In 2015, the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed by the World to be the cores of international cooperation for sustainability until 2030. They include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean and sanitation, afforable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, redued inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, lfie below water, life on land, peace, justice and storing institutions as well as partnerships for the goals.
Executive summary In March 2026, during the so called “Two Sessions”, China agreed on its 15th Five-Year Plan (FYP) (the draft had been circulated since October 2025) as a follow up to the 14th FYP (for a comparison of the major targets between the 14th FYP and 15th FYP, see…
The year 2022 saw much action in development finance. As we predicted in our last year’s outlook, development finance has become more strategic with financiers picking allies and partners to the disadvantage of global coordination.While all development finance initiatives promise to uphold multilateralism and while they all borrow language from UN…
Download report On November 16, 2022, the G20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia under Indonesia’s presidency concluded. The report on Innovative finance towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future written by Christoph Nedopil and supported by UNDP, UNICEF, GGGI and NDC Partnership for the G20 Climate and Sustainability Working Group (CSWG) was…
On June 23, 2021, during a virtual conference, political leaders of 29 partner countries of the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development (“BRI Green Partnership”). Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister WANG Yi presided over the conference during the Asia and…
On March 5 during the “Two Sessions”, China introduced its 14th five-year plan for 2021 to 2025, as well as the Government Work Plan. In it, China vows to focus on “green development”, to uphold the “30-60” promise of Xi Jinping for China to try to peak carbon emissions before…
We invite you to watch this year’s panel “The Green Development Agenda: A Green New Deal for Southeast Asia in the Post-COVID-19 Era?” of the Youth Economic Forum YEF that happened on March 6th, 2021. The panel featured high-level experts, including Desmond Tan, Minister of Sustainability and the Environment of…
On February 22, 2021, China’s State Council issued the “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment and Improvement of a Green and Low-Carbon Circular Development Economic System”. Published by the highest Chinese governing body only few weeks before the start of the “Two Sessions”- the annual plenary sessions of the national…
Highlights Download pdf The outbreak of COVID-19 has accelerated many debt issues in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries. In our previous brief on the debt issue in 52 selected BRI countries, we analyzed both the reasons for the pressing debt sustainability issues and the countries that are particularly vulnerable…
On January 10th, the State Council Information Office (the administrative office under the State Council) published the White Paper on “China’s International Development Cooperation in the New Era” (中文版本). In 8 chapters, the paper summarizes China’s recent engagement in (generously) providing development assistance (intermixed with its overseas economic engagement) and…
The original article was published on Panda Paw Dragon Claw on 11th January, 2021 and has been updated on Jan 18, 2021. “When the tide goes out, you see who is swimming naked”! This is a quote coined by Warren Buffet about those who take on too much debt, believing…