Human Development and the Anthropocene

DIGITAL DASHBOARD

The 2020 Human Development Report explores a suite of metrics for measuring human development in the Anthropocene. This new dashboard, with four dimensions and 21 indicators organized according to the Report’s findings, provides a glimpse into the complex interactions between people and ecosystems and helps monitor country progress towards easing planetary pressures and social imbalances.

The four dimensions are status of human development, energy systems, material cycles and transforming our future. The 21 indicators were chosen in part based on data availability.

Data visualizations show the distribution of values for each indicator across more than 190 countries and territories. Create your own visualizations and draw your own insights by selecting different regions, human development groups or individual countries and adding regional averages, global averages and distribution quartiles. The play button activates the change over time data, from 1990 to 2019, when available.

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Status of human development

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This dimension has six indicators that reflect the health of people and the planet in different ways and the interaction between them:

The Human Development Index (HDI) is included as an index of basic capabilities. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution looks at deaths due to air pollution, much of which is driven directly or indirectly by human activity. Number of deaths and missing persons attributed to disasters is a key indicator of the risks that humanity faces from disasters. The risks rise in line with increasing planetary pressures.

Change in forest area provides critical information on land-use change, a key driver of declining biodiversity. Freshwater withdrawals are an important measure of the pressure humanity is placing on many ecosystems. “Safe” withdrawal levels depend on both the amount of water being used and the amount available. Red List Index is a crucial indicator of global biodiversity that is based on expert assessments of the extinction risk of many animal, plant and fungus species. Because the assessments are based on global extinction risk, this indicator should be interpreted with caution when used at the national level. Still, it provides a broad summary of the health of biodiversity in each country.

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Energy systems

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This dimension includes four indicators. Two relate to countries’ greenhouse gas emissions: production-based emissions (also called territorial emissions)—how much carbon dioxide is produced within a territory—and consumption-based emissions—how much carbon dioxide is embodied in the goods and services consumed within a country (thus accounting for imports of emissions-intensive products produced elsewhere). Both indicators look at current rather than historical emissions, which matter in the context of climate justice. Two indicators of countries’ response to reduce emissions are also included. Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP provides information on the extent of “carbon decoupling” from the economy. Renewable energy consumption is a direct—and forward looking—measure of adoption of alternatives to fossil fuels.

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Material cycles

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This dimension considers how intensively countries use—and reuse—raw materials. Three indicators are included to provide information on planetary pressures related to material use. Domestic material consumption per capita measures the total amount of materials directly used by an economy and is defined as the annual quantity of raw materials extracted from the domestic territory, plus all physical imports minus all physical exports. “Consumption” denotes apparent consumption and not final consumption. Domestic material consumption does not include upstream “hidden” flows related to imports and exports of raw materials and products. Material footprint per capita is the attribution of global material extraction to domestic final demand of a country, as described above. The third indicator of pressures linked to materials measures use of nitrogen fertilizer per area of cropland. This dimension also includes one indicator showing countries’ efforts to improve their electronic waste recycling rate, to indicate progress in response to open material cycles.

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Transforming our future

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As discussed in the 2020 Human Development Report, to steer actions towards transformational change, it is important to empower people in three ways: by enhancing equity, by pursuing innovation and by instilling a sense of stewardship of nature. For equity the dashboard includes prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population, highlighting the unequal distribution of adverse planetary change between men and women; Gender Inequality Index (GII) as a broader indicator to assess gender differences; increase in vulnerable people in coastal zones, reflecting growing risks of the unequalizing effect of sea level rise; and Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) and Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to spotlight individuals who are being left behind and suffering from multiple deprivations. For innovation the dashboard includes solar photovoltaic electricity capacity. More than a narrow indicator of technology adoption, this indicator captures the broader set of economic and social transformations and the adoption of a broader range of technologies such as smart grids and better energy storage that over time should be reflected in part by this indicator’s evolution. For stewardship the dashboard includes terrestrial protected areas.

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Showing: All countries

Human Development Index (HDI)

HDRO.

