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United Nations

United Nations

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023

Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Abstract in English: 
Urbanization is changing agrifood systems globally in ways that can only be understood through a rural–urban continuum lens. The changing pattern of population agglomerations across a rural–urban continuum and its interface as a place of exchange and socioeconomic interactions, is reshaping and being reshaped by agrifood systems, with implications for the availability and affordability of healthy diets, and in turn, for food security and nutrition.
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316
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Generative AI and Jobs: A global analysis of potential effects on job quantity and quality

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Publication date: 
Monday, August 21, 2023
Abstract in English: 
The study, Generative AI and Jobs: A global analysis of potential effects on job quantity and quality, suggests that most jobs and industries are only partly exposed to automation and are more likely to be complemented rather than substituted by the latest wave of Generative AI, such as chatGPT. Therefore, the greatest impact of this technology is likely to not be job destruction but rather the potential changes to the quality of jobs, notably work intensity and autonomy.
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55
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OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032

Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Abstract in English: 
The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032 provides a consensus assessment of the ten-year prospects for agricultural commodity and fish markets at national, regional, and global levels, and serves as a reference for forward-looking policy analysis and planning. Recent surges in agricultural input prices experienced over the last two years have raised concerns about global food security. This year’s Outlook demonstrates that rising fertiliser costs can lead to higher food prices. A new feature of the OECD-FAO Aglink-Cosimo model allows the impact of changing costs of the main mineral fertilisers to be analysed separately from costs of other production inputs. Based on this new feature, a scenario analysis estimates that for each 1% increase in fertiliser prices, agricultural commodity prices would increase by 0.2%. Global food consumption – the main use of agricultural commodities – is projected to increase by 1.3% per year over the next decade, a slower pace than the previous decade due to the foreseen slowdown in population and per capita income growth. This year’s Outlook also provides improved estimates for food consumption by incorporating for the first time calculation methods to estimate food loss and waste.
This report is a collaborative effort between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, prepared with inputs from Member countries and international commodity organisations. It highlights fundamental economic and social trends that drive the global agri-food sector, assuming there are no major changes to weather conditions or policies.
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359
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Social Dialogue and the Future of Work

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Social Dialogue and the Future of Work
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Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Abstract in English: 
Social dialogue, defined as “all types of negotiation and consultation, and also the exchange of information between or among, representatives of governments, employers and workers on issues of common interest relating to economic and social policy” has been long employed as a tool in the governance of work, with the objective of delivering sustainable economic growth, social justice and the kind of high-trust work relations that are not only valuable in themselves, but that can also improve business performance and increase workers’ share in rising profitability. It includes tripartite social dialogue, collective bargaining and workplace cooperation. Collective bargaining is defined in the ILO’s Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154), as “all negotiations which take place between an employer, a group of employers or one or more employers’ organisations, on the one hand, and one or more workers' organisations, on the other, for: (a) determining working conditions and terms of employment; and/or (b) regulating relations between employers and workers; and/or (c) regulating relations between employer or their organisations and a workers’ organisation or workers’ organisations.” Freedom of association and the effective right to collective bargaining are the preconditions for successful social dialogue.The ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work, which examined the transformations underway in the world of work, emphasized the need for decisive action. It considered that the collective representation of workers’ and employers’ organizations through social dialogue contributes to the public good and called for public policies that promote collective representation and social dialogue. “Collective representation and social dialogue provide the institutional capabilities needed to navigate future of work transitions [....] At company level, works councils, consultation and information arrangements and worker representation on boards are all proven mechanisms to manage the challenges of change and to allow people to exercise influence over their working lives. Collective bargaining is a fundamental right and a powerful tool for economic success and social equity, not least in times of transformational change. Tripartite social dialogue allows opportunity for the partners to the social contract to consider the broader societal issues that change brings and to guide policy responses. The ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work adopted by the 108th (Centenary) International Labour Conference of the ILO states that “social dialogue contributes to the overall cohesion of societies and is crucial for a well-functioning and productive economy.” Social dialogue is not only a necessary tool for managing change and addressing the transformations underway; it also helps in addressing the long-standing problems we already face. Work in the informal economy, for example, still accounts for more than 60 per cent of the world’s employed population, exceeding 90 per cent in parts of Africa and Asia. Even in the formal sector, some workers may remain trapped in jobs that offer barely subsistence-level wages and inadequate social protection in return for long hours of hard labour in dangerous conditions. In moving forward to address the challenges of the future, we also need to solve the problems we already face by strengthening social dialogue institutions and enhancing the inclusiveness of collective representation at all levels.
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20
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Global Employment Trends for Youth 2020: Technology and the future of jobs

