Location: Virtual Launch Event

Organized on December 15, the global launch of the 2020 Human Development Report (HDR) triggered dialogue in all regions of the world, promoting debate among key policy-makers at the highest political level including several heads of State.

At the event, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner was joined by the Prime Ministers of Sweden (co-host) and Barbados and the President of South Africa. Other participants, either joining live or via video message, in the high-level segment included UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors Yemi Alade and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and UN Envoy on Youth Jayathma Wickramanayake. Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office, presented the report’s key findings.

The high-level remarks and presentation of the report’s findings gave way to a leaders dialogue, a Davos-style discussion with experts from around the globe to delve further into the policy recommendations of the report. Panelists were guided by the overarching question, “What is the role of incentives and regulation in advancing human development in the Anthropocene?”

Key quotes from the event

“Our future is not about choosing between people or trees. It’s about choosing to do things differently. That is the next frontier for human development.” -Achim Steiner

“If we are to save our planet and our common future, we must step up the pace. We must act now and we must act together.” -Stefan Löfven

“In major ways, the Human Development Report has been a beacon of light to Barbados and many other small middle-income countries like ours. Its central philosophy speaks directly to us and helps to capture and explore our own realities.” -Mia Amor Mottley

“As we stood close, as one, to confront the threat of this pandemic, let us continue to work together to expand the frontiers of human endeavors in a manner that respects the boundaries of our natural world” -Cyril Ramaphosa

Launch events from around the world

The global launch of the 2020 Human Development Report sparked a global conversation that has continued through more than 60 events and presentations by UNDP Country Offices around the world. Some of the most recent ones include Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Libya, Turkey, Brazil, Jamaica as well as UNDP donor country launch events in Belgium, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and Finland. There have also been three regional launch events, with two involving heads of state and government – one for Latin America and the Caribbean, hosted by the President of Colombia, and one for Europe and Central Asia - with the President of North Macedonia.

Media coverage

The Human Development Report 2020 obtained close to 1600 media mentions, with a potential audience of more than 1.6 billion people during the first four days after its launch, becoming one of the most discussed UNDP events of the year.
Many media outlets covered the report including The Financial Times (editorial and front page), Reuters, The Guardian, El Pais, Die Zeit (news and op-ed), Le Monde, Xinhua, NPR, and The Japan Times.
Interviews with both UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and HDRO Director Pedro Conceição were conducted with many outlets including Radio France, CNN Chile, and The Irish Times.

Full speech by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner: www.undp.org/content/undp/en/h…

HDR 2020 Timeline of launch events