As if the impact of the crises were not enough, unprecedented climatic catastrophes are causing enormous damage in various parts of the world. Among the latest places to be affected is Pakistan, with its 222 million inhabitants, the vast majority of whom are Muslims, 33 million people have been affected by extreme rains and floods, and more than 1,200 people, including some 450 children, have died. To date, more than 300,000 homes have been destroyed and another 692,000 damaged.
In addition, Pakistani government officials report that more than 800,000 hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed, and about 731,000 head of livestock have been lost, leaving numerous farmers without a livelihood to support their families, reports Caritas Internationalis (caritas.org), which has launched a global alert to provide the population with food, clean water, sanitation and access to hygiene supplies.
The two poorest areas of the planet, according to experts, are located in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where Pakistan is located, but also Afghanistan, the country with the highest poverty rate in the world, according to the rankings, due in large part to successive wars and conflicts. In the Americas, Haiti continues to lead the poverty rate, with serious episodes of violence.
Looking at Europe and Ukraine, researchers from the Elcano Royal Institute have already pointed out that "how the Russian invasion and the West's response could generate problems in the global economy, especially in the area of raw materials and energy, but also in industrial sectors and services in a context of rising inflation and value chains that were already highly stressed and were being redefined after the pandemic.".
It is evident that "The economy of the European Union is feeling the impact of the Russia's war in Ukraine"he pointed out Euronews before the summer. "There has been a further increase in energy prices, driving inflation to record highs. Ukraine and Russia produce almost a third of the world's wheat and barley, and are major exporters of metals.
Disruptions in supply chains, as well as the rising costs of many raw materials, have driven up the price of food and other basic goods and services. This puts a burden on businesses and reduces purchasing power. What is expected, therefore, is lower growth and higher inflation with rising prices, if things do not change.
Who is most affected by crises?
The three crises mentioned above are causing "a very unequal impact. In contrast to the view that the middle classes have been affected, the reality of the research tells us that this crisis has most affected the lower classes and people who were already in a position of vulnerability, or directly in a position of social exclusion".Raúl Flores, coordinator of Omnes' research team, has told Omnes that Spanish Caritasand technical secretary of Foessa FoundationThe company's main goal is to
In his opinion, "When we analyzed the impact in the 2009-2013 crisis, exactly the same thing happened. This has happened in the Covid crisis, and it is happening again in this energy crisis, which is generating a price inflation that exceeds the capacity of the families that were there at the limit. Not to mention those families who were in over their heads, for whom this situation only deepens the pit of poverty and social exclusion", adds Raul Flores.
Poverty may increase
The Caritas coordinator's considerations are a wake-up call, in line with an alert made by the United Nations when referring to Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2 (SDGs). The first is "End of Poverty, and the second "Zero hunger".
This is what the UN says: "New research published by the United Nations University's World Institute for Development Economics Research warns that the economic consequences of the global pandemic could increase poverty worldwide to as many as 500 million more people, or 8 % more of the world's total population. This would be the first time poverty has increased worldwide in 30 years, since 1990.". As is well known, more than 700 million people in the world, 10 percent of the world's population, are currently considered to be living below the poverty line ($1.90/day).
The rich, to blame for inequality?
A debate that some people sometimes raise is whether inequality is the fault of the rich, or put another way: are the rich to blame for inequality? So asked a CNN journalist, based on a recent report, Professor Luis Ravina, director of the Navarra Center for International Developmentbelonging to the Culture and Society Institute of the University of Navarra.
Luis Ravina responded telematically from Guatemala: "The report communicates a reality that is worrisome. What I do not agree with is the report's interpretation of these data, which is a judgment, an evaluation that, in my opinion, is wrong. Indeed, it says that the cause of poverty lies in the concentration of power in the hands of a few rich people, and I do not agree. This is very old, it is nothing new. It is based on an erroneous conception, which is to think that society is static, when the reality is that society is dynamic".
Ravina then added: "The idea that is conveyed is that the economy is a pie, and that pie has to be shared equitably. I agree on equity, and I agree that excessive concentration of power is dangerous, because it can interfere and influence the healthy development of democracy. Up to this point, I agree. But then, that there is a static pie, and that it has to be shared equally, is false. Society and the economy, as we know from experience, is a pie that is constantly moving. The fair society is the one that carries out a mobility".
A fairer society
So far, what is happening on a large and small scale, and some of the debates that arise. Let us now look at some initiatives led by Pope Francis. To do so, we will look at several observatories. The most immediate is the recent meeting in Assisi, where young people from all over the world made a pact with the Pope, and called on economists and world leaders with proposals to implement a more just, inclusive and fraternal economy with a soul, The Economy of Francesco. We talked about it in these same pages with some members of the EoF staff.
On the other hand, driven by Centesimus Annus FoundationThe Conference, chaired by Anna Maria Tarantola, will be held at the Vatican from October 6 to 8, 2010. CAPPF 2022with the title Inclusive growth to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development and peaceThe event will be addressed by the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The human person and his dignity
In recent interventions, the Holy Father has offered hints and suggestions that encourage us to ensure respect for the human person and his dignity, as indicated in the Social Doctrine of the Church. For example, at the end of last year, the Pope showed the way forward, as recalled in the preparatory documents of the International Conference of the Centessimus Annus Foundation: "In all areas of life, today more than ever, we are obliged to be witnesses of our concern for others, to think not only of ourselves, and to commit ourselves freely to the development of a more just and equitable society where forms of selfishness and partisan interests do not prevail. At the same time, we are called to ensure respect for the human person and his freedom, and to safeguard his inviolable dignity. This is the mission of putting into practice the social doctrine of the Church.".
The foundation also recalls Pope Francis' insistence on counting on the poor: "The poor are the ones who are most in need.If the poor are marginalized, as if they were to blame for their condition, then the very concept of democracy is jeopardized and any social policy will be bankrupt. With great humility, we must confess that we are often incompetent when it comes to the poor. We talk about them in the abstract; we dwell on statistics and think we can move people's hearts by filming a documentary. Poverty, on the contrary, should motivate us to creative planning, aimed at increasing the freedom necessary to live a full life according to each person's capabilities." (Message of Pope Francis for the Day of the Word of the Poor, 2021).
Different dimensions of poverty
The foundation Centesimus Annus also points out that "we have to face poverty caused by economic, climatic, digital, spiritual and educational situations... A very complex set of situations that are difficult to deal with but which we must address and resolve urgently.".
On the other hand, Tarantola said at a conference organized in Rome by Rome Reportsthe Centro Académico Romano Foundation (CARF) and Omnes, with the sponsorship of Caixabankwhich "focusing the company on the person is efficient."and that "the good company". does not create value only for shareholders, but also for the shareholders. "produces a positive impact on the creation and for all those who contribute to the success of the company, employees, customers, suppliers, etc.".
"Good business does not impose high human and environmental costs on the community, and is also successful in producing long-term shareholder value as demonstrated by more than a few research studies."
The encyclical Laudato siand the Social Doctrine of the Church, with its emphasis on the pursuit of the common good and in considering the enterprise as "a community of people" y "not only as a capital company". as underlined by the Holy Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, underpinned the arguments of Anna Maria Tarantola.
