Image: Dennis Jarvis/Flickr
8. Decent work and economic growth

8. Decent work and economic growth

Over the past 25 years the number of workers living in extreme poverty has declined dramatically, despite the lasting impact of the 2008 economic crisis and global recession. In developing countries, the middle class now makes up more than 34 percent of total employment – a number that has almost tripled between 1991 and 2015.

However, as the global economy continues to recover we are seeing slower growth, widening inequalities, and not enough jobs to keep up with a growing labour force. According to the International Labour Organization, more than 204 million people were unemployed in 2015.

Read our stories to learn more about SDG Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Image: U.S. Agency for International Development/Flickr
Image: U.S. Agency for International Development/Cambodia HARVEST/Fintrac Inc
Image: U.S. Agency for International Development/Flickr
Image: UNDP DRC

To adopt SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth, in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, please contact us at partners@eco-business.com

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News

Taiwan plans to ease corporate sustainability reporting requirements and introduce anti-greenwashing guidelines by the end of 2026
Authorities to delay some Scope 3 disclosure requirements, align carbon accounting rules and tighten oversight of ESG awards and environmental claims.
Lombok_Coastal_Cottages_Indonesia
On the east coast of Indonesia’s Lombok Island, local people who rely on the local crab fishery have initiated their own mangrove planting program in a bid to resuscitate failing crab habitats.
Northern_Thailand_River_Pollution
Health authorities in Thailand have found arsenic in two people living near the Kok River. Heavy metals have also been found in the water and fish of Kok and other rivers.
Delhi_India_Traffic_Fossil_Fuels
India’s new foreign investment policy, China’s slowing battery demand, and the African market create a new opportunity in India.
All Decent work and economic growth News →

Opinion

Women_Farmer_Heat_Nepal
Rather than designing solutions for half the farming population, agricultural researchers, policymakers, and others must consider the specific needs and preferences of women farmers in developing countries. Only then can the huge female agricultural labour force reach its potential to ensure food security and drive economic growth.
SUV_Sustainable_Transition
The rise of electric SUVs is challenging the idea of green transport, with experts warning that heavier vehicles could undermine climate, health and equity goals.
Fisherfolk_Indonesia_West_Java
Connecting communities that protect their coasts can yield huge benefits but funding is not flowing to the right places.
Alley_Delhi_India
Multilateral development banks have not kept pace with changes to the global financial environment. For middle-income countries like India, accessing knowledge and technology is now a bigger challenge than raising capital, which suggests that these institutions must rethink their operating model.
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Videos

EB podcast - Resilience episode one image
In the inaugural episode of Eco-Business's new Resilience podcast series, industry leaders say the palm oil sector's ability to weather disruption will depend not on certification alone, but on rethinking the relationships that underpin the entire supply chain.
WASTED the impact documentary
The impact documentary exploring Asia's mounting waste crisis – and its solutions – is now streaming exclusively for Eco-Business subscribers.
TLC podcast
In the latest episode of the Climate Tech in Asia series, we speak to Breakthrough Energy and Green COP about what the shifting geopolitical landscape means for the climate tech ecosystem in Asia.
KL petronas towers
EB Studio As Malaysia forges ahead with its 2050 net zero climate ambition, businesses must reshape their supply chains for a low carbon future. This Eco-Business video looks at how SMEs can adapt to new sustainability reporting requirements.
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Podcasts

TLC podcast
In the latest episode of the Climate Tech in Asia series, we speak to Breakthrough Energy and Green COP about what the shifting geopolitical landscape means for the climate tech ecosystem in Asia.
EB Podcast cover_climate journalists
The Eco-Business Podcast speaks to reporters Nadiah Rosli, Adelia Dinda Sani, Gerald Flynn and Hannah Alcoseba Fernandez about funding limits, data access, and reporting against the odds in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable regions.
EB Podcast camel herders in Alasha
A researcher lived with camel herders in Inner Mongolia for years to find out how they're coping with both conservation schemes and modernisation. He tells the Eco-Business Podcast about their challenges and lessons for the world.
Climate tech podcast with Steve Melhuish
Entrepreneur Steve Melhuish tells the EB Podcast where the biggest opportunities to reduce emissions and make money are in Southeast Asia, and why finding the right economic incentives is critical for climate tech startups.
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Strategic Organisations

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