Title Original Language: 
Global Employment Trends for Youth 2020: Technology and the future of jobs
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Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Friday, March 6, 2020
Abstract in English: 
Incorporating the most recent labour market information available, Global Employment Trends for Youth sets out the youth labour market situation around the world. It shows where progress has or has not been made, updates world and regional youth labour market indicators, and gives detailed analyses of medium-term trends in youth population, labour force, employment and unemployment. The 2020 edition discusses the implications of technological change for the nature of jobs available to young people. It focuses on shifts in job characteristics, sectors and skills, as well as examining the impact of technological change on inequalities in youth labour markets.
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186
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World Population Prospects 2019 Highlights

Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Abstract in English: 
What is World Population Prospects 2019? People, and thus populations, are at the centre of sustainable development. Each of the four global demographic “megatrends”– population growth, population ageing, migration and urbanization – holds important implications for economic and social development and for environmental sustainability. Timely and accurate population estimates and projections allow Governments to anticipate future demographic trends and to incorporate that information into development policies and planning. The 2019 revision of the World Population Prospects is the twenty-sixth edition of the United Nations population estimates and projections. It presents population estimates from 1950 to the present for 235 countries or areas, underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends. This latest assessment considers the results of 1,690 national population censuses conducted between 1950 and 2018, as well as information from vital registration systems and from 2,700 nationally representative sample surveys. The 2019 revision also presents population projections to the year 2100 that reflect a range of plausible outcomes at the global, regional and country levels. The population estimates and projections presented in the World Population Prospects describe two of the four demographic megatrends (population growth and ageing), as well as key trends in human fertility, mortality, and net international migration that are integral to sustainable development. Collectively, these data constitute a critical piece of the evidence base for monitoring global progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. World Population Prospects 2019: • Confirms that the world’s population continues to grow, albeit at a slowing rate; • Points to the challenges facing some countries and regions related to rapid population growth driven by high fertility; • Notes that population size is decreasing in some countries due to sustained low fertility or emigration; • Underscores the opportunities available to countries where a recent decline in fertility is creating demographic conditions favourable for accelerated economic growth; • Highlights the unprecedented ageing of the world’s population; • Confirms the ongoing global increase in longevity and the narrowing gap between rich and poor countries, while also pointing to significant disparities in survival that persist across countries and regions; • Describes how international migration has become an important determinant of population growth and change in some parts of the world.
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46
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World Migration Report 2018

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Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Abstract in English: 
This of the world migration report is the first in the revised series designed to better contribute to understandings of current and strategic migration issues. Part I includes separate chapters on global migration trends and patterns; regional dimensions and developments; and a discussion of recent contributions to migration research and analysis by academia and a wide range of different organizations. The six chapters in Part II cover a range of “complex and emerging migration issues” including:
• the development of global governance frameworks for international migration;
• the relationship between migration and rapidly changing levels and types of transnational connectivities;
• migrants’ perspectives on migration journeys;
• media reporting on migration and migrants;
• the relationships between migration and violent extremism;
• migrants and cities.
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364
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Global Environmental Outlook: Assessment for the Pan-European Region

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Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Abstract in English: 
The sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) Assessment for the pan-European region paints a comprehensive picture of the environmental factors contributing to human health and well-being at the regional level. It argues for more urgent action, both through existing policies and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda), to address the challenges that the region is facing.
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Number of pages: 
376
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Care Work and Care Jobs for the Future of Decent Work

Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Abstract in English: 
The report analyses the ways in which unpaid care work is recognized and organized, the extent and quality of care jobs and their impact on the well-being of individuals and society. A key focus of this report is the persistent gender inequalities in households and the labour market, which are inextricably linked with care work. These gender inequalities must be overcome to make care work decent and to ensure a future of decent work for both women and men.
The report contains a wealth of original data drawn from over 90 countries and details transformative policy measures in five main areas: care, macroeconomics, labour, social protection and migration. It also presents projections on the potential for decent care job creation offered by remedying current care work deficits and meeting the related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
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525
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World Social Protection Report 2017-2019-Universal social protection to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

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Date of Editorial Board meeting: 
Publication date: 
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Abstract in English: 
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 reflect the joint commitment of countries to “implement nationally appropriate social protection systems for all, including floors” for reducing and preventing poverty (SDG 1.3).
This report provides a global overview of recent trends in social protection systems, including social protection floors. It analyses the current state of social protection for children, for women and men of working age, and for older persons, following a life-cycle approach. Based on new data, the report offers a broad range of global, regional and country data on social protection coverage, benefits and public expenditures on social protection. It presents new estimates on effective social protection coverage for a comprehensive monitoring of social protection systems, including floors, thereby providing the 2015 baseline for the SDG indicator 1.3.1.
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454
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