The world faces a significant challenge in ensuring food security for its growing population amidst the threats posed by climate change. The increasing reliance on a narrow selection of cultivated crops due to industrial agriculture is causing a concerning reduction in the genetic diversity of plants. This narrowing pool poses a risk to global food…

In this episode, Guillaume Lafortune, Vice President of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), discusses the critical theme of long-term financing for sustainable development and the need for reform in the global financial architecture. He highlights the challenges hindering the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) an…

In this episode, we are featuring Benjamin Piper, the Director of Global Education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Ben sheds light on the groundbreaking work of the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP). With an exhaustive analysis of over 13,000 academic studies, GEEAP identifies the most effective and economical educational int…

In this episode of the SDG Learncast, we feature Breanne Pitt, a researcher and educator, on the concept of systems thinking and its vital role in modern education. They explore the challenges and complexities of the digital age, discuss the impact of standardized testing, and delve into practical tools like the World Economic Forum's Transformatio…

Tyson Miller, Director of Earth Insight unpacks the escalating threats of oil and gas expansion in the Amazon and Congo Basin regions. Drawing from the Earth Insight's reports "Congo in the Crosshairs: New Oil & Gas Expansion Threats to Forests and Communities" "Crisis Point: Oil and Gas Expansion Threats to Amazon and Congo Basin Tropical Forests …

In this podcast episode, we're joined by Yasmine Sherif, the Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), as she discussed the importance of quality education in crisis situations. As a human rights lawyer with extensive field experience, Yasmine highlights the challenges of delivering education to the 222 million children lacking access today. Yasmine…

In this SDG Learncast episode, we delved into the challenges of achieving sustainable food systems and the balance needed between biodiversity conservation and nutrition. Our guests, Dr. Sarah Jones and Dr. Aline Mosnier, experts in food systems and biodiversity conservation, discussed the impact of agriculture on biodiversity and how we can meet g…

According to the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021, although 46% of sub-Saharan Africa's population now has access to electricity--up from 33% in 2010--the region is far behind the global average of 90%. 97 million people in urban areas and 471 million in rural areas are still without access to electricity. The lack of access is caused by s…

Misinformation and disinformation are pressing public issues. There has been a rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation. Sometimes we call them fake news. This happens online and offline and it affects everyone, every day. Receiving truthful and quality information is critical as we all depend on information to make decisions. At the perso…

Blockchain technology has been leveraged in humanitarian settings by the World Food Programme to deliver cash directly to beneficiaries securely and quickly, without the need to go through a local bank. The potential of blockchain applications in protecting the environment has also been tested to eliminate illegal fishing in the tuna industry. Bloc…

The data revolution is the unprecedented increase in the volume and types of data—and the subsequent demand for them—thanks to the ongoing yet uneven proliferation of new technologies. We need data to formulate sustainable development policies. But it requires that we collect accurate data and use this evidence to inform policymaking. The use of ev…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has helped the world estimate real-time precipitation worldwide since 2005. AI is also being used to inform emergency planning, track typhoons, and manage and prevent floods, droughts, and storms. But AI's use is not only for disaster responses and prevention. In a 2020 study, a group of researchers found that artificia…

Science and technology intricately mesh together with society. You cannot see one without the other. However, transformational changes in science and technology do not always advance sustainable development and reduce inequality. More people have access to smartphones than clean water or clean sanitation in some countries. Artificial intelligence a…

Transferring science and research into policy and practice is a complex process, but failing to do so results in inequities and wasted resources. Finding appropriate mechanisms for the transfer of science and research into policies, programmes, and practice has become a major driver in finding approaches and solutions to achieving sustainable devel…

There is a tangible gap between the current climate science on the one hand and policymaking and practice on the other hand. There is also an evident need for user-driven and decision-driven co-produced knowledge on climate change and disaster risks. Science-stakeholder collaboration is becoming an increasingly common way to address mismatches betw…

Goals are an essential part of any action agenda. Together with setting targets, indicators, and timetables, goals can help measure progress, keep different actors and stakeholders on track, and allow for the assessment of achievement of any action agenda. However, conceptual questions need to be asked about whether they really work, what kind of i…

In a pre-Covid survey, conducted by the International Organization of Employers (IOE) together with the International Labour Organization (ILO), of about 500 companies in all regions, it found that companies across the board felt the challenge of hiring and retaining skilled workers--it's getting more difficult to find people with the rights and ne…

The International Trade Centre conducted a survey on Covid-19 impact among businesses in 136 countries and the survey has shown that 60% of micro and 57% of small businesses were strongly affected by the pandemic, compared with 43% of large firms. One of the factors that contributed to surviving the crisis was the resilience of businesses. For exam…

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are key players and national economies around the world. For example, in the OECD area, they represent 99% of all businesses, generating about 60% of employment and between 50% and 60% of value-added. Therefore, SMEs play a major role in delivering growth that is more inclusive and whose benefits are shared more …

According to McKinsey, 45% of the jobs today will be lost in the next 20 years, mostly low-skilled jobs, while the World Economic Forum reports that our skills have a shelf life of 4.5 years. With the World Bank's twin goal of ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity, how does the Bank uses learning and knowledge exchange to address extreme po…

How can we use learning in addressing complex global challenges such as food insecurity? In this episode, SDG Learncast asks Cristina Petracchi, Leader of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) eLearning Academy on how the FAO supports countries in addressing the issues of food insecurity, food losses, and food waste. Cristina shares how FAO l…