Almost 690 million people in the world were undernourished in 2019 – that's 8.9% of the world population, a new UN report says.This figure could exceed 840 million by 2030, if current trends continue.Factors increasing global hunger include economic slowdowns and extreme weather events.The UN warns that without efforts to reform global food systems, its target of zero hunger by 2030 will be missed. There are almost 60 million more undernourished ...

75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic.60% of known infectious diseases are, too.$100 billion has been lost to zoonotic diseases over the past two decades – not accounting for COVID-19. More than half a million deaths. Almost 12 million infections. And those are just the confirmed numbers. Plus an estimated $9 trillion in economic stimulus from the world's governments. All that in a little over six months since the emergence of the COVI...

The coronavirus pandemic, suspected of originating in bats and pangolins, has brought the risk of viruses that jump from wildlife to humans into stark focus. These leaps often happen at the edges of the world's tropical forests, where deforestation is increasingly bringing people into contact with animals' natural habitats. Yellow fever, malaria, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Ebola – all of these pathogens have spilled over from one species to ...

There is a misperception that nature is getting a break during the COVID-19 pandemic.Instead, many rural areas in the tropics are facing increased pressure from land-grabbing, deforestation, illegal mining and wildlife poaching.To respond to this crisis of human health, the economy, the climate and biodiversity, we need solutions that build resilient societies for the long term. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, global media is reporting on ...

How can we fight the Coronavirus, manage the threat of another financial crisis, and at the same time tackle climate change? Will there be enough capital to deal with them? An appeal to policy makers to give a strong green emphasis to all Covid-19 emergency funds, introduce a floor to the carbon price, give basic income to all and go full speed with the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). The current Corona crisis has an impact on our lives that...

As we continue to socially distance in a bid to reduce the effect of COVID-19, it's important to understand where we are in terms of a vaccine.Predictions show it could take anywhere from 9 months to 2 years to create a vaccine.From there, it's just the small matter of producing upwards of 7 billion doses, for the global population.Here Bill Gates looks at what's already being done to create a vaccine against coronavirus. One of the questions I g...

While the United States of America has already reported over 250,000 cases of coronavirus, it's not too late to place protective measures nationwide to help prevent overwhelming healthcare and public services.From instructing a nationwide lockdown to ramping up testing for COVID-19, here's how the billionaire philanthropist suggests we fight the pandemic. There's no question the United States missed the opportunity to get ahead of the novel coron...

To date, Viet Nam has had no fatalities as a result of the pandemic.The government acted swiftly to suspend flights, shut schools and quarantine new arrivals.More than 45 million Vietnamese have been lifted out of poverty between 2002 and 2018. How does a nation with limited resources confront a global pandemic that has brought many developed countries' healthcare systems to a breaking point? That's the challenge facing many of the world's poorer...

As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, here are some of the most significant developments and selected articles to read, as of Monday 30 March. COVID-19's impact around the globe More than 33,000 people have died worldwide with over 724,000 infected, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 150,000 have recovered.US cases surpass 143,000, quadrupling in the past week.Lockdown tightens in Australia, with restrictions preventi...

The Great Influenza Pandemic presents a plausible worst-case scenario for today's COVID-19 outbreak.The pandemic, which lasted from 1918-20, is estimated to have caused 39 million deaths, equivalent to 2% of the world's population at that time.At this point, the probability that COVID-19 reaches anything close to 1918-20's outbreak seems remote, but lessons we can learn from it in mortality, macroeconomics, and finance can help manage the effects...