Minimize Pressure on the Planet to Advance Human Development

Human development and grain price vulnerability, global freedom level changes, crude futures, and Australia's retail sales [View in browser]( [Weekly newsletter-1]( Greetings, {NAME}: Today, we offer the latest insights about human development and grain price vulnerability, as well as the newest data on changes in freedom levels across the globe, updated crude futures, and a new report on Australia's retail sales. Enjoy reading! Get involved! Send us your feedback at [datadriven@knoema.com](mailto:DataDriven@knoema.com). Latest Data-Driven Insights [Knoema_Data_Driven_Human_Development_Index_2020]( The latest Human Development Report, published by the [UNDP](, stresses the importance of minimizing the pressures exerted on the planet by people while advancing human development. Get more insights from our interactive [dashboard](. [Knoema_Data_Driven_The_Right_Food_Price_Hotspots_to_Worry_About-2]( According to Bloomberg, the acceleration of food price inflation in Russia, India, Brazil, Turkey, and Nigeria has the potential to not only exacerbate food insecurity for families, but also lead to social protests. Check how [vulnerable]( Bloomberg's hotspots really are to food inflation with Knoema's grain price vulnerability index. [More DATA-DRIVEN Insights]( New Data at Knoema [fh-1]( Freedom House, in its latest report, found democratic rights have deteriorated in the past year, shifting the global balance in favor of tyranny; in 2020, nearly 75% of the world's population lived in a country where freedoms decreased. For example, India’s status dropped from [Free to Partly Free](. [investingcom-1]( Brent crude futures spiked above[US$70]( per barrel on March 8, 2021 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019. The surge in price was driven by an attack, led by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia on March 7, 2021. [abs]( Australia’s retail sales growth [bounced back]( in January 2021 to 0.5% MoM against contraction of 4.1% in December 2020. The growth was led by food sales, while decline was observed in clothing, footwear, and department stores affected by a three-day lockdown in Brisbane. Interested in what Knoema can do for your organization? [Get on a Call]( Insights Around the Web [the-wall-street-journal-logo-png-5]( [WSJ](. China, the US, Europe, and many other countries and regions are reporting falling birth rates in 2020. The sudden drop in global fertility during the pandemic will have far-reaching consequences for businesses and economies. [limelight-networks-vector-logo]( [Limelight Networks](. Video game playing is up 14 percent over last year, caused by gamers’ desire for social connections. More than 7 in 10 gamers from the Asia-Pacific region say they've made new friends through online games in the past year, and more than 1 in 3 say the ability to interact with other players is extremely important. [nsc-menu]( [NSC](. Preliminary findings suggest the rate of death on U.S. roads last year spiked 24% over 2019 figures, despite miles driven dropping 13%. The increase in the rate of death, due largely to higher numbers of open-lane crashes, is the highest estimated YoY jump since 1924. [1db2adb7-c12f-4825-8c72-2bfd1e8c2798-1] Stay well. Charles Poliacof CEO, Knoema [knoema.com]( [Facebook]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( Copyright © 2021 Knoema. All rights reserved. You received this email because you are a registered Knoema user. Our mailing address is: Knoema, 31 East 32nd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016, United States [Unsubscribe]( [Manage preferences](