced factors, like extreme disasters and weather events.
• The report quoted the regular data collation by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
(IDMC).
Key findings of the report-

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 • The global international migration has increased from 84 million globally in 1970 to 281
million in 2020, and the proportion of the international migrants has increased from 2.3% to
3.6% of the global population.
• The total internal displacement due to conflict, disaster and violence has increased in 2020
as compared to 2019.
o It was 31.5 million in 2019 and it increased to 40.5 million in 2020 across 42 countries
and territories due to conflict and violence, and 144 countries and territories due to
disasters.
o Around 76% (30.7 million) of the new displacements were due to disasters and 24%
(9.8 million) were due to conflict and violence.
o The Storms account for 14.6 million displacements and floods account for 14.1 million
displacements.
o Extreme temperature displaced 46,000 people, while droughts displaced 32,000
people.
✓ Between 2008 and 2020, droughts displaced 2.4 million people and over 1.1
million people by extreme temperatures.
• Most of the new displacement is due to climate-related events: storms (most
displacements), floods, extreme temperatures, and drought.
• 89.4 million people are living in displacement globally in 2020, out of which:
o 55 million people are internally displaced.
✓ 48 million due to conflict and violence and 7 million due to disasters.
o 26.4 million people are refugees worldwide.
o 4.1 million people are seeking asylum.
o 3.9 million people are Venezuelans displaced globally.
• The Philippines has experienced the highest absolute number of new disaster displacements
in 2020 which is equal to 5.1 million.
o In China, 5 million migrated due to natural disasters.
o In India 4 million migrated due to disasters.
o Overall, Asia reported the highest migration due to disaster.
• India and China, have the largest absolute numbers of migrants living abroad.
o India has the largest emigrant population in the world with around 18 million people
living abroad, making India the top origin country globally.
• International remittances:
o There is an overall increase in remittances, from $126 billion in 2000 to $702 Billion in
2020.
o In 2020, India, China, Mexico, the Philippines and Egypt were (in descending order)
the top five remittance recipient countries.
o India and China tops the list with total inward remittances exceeding $83 billion and
$59 billion, respectively.
o The United States (US) has been the top remittance sending country with a total
outflow of $68 billion in 2020 followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ($43.2
billion) and Saudi Arabia ($34.6 billion).

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 o When compared with the size of the population in each region, shares of international
migrants in 2020 were highest in Oceania, North America and Europe, where
international migrants represented, respectively, 22%, 16% and 12% of the total
population.

o In comparison, the share of international migrants is relatively small in Asia and Africa
(1.8% and 1.9%, respectively) and Latin America and the Caribbean (2.3%).

1.6 The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index
Released by- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
About the report-
• It is first focussed report on children’s by UNICEF.
• The Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) is a composite index built by bringing together a set
of indicators across two pillars:
o Pillar 1 – measures children’s exposure to climate and environmental shocks and
stresses.
✓ Its indicators include water scarcity, riverine floods, coastal floods, tropical
cyclones, vector borne diseases, heatwaves, air pollution and soil and water
pollution.
o Pillar 2 – captures child vulnerability.
✓ Its indicators include child health and nutrition, education, water, sanitation
and hygiene, poverty, communication assets, and social protection.
• Low rank in the index denotes higher level of children’s climate risk.
Key findings of the report-
Top 3 countries
Rank Country Climate and Child CCRI Score
Environmental Vulnerability
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 Factor
1 Central African Republic 6.7 9.8 8.7
2 Chad 7.0 9.4 8.5
3 Nigeria 8.8 8.1 8.5

