Africa-Press – Lesotho. Out of 189 countries Lesotho ranks number 165 on Human Development Report (HDR). This is per the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) HRD 30th anniversary edition of the Human
Development Report, Titled Human Development Report 2020: The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene, the report was launched in Maseru on Wednesday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been termed as the latest crisis that had bedevilled the world and the nature is at stake due to human activities, according to the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) titled, Human Development Report
2020: The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene. It features under the category of the low human development countries. The report says that the humanity is at
an “unprecedented” moment in humankind history and history of the planet. It argues that, the human kind is now in an Anthropocene epoch that is an era in which human activity has overwhelmed
the environment and causing harm in climate. “Warning lights- for our societies and the planet- are flashing red. ” It highlights that the relationship
between the planet and human beings is now unhealthy wherein the activities of the latter outweighs the capacity of the former. This according to the report is
seen in the developed countries where it argues that one person living in the developed countries extend of their pollution to the environment could equal to about 50
people living in developing countries. “Advancing human development while erasing such planetary pressures is the next frontier for human development,
and its exploration lies at the heart of this 30th anniversary edition of UNDP’s Human Development Report. To survive and thrive in this new age, we must
redesign a path to progress that respects the intertwined fate of people and planet and recognizes that the carbon and material footprint of the people who
have more is choking the opportunities of the people who have less,” said Achim Steiner Administrator United Nations Development Programme. He added: “Advancing human development
while erasing such planetary pressures is the next frontier for human development, and its exploration lies at the heart of this 30th anniversary edition of UNDP’s Human Development Report.
” UNDP Lesotho Resident Representative Betty Wabunoha said the report is a “flagship” report of the UNDP, which is
about the evidence-based analysis and policy “for building human capabilities, freedoms, and choices for achieving development”. “For us at UNDP, this is a great moment
to continue the advocacy and shape development policy and the discourse for human development,” she said. Wabunoha said the Human Development Reports exploits avenues upon which people’s choices and their ability to live
long healthy life could be enhanced to among others access education, lead decent livelihoods and realise their full potential. “In this 30th anniversary edition of the
Human Development Report, focus is on the inter-relationship between the people and the planet. This relationship has entered a new territory, the age of the
Anthropocene. The report indicates that ‘for the first time in a relationship spanning over 300,000 years, instead of the planet shaping humans, humans are
shaping the planet’, – this is Anthropocene, the age of humans. “Human development approach is about increasing opportunities and realizing the potential of every human being.
Overtime, the world has achieved progress in health, education, and improved standards of living, as per past measures of human development. However, this
has come at a cost to the planet. Actions such as use of natural resources, dependency on fossil fuels, increased materials consumption, have propelled the
biodiversity collapse, environmental degradation and pollution. “This has thus destabilized the natural ecosystem upon which both the planet and the people rely for survival.
The report looks at how humanity has driven nature into this new era, how humanity can navigate it and how we can together to transform pathways to human progress
while containing the effects of the Anthropocene,” she said. The Minister of Development Planning Hon. Selibe Mochoboroane said the report points to the relationship between
human being and nature. Mochoboroane said Lesotho is pursuing the inclusion policy in which there is participation of women, youth, children and marginalised groups in her development agenda.
Taking stock on the report, the Minister pointed out that: “The report comes at a time when we are all wondering, what went wrong? Why did we have COVID-19? And what happened to the rains that used
to mark the start of our ploughing season and the New Year [marked in August] of Basotho? Why are we having such long drought spells? Why are our rivers
drying up”? For his part, Hon. Motlatsi Maqelepo, the Minister of Forestry and Land Reclamation said the humanity is facing the challenges of crises and absolute poverty citing hunger, disease and misery.
He pointed out that as the nations per capita dwindle, Lesotho has not been spared to poverty. “Harmony between the human being and the environment is therefore, an essential requirement for any sustainable national
or international development. The overall health of both the human being and the environment as they interact is vital to a nation’s development,” he Minister said.
Despite being launched globally by the UNDP Administrator, Mr Achim Steiner, on the 15th December 2020, the UNDP said it owing to the COVID-19 restrictions, the report was delayed for the launch.
The first Human Development Report in Lesotho was published in 1998 and was followed by those of 2006 and 2016. Meanwhile the Minister of Development Planning indicated that Lesotho will publish the Human Development Report
within the timeline of the current National Strategic Development Programme II (NSDP II) 2019/2023. UNDP Resident Representative said they will launch the national Human Development Report in the first quarter of 2022
between March and April titled Lesotho Human Development Report 2022: Exploiting technology and Innovation for Achieving Human Development in Lesotho.
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