After two impressively peaceful decades, there are signs of a dangerous degree of complacency in Kiribati's view of its domestic and external affairs. Forms of cultural and political resistance to change have thus been encouraged, and these are handicapping the nation's response to development risks. Eight leading sources of development risk confronting Kiribati are identified, and these require understanding and appropriate responses in the form of well-formulated national development strategies. Based on a thorough assessment of risks, priorities, and options by sector in the main report, 16 policy actions are recommended as keys to the full range of responses that need to be formulated to cope with development risk.

During 2008-2009, the world experienced its worst financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The crisis followed the effects of the food and fuel price hikes in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, global output contracted by 2 per cent. This 2011 Report on the World Social Situation reviews the ongoing adverse social consequences of these crises after an overview of its causes and transmission.

A succinct examination of the concept of sustainable development: what it means; how it is impacted by globalisation, production and consumption; how it can be measured; and what can be done to promote it.

This report provides evidence of a fairly generalised increase in income inequality over the past two decades across OECD countries, but the timing, intensity and causes of the increase differ from what is typically suggested in the media.

This contains the publications produced in 2009, announces the forthcoming titles, and lists some of the major publications of earlier years.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the 2009 global recession. Most emerging market and developing economies weathered the global recession relatively well, in part by using the sizable fiscal and monetary policy ammunition accumulated during prior years of strong growth. However, their growth prospects have weakened since then, and many now have less policy space. This study provides the first comprehensive stocktaking of the past decade from the perspective of emerging market and developing economies. Many of these economies have now become more vulnerable to economic shocks. The study discusses lessons from the global recession and policy options for these economies to strengthen growth and prepare for the possibility of another global downturn.