At the dawn of the new millennium, the international community is presented eight specific goals to tackle the injustice of extreme poverty. Still going with five straight years until the deadline for achieving these promises arrives, it is obvious that we are likely to continue to fall short on many, unless significant efforts are being made to take action. However, it is important to recognize some of the progress that has been made in the last 10 years. Access to education has increased significantly in many countries, as has the availability of clean drinking water. Cases of diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis have been reduced considerably. And countries such as Brazil and China are proceeding swiftly in its transformation into leader of the global economy.
Nevertheless, while poverty has been addressed, the effects have been uneven in size. Over a billon people suffer at the hands of chronic hunger and malnutrition. Million women die to give birth every year. Rampant diversity continues to afflict communities across the globe. The plan to lift millions of people out of poverty is even while the population is growing, challenged, especially in Africa and India. The global population is set to reach seven billion next year and is to this issue, which turns our opening section. With views of the UNESCO Chair International of Development Paul van Garding in Klimabetrachtet Fred Pearce writer and author and emeritus professor of family planning and reproductive health, Professor John Guillebaud, the selection of the challenges that developing countries face as the population growth for the greater stress on food, education, Health care and the environment leads.