Number of deaths and missing persons attributed to disasters

per 100,000 population

SDG: 1.5.1/11.5.1/13.1.1
* year available per country (2009-19)
SDG Global Database. For presentation purposes, the following outlier values have been omitted from the graph: Bhutan (2014: 254.8, 2013: 287.7, 2012: 276.7, 2011: 329.1, 2010: 397.1, and 2009: 469.7), Samoa (2009: 209.7) and Myanmar (2008: 172.2). The values are included in the calculation of aggregates and quartiles.

Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution

per 100,000 population, age-standardized

SDG: 3.9.1
Data is for 2016
WHO.

Forest area, change

% of total land area, change (%)

Relates to SDG 15.1
Shows change between 1990 and 2016
World Development Indicators database.

Red List Index

SDG: 15.5.1
SDG Global Database.

Fresh water withdrawals

% of total renewable water resources

SDG: 6.4.2
* year available per country (2007-17)
FAO. For presentation purposes, the following outlier values have been omitted from the graph: United Arab Emirates (2017: 1,708), Kuwait (2002: 2,075), Saudi Arabia (2017: 883.3, 2012: 797.5, 1992: 671.1), Libya (2012: 822.9) and Qatar (2007: 360.3). The values are included in the calculation of aggregates and quartiles.

Showing: All countries

Notes for these Indicators:
  1. Human Development Index (HDI): A composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development—a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living. Source: HDRO
  2. Number of deaths and missing persons attributed to disasters: Number of people who died during or directly after a disaster as a direct result of the event or whose whereabouts are unknown since the event, expressed per 100,000 population. Source: United Nations Statistics Division Global SDG Indicators Database. Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.
  3. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution: Number of deaths attributable to the joint effects of household and ambient air pollution, expressed per 100,000 population. Source: WHO. Global Health Observatory
  4. Forest area, change: Percentage change in area under forest cover. Source: HDRO calculations based on data from World Development Indicators database
  5. Red List Index: Measure of the aggregate extinction risk across groups of species. It is based on genuine changes in the number of species in each category of extinction risk on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Source: United Nations Statistics Division. Global SDG Indicators Database. Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages are the global averages based on the Global SDG Indicators Database.
  6. Fresh water withdrawals: Total fresh water withdrawn, expressed as a percentage of total renewable water resources. Source: FAO. AQUASTAT database. Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.

For more information, please contact HDRO at hdro.web@undp.org. Data last updated on 15 November 2020.

Carbon dioxide emissions, production emissions per capita

in tonnes

Relates to SDG 9.4
Global Carbon Project.

Carbon dioxide emissions, consumption emissions per capita

in tonnes

Relates to SDG 9.4
Global Carbon Project.

Carbon dioxide emissions, per unit of GDP

in kg per 2010 US$ of GDP

SDG: 9.4.1
Global Carbon Project.

Renewable energy consumption

% of total final energy consumption

SDG: 7.2.1
World Bank.

Showing: All countries

Notes for these Indicators:
  1. Carbon dioxide emissions, production emissions per capita: Total carbon dioxide emissions produced as a consequence of human activities, divided by midyear population. Values are territorial emissions, meaning that emissions are attributed to the country in which they physically occur. Source: Global Carbon Project. Global Carbon Atlas.
  2. Carbon dioxide emissions, consumption emissions per capita: Total carbon dioxide emissions produced as a consequence of human activities, divided by midyear population. Values are consumption emissions, meaning that emissions occurring anywhere in the world attributed to the country in which goods and services are consumed. Source: Global Carbon Project. Global Carbon Atlas. Note: The estimates of regional and Human Development Group averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.
  3. Carbon dioxide emissions, per unit of GDP: Human-originated carbon dioxide emissions stemming from the burning of fossil fuels, gas flaring and cement manufacture, expressed in kilograms per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) in constant 2010 US dollars. Source: United Nations Statistics Division. Global SDG Indicators Database. Note: The estimates of regional and Human Development Group averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.
  4. Renewable energy consumption: Share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption. Source: World Bank. World Development Indicators database.

For more information, please contact HDRO at hdro.web@undp.org. Data last updated on 15 November 2020.

Domestic material consumption per capita

in tonnes

SDG: 8.4.2, 12.2.2
SDG Global Database.