Bottom 3 countries
Rank Country Climate and Child CCRI Score
Environmental Vulnerability
Factor
161 New Zealand 2.4 0.8 1.6
162 Luxembourg 1.1 1.8 1.5
163 Iceland 1.0 0.9 1.0
• Around 1 billion children live in one of the 33 countries which are classified as “extremely
high-risk”.
o This includes 4 countries from South Asia namely, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan
and India.
• Major statistics:
o 820 million children (over one third of children globally) are currently highly exposed
to heatwaves.
o 400 million children (nearly 1 in 6 children globally) are currently highly exposed to
cyclones.
o 330 million children (1 in 7 children globally) are currently highly exposed to riverine
flooding.
o 240 million children (1 in 10 children globally) are currently highly exposed to coastal
flooding.
o 920 million children (over one-third of children globally) are currently highly exposed
to water scarcity.
o 600 million children (over 1 in 4 children globally) are currently highly exposed to
vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, among others.
o 2 billion children (almost 90% of children globally) are currently highly exposed to air
pollution that exceeds 10µg/m3.
o 815 million children (over one-third of children globally) are currently highly exposed
to lead pollution due to exposures in contaminated air, water, soil and food.
• Overlapping burden on children:
o Almost every child on earth (>99%) is exposed to at least 1 of these major climate
and environmental hazards, shocks and stresess.
o 2.2 billion children are exposed to at least 2.
o 1.7 billion children are exposed to at least 3.
o 850 million children are exposed to at least 4.
o 330 million children are exposed to at least 5.
o 80 million children are exposed to at least 6.
India specific findings-
• India is ranked at 26th position in the index, with score of 7.4.

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 o It scored 9.0 and 4.6 on climate and environmental factor and child vulnerability
factor respectively.
o Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan have been ranked at 14th, 15th, 25th position
respectively.
o Nepal is ranked 51st, Sri Lanka at 61st and Bhutan at 111th, with children at relatively
lower risk.
• India is one of the 33 extremely high-risk countries with flooding and air pollution being
the repeated environmental shocks leading to socio-economic adverse consequences for
women and children.
• Climate change greatly threatens health, education, and protection of children in India.
• More than 600 million Indians will face ‘acute water shortages’ in the coming years.
o Also, at the same time flash flooding will increase significantly in majority of India’s
urban areas once the global temperature increase rises above 2°Celsius.
• 20 of the world’s 30 cities with the most polluted air in 2020 are in India.
Recommendations-
• Increase investment in climate adaptation and resilience in key services for children.
• Countries must cut their emissions by at least 45% (compared to 2010 levels) by 2030 to
keep warming to no more than 1.5°C.
• Provide children with climate education and greens skills, critical for their adaptation to and
preparation for the effects of climate change.

1.7 Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES)

Released by- National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
About the report-
• It is a quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey which collects information on the
consumption spending patterns of households across the country, both urban and rural.
• The data gathered in this exercise reveals the average expenditure on goods (food and non-
food) and services and helps generate estimates of household Monthly Per Capita
Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) as well as the distribution of households and persons over
the MPCE classes.
Key findings of the report-
• India has not released Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES) data since 2011-12.
o The CES of 2017-18 has not been made public by the Government of India.
o Now, a new CES will be conducted in 2021-22.
Incidence of Poverty CES 2004-05 CES 2011-12 PLFS 20419-20
Poverty Head Count Ratio Rural 41.8 25.7 30.5
(%) Urban 25.7 13.7 15.5
Total 37.2 21.9 25.9
• The incidence of poverty in India has been steadily falling from 1973-74 to 2011-12.
o It was 54.9% in 1973-74; 44.5% in 1983-84; 36% in 1993-94 and 27.5% in 2004-05.
This was in accordance with the Lakdawala poverty line (which was lower than the
Tendulkar poverty line).

