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The world has changed since postwar economic thought placed GDP growth as its guiding principle. 20th-century progress has pushed planetary resources to the limit and brings the sustainability of traditional macroeconomic models into question. In a new edition of the podcast, Kate Raworth talks with journalist Rhoda Metcalfe about her alternative model Doughnut Economics, which places economic objectives within the social and ecological boundaries of the living planet. Raworth is an ecological economist and the author of Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist.

Photo: Johannes Frandsen

After bees swarmed a hotel restaurant in Saint Lucia, Richard Matthias called a local beekeeper, William ‘Vavan’ Antione, who captured the bees and asked Richard to take care of them. Now, 15 years later, Richard is a leading beekeeper and apiculture expert in the eastern Caribbean. With support from the Global Environment Facility Facility (GEF) , implemented by the 51�Թ� Development Programme (), beekeeping projects in the region have helped revive the industry and boost honey production and beekeeper income.

Kinley Wangmo, a Bhutanese mother, turned to hydroponics farming as a solution after losing her source of income during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her interest in hydroponics developed into a passion, leading her to establish Bhutan Hydroponics in 2020. Through her dedication and expertise, she received support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 51�Թ� () for her urban farming project, which has helped her establish three spacious greenhouses.

UNCTAD's new "" reveals the global debt crisis, providing critical data on how rising debt and interest payments are straining budgets and impacting development.

Deep in his heart, La Xayyavieng has “always known that agriculture is the lifeline (…) to survive and to grow.” The 46-year-old father of three has long harboured the wish for his children to bring knowledge and experience back from neighbouring Vietnam to the family’s land in Attapeu province in the southeast of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. La's participation in the "Building Climate-Resilient and Eco-friendly Agriculture Systems and Livelihoods" project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 51�Թ� () has led to a 160 percent increase in the family’s income through a successful watermelon crop. This change has successfully allowed La to grow vegetables in both the rainy and dry seasons.

If you live in a rural area, even a simple trip to the hairdresser can be difficult. In Suden, a village located in the mountainous areas of Tunisia’s Kairouan region, locals must take a shared taxi and drive 35km just to get a haircut. That was until IFAD stepped in, together with the Tunisian government and the Adaptation fund, to support Dhaker, a 21-year-old who had just graduated but was stuck in precarious jobs. He has now opened his own barber shop and not only can he make a living in his hometown, but he is also providing a precious service to the villagers.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development () is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the UN dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.

Nirosha Dilmini has been harvesting eggplants since the crack of dawn on her small plot of land in the village of Tanamalvila in southeastern Sri Lanka’s Monaragala district. She’s been putting her efforts into farming here for six years now. But never has she had such a lucrative year as 2023. She attributes this transformation to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) programme implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 51�Թ� (). Nirosha is one of 645 Sri Lankan farmers across three districts who were trained under the programme and provided with equipment to modernize their farming practices.

The global economy is stuck in low gear, which could deal a major blow to the fight against poverty and inequality. As the International Monetary Funds’s latest World Economic Outlook  shows, global growth is expected to reach 3.2 percent this year and 3.3 percent in 2025, well below the 3.8 percent average from the turn of the century until the pandemic. Yet, as we move beyond the crisis years of the pandemic, we need to prevent the world from falling into a prolonged period of anemic growth that entrenches poverty and inequality, says IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva ahead of Group of Twenty finance meeting in Rio de Janeiro.

’s advocates for a shift to a circular digital economy to mitigate the growing environmental impact of digitalization, emphasizing sustainability and inclusivity.

The private sector is key to creating jobs and eradicating poverty. The (16 July) gathers leaders from the private sector, governments, and civil society worldwide to co-create business-driven solutions for accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals. Co-convened by the , UNDESA, the International Organisation of Employers and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development on the sidelines of the , this also serves as a key moment ahead of the Summit of the Future, gathering business insights for a better future.

This remote and unique region is grappling with a complex set of challenges that demand immediate attention. The recent unprecedented landslide in Enga Province, which affected close to 8,000 people, has not only highlighted the region's vulnerability to hazards but also exposed underlying issues such as conflict, poverty, inequality and the climate crisis. Geographically isolated, the region boasts rich cultural heritage, biodiversity, and natural resources. and its partners are undertaking a new programme focused on three interconnected pillars: community empowerment, climate resilience, and peacebuilding.

In Brazil’s semi-arid northeast, farming faces significant challenges due to climate change. Erratic rainfall and shifting harvest periods impact the region. Soil degradation prevents it from retaining water, nutrients, and microorganisms. To cope, farmers often overuse fertilizers, pesticides, and scarce water, perpetuating a damaging cycle. However, micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Rio Grande do Norte are making a difference. Tiago José Souza, a Cooperxique Cooperative member, practices agroecology to boost productivity while nurturing the soil. The cooperative’s organic certification programme ensures high standards without costly private certification. 

The 51�Թ� recognizes the cooperatives movement as its key partner in accelerating sustainable development and calls on its Member States and civil society organizations to support and strengthen cooperatives’ entrepreneurial ecosystems. Through democratic governance and shared ownership, cooperatives set an example for peace and stability, bringing people from diverse backgrounds together on equal terms, and fostering understanding and respect. On the International Day of Cooperatives (6 July), we celebrate the contribution of cooperatives to a just and sustainable future for all.

The (HLPF), the main UN platform for the follow-up and review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is being held on 8-17 July 2024 under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. Under the theme “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”, the forum will review in-depth: SDG 1. End poverty; SDG 2. End hunger; SDG 13. Climate action; SDG 16. Peace and justice; and SDG 17. Partnerships.

“How, in our age, do we overcome this competition between ecology and economy, which is leading us to so many destructive and ultimately, increasingly catastrophic realities around the world?”

Born in Brazil to German parents, Achim Steiner knows first hand the power of cultural exchange to drive international cooperation. Now head of UNDP, he leads global efforts to secure a better future for our planet and its people.

“The clearest lesson from 50 years of modern development thinking is don't try and just pick one aspect and put all your eggs in that basket. Society is complex, development is about choices. And you will either get them right and succeed or you will fall apart.”

In this episode, Achim reflects on the thorniest challenges facing humanity, on his hopes for a fairer, cleaner future, and on the vital lessons he learned in rural Pakistan.

Photo:©UNDP Afghanistan/Oriane Zerah