Material footprint per capita

in tonnes

SDG: 8.4.1, 12.2.1
UNEP.

Use of fertilizer nutrient nitrogen (N), per area of cropland

in kg per hectare

FAOSTAT.

Electronic waste recycling rate

%

SDG: 12.4.2, 12.5.1
Data is for latest year available per country (2011-19)
SDG Global Database.

Showing: All countries

Notes for these Indicators:
  1. Domestic material consumption per capita: The sum of direct imports of materials and domestic extraction of materials minus direct exports of materials, measured in tonnes, divided by midyear population. A territorial (production-side) indicator, domestic material consumption measures the total amount of materials used in economic processes. Source: United Nations Statistics Division. Global SDG Indicators Database.
  2. Material footprint per capita: Material footprint is the attribution of global material extraction to domestic final demand of a country. This indicator is calculated as raw material equivalent of imports plus domestic extraction minus raw material equivalents of exports. Per-capita material footprint describes the average material use for final demand. Source: United Nations Environment Programme. World Environment Situation Room, Data downloader.
  3. Use of fertilizer nutrient nitrogen (N), per area of cropland: Total agricultural use of fertilizer nutrient—nitrogen (N), expressed per area of cropland. Source: FAO. FAOSTAT database. Note: The estimates of regional averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.
  4. Electronic waste recycling rate: Defined as the quantity of material recycled in the country plus quantities exported for recycling out of total waste generated in the country, minus material imported intended for recycling. Source: United Nations Statistics Division. Global SDG Indicators Database. Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.

For more information, please contact HDRO at hdro.web@undp.org. Data last updated on 15 November 2020.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the adult population, female

% of female population ages 15 and older

SDG: 2.1.2
SDG Global Database.

Gender Inequality Index (GII)

HDRO.

Increase in vulnerable people in coastal zones, by 2100

in millions

projection to 2100
Kulp & Strauss 2019. For presentation purposes, the following values have been omitted from the graph: China (29M), Bangladesh (26.7M), India (13M), Thailand (10.4M) and Viet Nam (7M). The values are included in the calculation of aggregates and quartiles.

Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI)

HDRO.

Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

Data is for latest year available per country (2008-19). Global average not shown. Excludes "Very High" HDG countries.
HDRO.

Solar photovoltaic, electricity capacity

in MW

IRENA. For presentation purposes, the following outlier values have been omitted from the graph: China (2019: 205,072, 2018: 175,016, 2017: 130,801). The values are included in the calculation of aggregates and quartiles.

Terrestrial protected areas

% of total land area

Relates to SDG 15.1
World Bank.

Showing: All countries

Notes for these Indicators:
  1. Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the adult population, female: Percentage of people in the population who have experienced food insecurity at severe levels, measured on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale global reference scale, during the reference period. Source: United Nations Statistics Division. Global SDG Indicators Database. Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages for some years and groupings are based on limited cases.
  2. Gender Inequality Index (GII): A composite measure reflecting inequality in achievement between women and men in three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. Source: HDRO.
  3. Increase in vulnerable people in coastal zones, by 2100: Additional vulnerable people to permanent rise in sea levels by 2100 under no mitigation (RCP 8.5) and Antarctic Stability (model K14, median value), in millions. Source: Kulp and Strauss (2019).​ Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages are based on the unweighted averages of national estimates.
  4. Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI): HDI value adjusted for inequalities in the three basic dimensions of human development. Source: HDRO.​
  5. Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): Percentage of the population that is multidimensionally poor adjusted by the intensity of the deprivations. Source: HDRO and OPHI
  6. Solar photovoltaic, electricity capacity: Solar photovoltaic refers to electricity capacity from solar photovoltaic measured in megawatts. Source: IRENA. Data & Statistics.​​​​​ Note: The estimates of global, regional and Human Development Group averages are based on the unweighted averages of national estimates.
  7. Terrestrial protected areas: Totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly for sustainable use. Source: World Bank. World Development Indicators database. Note: Data for Somalia in 2017 and 2018 refer to 2016.

For more information, please contact HDRO at hdro.web@undp.org. Data last updated on 15 November 2020.