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 • In 2011, the Planning Commission, decided that the national poverty line should be raised
in accordance with the recommendations of an expert group chaired by the late Suresh
Tendulkar.
o This poverty line was comparable at the time to the international poverty line
(estimated by World Bank), of $1.09 (now $1.90 to account for inflation) person per
day.
o Tendulkar poverty rate was ₹816 for rural and ₹1,000 for urban areas.
• The incidence in poverty has increased since 2011-12, for the first time in India’s history of
estimating poverty.
o This is due to 8% fall in rural consumption between 2012 and 2018, while urban
consumption has increased by just 2%.
• Poverty in India is predominantly rural because of majority of India’s population (certainly
over 65%) being rural.
• It is estimated that, by 2019-20, poverty had increased significantly in both the rural and
urban areas, but much more so in rural areas (from 25% to 30%).
• The absolute number of poor has increased from 217 million in 2012 to 270 million in 2019-
20 in rural areas and from 53 million to 71 million in the urban areas or a total increase of
the absolute poor of about 70 million.
o During 1973 and 1993: the absolute number of poor had remained constant (at
about 320 million poor).
o During 1993 and 2004: the absolute number of poor fell by a marginal number (18
million) from 320 million to 302 million.
o During 2004-05 and 2011-12: the number of the poor fell, by 133 million, or by over
19 million per year.
• Reasons for increased poverty since 2013 are:
o The demonetisation followed by a poorly planned and hurriedly introduced Goods
and Services Tax, both created shocks to unorganised sector and Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises.
o This was followed by economic slowdown, where investment fell from 31% to 28%
of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2019-20, public expenditure was constrained by
a silent fiscal crisis.
o Exports, fell below the 2013-14 level ($315 billion) for five years.
o Consumption stagnated and household savings rates fell.
o Joblessness increased to a 45-year high by 2017-18 (by the usual status), and youth
(15-29 years of age) saw unemployment triple from 6% to 18% between 2012 and
2018.
o Real wages did not increase for casual or regular workers over the same period.

1.8 United Nations 4th Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2021
Released by- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP)
About the report-

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 • It provides an evidence whether or not the trade facilitation measures being taken have the
desired impact and helps draw comparison amongst countries. A higher score for a country
also helps businesses in their investment decisions.
• This survey is conducted in every two years and it assessed 143 economies.
• It is based on an assessment of 58 trade facilitation measures classified into 5 indicators
which has been covered by the Trade Facilitation Agreement of WTO.
o The 5 indicators are: transparency, formalities, paperless trade, cross border
paperless trade and institutional arrangement and cooperation.
Key findings of the report-
• The global average implementation rate of trade facilitation and paperless trade measures
is at 65% in 2021, it is an increase of 5% from an average of 61% in 2019.
o Developed economies have the highest implementation rate of 82%, followed by
countries in South-East and East Asia at 75%.
o Pacific Islands have the lowest implementation rate of 44%.
• Among developed countries, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Japan and Belgium
have scored more than 93%.
India specific findings-
• India has scored 90.32% in 2021, this is a remarkable improvement from 78.49% in 2019.
• India’s score has significantly improved on all 5 key indicators.
o Transparency: 100% in 2021 (It was 93.33% in 2019).
o Formalities: 95.83% in 2021 (It was 87.5% in 2019).
o Institutional Arrangement and Cooperation: 88.89% in 2021 (It was 66.67% in 2019).
o Paperless Trade: 96.3% in 2021 (It was 81.48% in 2019).
o Cross-Border Paperless Trade: is 66.67% in 2021 (In 2019 it was 55.56%).
• In South Asia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were behind India with a score of 64.5% and 60.2%,
respectively.

