1. Scholarly Works

Studies have shown that natural disasters could pose a spectrum of challenges to human development, especially in developing countries. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2004) estimates that low human development countries accounted for more than half of reported casualties due to natural disasters for the last two decades. The study also estimates that nearly 85 percent of the people exposed to natural disasters live in either medium or low human development countries. Other related studies have shown that corrupted officials in poor countries would increase the vulnerability of these countries to natural disasters. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of human development indicators, such as income per capita and human capital development (education level), as well as corruption (a measure of governance) on fatalities and damages due to natural disasters in selected 77 developing countries. By employing the two-step system GMM estimators, we identified several economic variables that are significantly related to fatalities and property damages due to natural disasters, such as flood, storm, earthquake, landslides, drought, extreme temperature, wildfire, and volcanic eruption. By exploring the impact of economic development, population density, unemployment rate, investment, government consumption expenditure, education, openness, and corruption, on disaster preparedness, it would be useful for both government and international disaster risk reduction and mitigation agencies to re-evaluate their approach towards target recipients in the future.

Microfinance has continued to receive positive consideration as a powerful and prospective tool needed in combating poverty and promoting financial inclusion among the poor and lower-income groups. It refers to the provision of financial services to poor and low-income people whose low economic standing excludes them from formal financial systems (IRTI, 2007). Microfinance institutions (MFIs) do enable the poor to gain access to financial services such as micro-credit, venture capital, micro-savings, micro-insurance, and money transfers on a micro level which enhances the involvement of those considered unbankable but with the acute need of financial assistance. Extending financial services to the poor not only enhances their household income and economic security, but also enables them to acquire assets and decrease their vulnerability thereby accelerating the demand for other goods and services in terms of health and education, thus leading to socio-economic development.

The concept of sustainable development has been articulated for the first time in the Brundtland Report, also called "Our Common Future" published in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) and supported by the United Nations (UN). According to Brundtland Report, Sustainable Development is defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." In 2015 the United Nations has introduced the new global development agenda for 2015 through 2030 and adopted a set of seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the action of the member states. According to UNDP, the SDGs as global agenda represents a universal framework for comprehensive development. It aims to plan for a better and sustainable future and address the global challenges faced by people and the planet.

While the world is yet to fully recuperate from the social and economic repercussions of COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict poses another major threat causing a humanitarian crisis and economic shock. Although the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its pledge to "leave no one behind" is a universal commitment to protect the livelihoods of vulnerable groups, the Russia-Ukraine ongoing conflict is causing immense suffering and a gloomy future for the 2030 Agenda. The purpose of this study is to provide a holistic understanding of the ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine war in SDGs progress around the world. Further, the authors shed light on how stakeholders can help engage in support of SDGs in such a challenging time.

Malaysia established its Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP) to achieve sustainable economic development, with one of its primary strategic thrusts being "accelerating human capital development for an advanced nation." This study examines one aspect of human capital development by reviewing the reading habits of Malaysian youths and the conjecture surrounding a 'crisis' among youths and their engagement with reading, to foster a culture of reading to improve education, focusing on human behavioral interventions to increase environmental knowledge and awareness, and developing human capital with pro-environmental behavior. Data from 250 valid questionnaires was analyzed using the variance-based Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The theoretical framework of this study is based on Dewey's Educational Theory of Constructivism and Social Cognitive Theory. The results reveal that attitude and parental influence significantly promotes reading habits, while perceived stress does not. It was also found that reading habits positively influenced the pro-environmental behavior of youths. It is hoped that this study will lead to a coherent strategy being undertaken to engage Malaysian youths not only to read but to engender a culture of sustainability and pro-environment behavior.