WHAT IS HDR?

 Human Development Reports (HDRs)  have been released since 1990 and have explored different themes through the human development approach .It is published by the Human Development Reports Office for the united nations development programme (UNDP).

Goal

The goal is to contribute toward the expansion of opportunities, choice and freedom.

Theme

The theme for Human Development Report 2021-22 is uncertain times, unsettled lives ; shaping our future in a world in transformation.

HDI

• HDI stands for Human Development Index.
• HDI is a composite index that measures average achievement in human development taking into account four indicators;

1. Life expectancy at birth (Sustainable Development Goal 3).
2. Expected years of schooling (Sustainable Development Goal 4.3).
3. Mean years of schooling (Sustainable Development Goal 4.4).
4. Gross National Income( Sustainable Development Goal 8.5).

Key Highlights

Global

Ninety percent of countries have registered a reduction in their HDI value in 2020 or 2021 reversing much of the progress toward the sustainable development goals. Drop in Life Expectancy , A large contributor to the HDI's recent decline is a global drop in life expectancy, down from 72.8 years in 2019 to 71.4 years in 2021.

India's Perspective

India's HDI value stood at 0.633 in 2021, which was lower than the world average of 0.732 in 2020 , too , India recorded a decline in it's HDI value (0.642) in comparison to pre-Covid level of 2019(0.645). In 2021 India's life expectancy by birth was recorded at 67.2 years. Expected years of schooling at 11.9 years ; mean years of schooling at 6.7 years. The gross national income per capita stood at USD 6,590. India has been ranked 122 on the Gender Inequality Index.

Other Insights

• Humans are not prepared for climate change;  It stated that humans were unprepared for a world with climate crisis like fires and storms and other planetary -level changes brought about due to Anthropocene in recent years.
• Population decline of Insects; Without an abundance of insect pollinators , humans face the mind - blogging challenge of growing food and other agricultural products at scale. 
• As Insects are important because of their diversity, ecological role and influence on Agriculture, human health and  natural resources.
• They create the biological foundation for all terrestrial ecosystem , further they cycle nutrients , pollinate plants, disperse seeds , maintain soil structure and fertility, control populations of other organisms and provide a major food source for other taxa.
• Microplastic menace ; Plastics are now everywhere , in country sized garbage patches in the ocean , in protected forests and distant mountaintops and in people's lungs and blood.