1.9 7th Review of Global Counter Terrorism Strategy

Released by- United Nations Office for Counter Terrorism
About the report-
• The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) is a unique global instrument
to enhance national, regional and international efforts to counter terrorism.
• It was adopted by consensus in 2006, where all United Nations member states agreed to a
common strategic and operational approach to fighting terrorism.
• The UN General Assembly (UNGA) reviews the UN GCTS every two years, but the 7th review
is conducted after three years due to on-set of Covid-19 pandemic.
• The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is composed of 4 pillars, namely:
o Addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism.
o Measures to prevent and combat terrorism.
o Measures to build states’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen
the role of the United Nations system in that regard.
o Measures to ensure respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the
fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.
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Key findings of the report-
• Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain have been appointed to act as co-
facilitators.
• The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) will provide to support the co-
facilitators as substantive secretariat.
India specific findings-
• The Indian Ambassador to the United Nations, T S Tirumurti addressed the UN General
Assembly debate on UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
• He made following remarks on behalf of India on the 7th review of GSTC debate:
o The international community has acknowledged that the threat of terrorism is grave
and universal, and can only be defeated by collective efforts of all UN member states.
o It was only after 9/11 that the world came together to fight terrorism collectively,
and before the 9/11 terror attacks, the world was divided into “your terrorists” or
“my terrorists”.
o India has cautioned on the attempt to divide terrorism again in different categories
by adopting new terminologies under the guise of “emerging threats” such as racially
and ethnically-motivated violent extremism, violent nationalism, right wing
extremism, etc.
✓ This will take us all back to the same era and erase the gains achieved
globally over the last two decades.
o India, is emphasizing on the collective efforts by the UN member states to check
terrorism and requested that International Community needs to adopt the policy of
zero tolerance towards terrorism.
o The menace of terrorism in no way should be associated with any religion,
nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.
o Justifying terrorism in any way, whether on grounds of religion, ideology, ethnicity or
race, will only provide the necessary fodder for terrorists to enhance their activities
even more.
o The rise of hatred and violent terrorist attack is not just limited to three Abrahamic
religions but includes other religions, inter alia, Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism.
o India has also called out countries that are violating global commitments by
sheltering terrorists which are empowering such terrorist groups to extend their
power and strength.
o The continued absence of a universally agreed definition of terrorism is detrimental
to the shared goal of eliminating the global scourge.
o The misuse of internet and social media for terrorist propaganda, radicalisation and
recruitment of cadre; misuse of new payment methods such as block-chain
currencies, payment wallets, crowdfunding platforms for terrorism financing;
and misuse of emerging technologies such as drones, 3D printing, Artificial
Intelligence, robotics has emerged as the most serious threats of terrorism, which
warrants collaborative actions from all member states.

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1.10 Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector
Released by- International Energy Agency (IEA)
About the report-
• It is world’s first comprehensive energy roadmap report.
• It aims to examine the impacts of announced net zero emissions (NZE) pledges and what
they mean for the energy sector.
• It will also help in developing new energy sector pathway towards achieving the NZE by
2050.
• It also provides governments with policy recommendations to act upon so as to achieve net
zero goals, with a view of achieving other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well.
Key findings of the report-
• It suggests that halting new oil, gas and coalfields will be essential in achieving Net Zero
Global Carbon Emissions by 2050.
• The annual clean energy investment worldwide will need to more than triple by 2030 to
around $4 trillion, in order to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
• Cumulative global CO2 emissions from energy use and industry would reach 450 billion
tonnes (carbon dioxide equivalent or GtCO2) between 2020 and 2050, with 45GtCO2 from
land use and forestry.
• The current pledges of countries are not sufficient to control the global temperature rise. It
is expected that temperature will increase to 2.1 °C by 2050.
• It provides for more than 400 milestones which will guide the global journey to net zero by
2050. It includes:
o Fossil Fuels:
▪ No investment in new fossil fuel supply projects, and no further final
investment decisions for new unabated coal plants.
▪ No new coal-fired power stations must be built unless they include
technology to capture their emissions.
▪ Oil demand should decline to 24 million barrels a day by 2050.
o Vehicle sale:
▪ No sales of new internal combustion engine passenger cars by 2035.
▪ The share of Electric Vehicles in the global fleet must increase from 5% to 60%
by 2030.
o Electricity Generation:
▪ The global electricity sector should reach net-zero emissions by 2040.
▪ Annual installation of solar photovoltaic additions should reach to 630
gigawatts by 2030, and wind power to 390 gigawatts.
▪ It is four times the target set in 2020 for capacity addition.
o Almost 70% of electricity generated will be from solar and wind, over 90% of heavy
industrial production is low emission and more than 85% of buildings should be zero
carbon ready by 2050.
o Demand for hydrogen is projected to increase almost six fold to 530 million tonnes
in 2050, accounting for 13% of global final energy demand in 2050.

