Short-termism impedes progress of hundreds of millions of people, United Nations report says
Major report released in advance of the G20 and World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings
NEW YORK, 13 April 2018 – The prospects of around 800 million of the world’s poorest people remain dire. The global
economy is experiencing a moderate upturn, and momentum around sustainable investing is growing, the UN said today.
But the vast majority of investment is still short-term oriented and commitments by the international community to
create sustainable economies are not being met.
There is an increasing interest in socially responsible investing, but that is no substitute for a broader
transformation in the financial system. The report states that the current system rewards investors, financiers and
project managers that prioritize short-term profits. Similarly, policy makers are excessively focused on short-term
considerations. But there is a price to pay. Infrastructure projects are shelved in favour of short term priorities.
Small businesses and women remain excluded from the financial system.
“The good economic news in some regions masks the very real risk that the poorest will be left behind,” said LIU
Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. “There is no room for
complacency.”
“If we don’t invest in infrastructure projects like bridges, roads and sewage systems, if the poorest and women are cut
off from access to credit and other financial services, we have little prospect of achieving our global goals”, he
added.
Per capita growth remains negative or insignificant in many countries where the poverty rate is already high,
entrenching inequality.
Overcoming the short-term outlook of many investors is a complex but urgent issue. according to “Financing for
Development: Progress and Prospects,” the 2018 comprehensive annual progress report on how to finance the Sustainable
Development Goals.
Pension funds, insurance companies and other institutional investors hold around $80 trillion in assets. But the
majority of their resources are invested in liquid assets, such as listed equities and bonds in developed countries.
Investment in infrastructure still represents less than 3 per cent of pension fund assets, with investment in
sustainable infrastructure in developing countries even lower.
The lack of long-term investment horizons also means that major risks, such as those from climate change, are not
incorporated into decision-making.
According to the report, the solution lies in a multifaceted approach. It includes changing payment practices: the
compensation of financial advisors and portfolio managers is too often linked to short term results. More transparency
also helps: some countries now require all listed companies to disclose financial risks they face from climate change.
Short-sighted policies also result in a lack of access to finance for countries in urgent need. Support for countries
affected by disasters is often too little, too late. Innovative financial instruments exist that provide quicker access
to funding. Countries can set up insurance-like mechanisms, and the international community can support those that can’t
afford premiums. Loans can be set up to reduce repayments automatically during crises. But so far, major funders have
not taken up these promising tools.
“We have to reach beyond the quick fix if we are going to create a world that can sustain all of us,” said Navid Hanif,
Director of Financing for Sustainable Development Office. “Political leadership and public policies are indispensable.”
It takes leadership to overcome short-term political cycles, devise and enforce rules which have widespread benefits but
may face resistance by powerful groups, for example tax reforms and stopping illicit financial flows, the report notes.
The report emphasizes that in donor countries, political leaders must do more to meet their commitment to provide
financial assistance to the world’s most vulnerable countries.
Beyond financing, the report highlights several cross-cutting areas that impact sustainable financing and that require
policy makers attention. For example:
• New technologies present boundless opportunities. However, in analyzing the potential of new technologies, the
report warns that the transformative power of technology raises complex ethical, socio-economic and human rights
challenges and risks. In the short-term, technological change could lead to job losses and increased polarization in
labour markets. The report argues for adopting a long-term perspective, and calls on governments to make complementary
investments, strengthen social protection and urgently develop regulatory frameworks so that benefits of technological
change are shared broadly, and risks to privacy and data protection, financial stability and integrity are addressed.
• Gender inequalities persist in access to finance, technology, public services, decent jobs, unpaid care and
domestic work, participation in policy-making processes and many other areas. Bank account ownership among women is
about 58 per cent, and for men, 65 per cent. In Asia, only 16 per cent of businesses are women owned. Such inequality
threatens achievement of the 2030 Agenda, but also weakens inclusive growth prospects by denying women opportunities to
fully participate in the economy.
In the foreword to the report, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “The world has the resources to
deliver, but they are not allocated where they are needed most. The choices we make now on financing will be pivotal.”
____________________
Download the report and access the comprehensive data annex to the report at:
This Task Force report is the main input to the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development which will be held on 23-26
April 2018. http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/ffdforum/