November 13, Beijing – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China and the China Institute for Development Planning (CIDP) of Tsinghua University co-hosted a high-level policy dialogue today focused on pathways for advancing human development in a time marked by concurrent global crises and megatrends. 
 
The event was held on the occasion of the visit of Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, to China.
 
Titled Human Development Progress and Opportunities: Navigating the Future – Advancing Human Development in a Changing World the policy dialogue comes on the heels of the launch of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Human Development Report which took place last week in Japan.
 
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the impacts of climate change, demographic shifts, and technological changes, human development has been significantly disrupted. From 2020-2021, human development saw a global regression for the first time over two consecutive years. The report highlights that the Asia-Pacific region is currently not on track to achieve any of the Sustainable Development Goals until 2065.
 
The dialogue brought together a wide-range of stakeholders including domestic and international thought leaders as well as development practitioners. Participants exchanged ideas on the next frontier of human development in light of global challenges and discussed approaches for advancing development progress.

During her keynote Ms. Wignaraja shared three key recommendations to accelerate human development based on the 2024 Regional Human Development Report: “First, people-centric perspectives and the interests of future generations should be placed at the center of decision-making. Second, we must pivot towards the right kind of growth, which prioritizes inclusivity and sustainability that goes hand in hand with new competitiveness. And lastly, the ability to get things done, relies on the actions taken by leaders and institutions, and the people they represent, working together.”
 
“In an era of rapid and unprecedented global changes, we must explore strategies for navigating the increasingly volatile and complex global environment, and rebuild the confidence and consensus of all people to work together for development,” added Peng Gang, Vice President of Tsinghua University. “China has historically made substantial contributions to global human development and sustainable development, and will continue to play an increasingly important role in the future.” added the Vice President of Tsinghua University Peng Gang. 
 
In his presentation, Li Jianwei, Director of Department of Social Development, Development Research Center of The State Council (DRC) highlighted the significant challenges posed by China's low fertility rate and aging population. He emphasized the need to strengthen the implementation of policies that promote childbirth, optimize the development of human capital, and expand training programs for caregivers to effectively address demographic challenges.
 
Yang Yongheng, Vice Dean of China Institute for Development Planning, Tsinghua University shared key findings from Tsinghua’s research collaboration with UNDP China focusing on the connection between human development and the planet. “The purpose of our joint research is to examine China's advancements in human development over the last decade and progress in promoting common prosperity and sustainable coexistence of human beings and nature,” said Mr. Yang. “This can be done by examining the updated Human Development Index (HDI) at the prefecture levels and the pioneering provincial-level Planetary-adjusted HDI, which accounts for environmental pressure. These two indices can help identify challenges and inform our future development trajectory.”
 
The keynote speeches, were followed by two panel discussions. The first panel focused on the topics of sustainability and inclusivity, where panel speakers exchanged ideas on the challenges, opportunities, and development trends in building an equitable future for all. 
 
The second panel centered on catalyzing climate and nature-positive initiatives to power up human development with guests sharing insights on the nexus between human development and environmental pressure.
 
The full 2024 Asia-Pacific Human Development Report can be found here.