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 o It suggests the global electricity generation towards 2050 must be:
✓ 714% more renewables.
✓ 104% more nuclear.
✓ 93% less coal (and all remaining coal with Carbon Capture Storage (CCS)).
✓ 85% less natural gas (with 73% of that with CCS).
o It also emphasizes on Behavioural changes by consumers, replacing regional air
travel with rail & energy efficient building design.

1.11 World Report on Hearing

Released by- World Health Organization
About the report-
• This is the first ever “World Report on Hearing”.
• It aims to provide evidence-based guidance to drive actions for integration of quality EHC
(ear and hearing care) services into national health plans of Member States, as part of their
work towards universal health coverage.
• The tagline for the dissemination of the WRH is Hearing Care for All.
Key findings of the report-
• One in five people worldwide are presently suffering from hearing problems currently.
o Number of people with hearing loss may increase more than 1.5-fold during the next
three decades, to 2.5 billion people up from 1.6 billion in 2019.
▪ Globally over 430 million people experience disabling hearing loss, a number
that could grow to nearly 700 million by 2050.
o Nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide ─ or 1 in 4 people ─ will be living with some
degree of hearing loss by 2050.
o Over 27,000 children are born deaf every year in India. Hearing impairment or loss is
often neglected as it cannot be seen and in most cases the diagnosis is delayed.
• Among low-income countries-
o About 78% have fewer than one ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist per million
population.
o 93% have fewer than one audiologist per million.
o Only 17% have one or more speech therapist per million.
o 50% have one or more teacher for the deaf per million.
• In richer countries with better facilities, the access to care is often uneven.
• In children, almost 60% of hearing loss can be prevented through measures such as
immunization for prevention of rubella and meningitis, improved maternal and neonatal
care, and screening for, and early management of, otitis media - inflammatory diseases of
the middle ear.
• Over a billion adolescents and young adults are at risk of avoidable, irreversible hearing loss
due to the common practices of listening to music at loud volumes and for prolonged time.
• An estimated one trillion US dollars are lost each year due to collective failure to adequately
address hearing loss.
• It called for extra investment in the prevention and treatment of ear diseases and infection.

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 • It also suggested a slew of measures, which it calculated would cost $1.33 per person per
year.
o WHO calculates that governments can expect a return of nearly US$ 16 for every US$
1 invested.
• Cause of hearing problems-
o Unprecedented rise in hearing problems is due to demographic and population
trends.
• The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) helps in early detection of congenital
hearing loss and this test is vital to detect hearing impairment in newborn babies and to
ensure early intervention.
o UNHS screening is mandatory in developed countries, it is not included in the list of
mandatory health screening procedures for newborns in India, except Kerala.
• Identification is the first step in addressing hearing loss and related ear diseases.

Released in 2020
1.12 Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020: Reversals of Fortune
About the report-
• It is a biennial report released by World Bank.
• It offers the latest and most accurate estimates on trends in global poverty and shared
prosperity and presents new estimates of COVID-19’s impacts on global poverty and
inequality.
• It states that the COVID-19 pandemic has ended the progress made since year 1990 in
poverty reductions worldwide.
• It also provides analysis on the causes and consequences of the reversal in the gains of
poverty.
The report mentions the below factors responsible for reversal of gains in global poverty-
o COVID-19 Pandemic
o Armed Conflict
o Climate Change
Extreme Poverty and the related findings-
What is Extreme Poverty?
• The report measures "extreme poverty" as the number of people living on lessthan
$1.90perday.
• “No poverty” is also the first goal among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end
poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
Key findings–Global
• COVID-19’s impact-
o Poverty is expected to rise in 2020 for the first time since 1998.
o Covid-19 will add around 88-115 million new people into extreme poverty in year 2020
and is expected to further add about 23-35 million in 2021, hence bringing the total

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 number of new people living in extreme poverty to between 110-150 million by year
2021. So, it may cause 1.4% of the world population to fall into extreme poverty.
o About 82% of the poor individuals will be from the middle income countries (MICs).
o Many of the new poor (recently pushed to extreme poverty) are likely to live in congested
urban settings and work in the sectors most affected by lockdowns and mobility
restrictions.
o The new poor are more urban, better educated, and are less likely to work in agriculture
than those living in extreme poverty before COVID-19.
After studying the above findings of the report, we can understand the changes caused by COVID-
19 in the global poverty rates-
Background- The global poverty rate declined by 26% from 36% in 1990 to 10% in 2017. This
number was projected to drop to 7.9% in year 2020, but COVID-19 took place and changed the
scenario. Lets see the impact of COVID-19 on the projections of Global Poverty Rates-
New projections-

Covid-19 impact in different time-frame Global Poverty Rate Projections after COVID-19
Baseline scenario Downside scenario
**Without COVID-19 in year 2020 7.9% (earlier projection)

In Year 2020 9.1% 9.4%

In Year 2021 8.9% 9.4%
In Year 2030 6.7% 7%

o Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the whole world and analysing its impacts stated above,
it has become unrealistic to attain the goal of reducing extreme poverty to below 3% at
the global level by year 2030.
o Worst hit regions of the world-
Region Additional Poor (in 2020) as per COVID-19
Baseline scenario Downside scenario
South Asia 49 million 57 million
Sub-Saharan Africa 26 million 40 million
o Impact on global GDP growth- The report expects contraction in global per capita
gross domestic product (GDP) growth of between 5% (in a baseline scenario) and 8%
(in a downside scenario) during 2020.
• Impact of other factors i.e. armed conflict and climate change:
o More than 40% of the global poor live in economies affected by conflict and violence.
o Globally, some 1.47 billion people, out of which around 132 million are poor, are
estimated to be living in areas with high flood risk, one of the potential impacts of
climate change.
Key findings - India
• World Bank’s estimates on India are based on “strong assumptions” because it has
estimated India’s poverty numbers for 2017 as the Indian government did not released the
2017-18 All India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey data from the 75th Round

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 conducted by the National Statistical Office, and hence it comprises of “considerable
uncertainties”.
• The report stated that India accounted for 139 million of the 689 million people living in
poverty in 2017.
Shared Prosperity and the related findings-
Shared prosperity and the shared prosperity premium are important indicators of inclusion and
well-being in any country and correlate with reductions in poverty and inequality. Now let us discuss
them one by one:
o Shared Prosperity is defined as the annualized growth rate of the mean household
per capita income or consumption of the poorest (bottom) 40% of a population.
o Shared Prosperity Premium is the difference between the annualized growth rate for
the bottom 40% of a population and the whole population.
Projections related to shared prosperity-
• Shared prosperity will drop sharply in nearly all economies in 2020–21, as the pandemic’s
economic burden is felt across the entire income distribution.
• It presents new data on shared prosperity and the shared prosperity premium for 91
economies from 2012-2017-
o Growth was inclusive for most of these 91 economies given 74 had positive shared
prosperity, and 53 had positive shared prosperity premiums, indicating a reduction
in inequality in the majority of economies.
o In global terms, the average shared prosperity index was 2.3%.
Recommendations given by World Bank in the report-
To reverse this serious setback to development progress and poverty reduction-
• It recommends for a complementary two-track approach- Responding effectively to the
urgent crisis in the short run while continuing to focus on foundational development
problems, including conflict and climate change.

1.13 Living Planet Report 2020: Bending The Curve Of Biodiversity Loss
Released by- World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has released the 13th edition of its biennial report in
collaboration with Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
About the report-
• It presents a comprehensive overview of the state of our natural world through the Living
Planet Index (LPI) which measures the state of the world's biological diversity based on
population trends of vertebrate species from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats.
• It tracked populations of vertebrate species between 1970 and 2016.
Key findings- Global-
• Decline of 68% in population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish between
1970 and 2016.
• Of every 10 biodiversity species population, the planet lost seven in the past five decades.
• Almost one in three freshwater species are threatened with extinction.
• Threats to biodiversity –
o Changes in land and sea use, including habitat loss and degradation
o Species over exploitation

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 o Invasive species and disease
o Pollution
o Climate change
• Since 1970, ecological footprint has exceeded the earth’s rate of regeneration.
o Humanity’s ecological footprint, estimated from UN statistics, has increased by about
173% over the past 60 years and now exceeds the planet’s bio capacity by 56%.
o Human enterprise currently demands 1.56 times more resources than the amount
that the earth can regenerate.
• Fresh water habitats have suffered a decline of 84% - the starkest average population
decline, equivalent to 4% per year since 1970.
• At least 85% of the earth’s wetlands are already lost.
• Freshwater species are at highest risk compared to forest or marine species
• Fresh water megafauna such as river dolphins, otters, beavers, hippos, the Chinese sturgeon
and the Mekong giant catfish have recorded strong population declines.
o Large fish are heavily impacted by dam construction, which blocks their migratory
routes to spawning and feeding grounds.
• About 58% of the earth’s land surface is under immense human pressure and only 25% can
be considered wilderness.
• Year 2020 was billed as a ‘super year’ of climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development
meetings.
• Source of Infectious diseases-
o 60% of emerging infectious diseases come from animals, and nearly three-quarters
from wild animals.
India-
• India’s footprint is among the lowest — less than 1.6 global hectares per person, smaller
than that of many large countries
• Over 12% wild mammals and 3% bird species face the threat of extinction, while 19%
amphibians are threatened or critically endangered
• By 2030, water demand will be twice the availability, with 14 of 20 river basins already
stressed.
• One-third of India’s wetlands have already been lost in the past four decades.
o The size of wetlands in India has shrunk to only 0.03% area of the total geographic
area.
• Out of 425 species of mammals, 50 mammal species are either critically endangered or
endangered.

1.14 World Bank’s Human Capital Index 2020

• Recently, the World Bank has released Human Capital Index (HCI) Report 2020.
• Aim: HCI benchmarks key components of human capital across countries.
About Human Capital Index Report –
• The Human Capital Index (HCI) is an international metric that benchmarks key components
of human capital across countries.

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 • Measuring the human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by her 18th
birthday, the HCI highlights how current health and education outcomes shape the
productivity of the next generation of workers.
• It underscores the importance for governments and societies of investing in the human
capital of their citizens.
• The HCI was launched in 2018 as part of the Human Capital Project (HCP), a lobal effort to
accelerate progress towards a world where all children can achieve their full potential.
Key highlights of the HCI Report 2020 –
• The 2020 Human Capital Index update includes health and education data for 174 countries
covering 98 percent of the world’s population up to March 2020.
• The 2020 edition provides a pre-pandemic baseline on the health and education of children,
with the biggest strides made in low-income countries.
• The analysis shows that pre-pandemic, most countries has made steady progress in
building human capital of children, with the biggest strides made in low-income countries.
• Despite this progress, and even before the effects of the pandemic, a child born in a typical
country could expect to achieve just 56 percent of their potential human capital, relative to a
benchmark of complete education and full health.
Pandemic effect:
• The pandemic puts at risk the decade’s progress in building human capital, including the
improvements in health, survival rates, school enrolment, and reduced stunting.
• The economic impact of the pandemic has been particularly deep for women and for the
most disadvantaged families, leaving many vulnerable to food insecurity and poverty.
• Protecting and investing in people is vital as countries work to lay the foundation for
sustainable, inclusive recoveries and future growth.
• Due to the pandemic’s impact, most children, more than one billion have been out of school
and could lose out, on average, half a year of schooling, adjusted for learning, translating
into considerable monetary losses.
• Data also shows significant disruptions to essential health services for women and children,
with many children missing out on crucial vaccinations.
India Specific Findings –
• This year India finds itself at 116th from among 174 countries.
• India’s score has increased to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018.
• Last year, India has raised “serious reservations” over the Human Capital Index, wherein
India was ranked 115 out of 157 countries.
• The Human Capital Index provides a basis on which the government of India can prioritise
and a dimension to support human capital.

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