5G: Striking a balance between resilience and risk

On Friday November 1st, China unveiled the world’s largest 5G network in 50 cities, including Shanghai and Beijing. China Mobile and other telecom companies now offer 5G plans, starting at 18USD for 30 gigabytes per month, however, many companies are charging by speed rather than by month. It is estimated by 2020, 7% of China’s population will use 5G, and the country hopes to continue to expand its coverage. Striking a balance between managing vulnerabilities and advancing resilience through the development of 5G technology remains a challenge for current and future policymakers. 

Food insecurity threatens resilience

The ability to have a stable and reliable supply of food is an important indicator of resilience. Establishing food security is a concern for public officials, community leaders, families and individuals across the globe. Often, populations which do not have reliable access to food are made vulnerable to a host of other conditions which threaten their resilience. Lack of affordability and physical access to food are two of the primary reasons families and communities in the United States struggle to maintain a reliable, nutritious diet.

Brazil oil spill threatens coastal resilience

Communities on the northern shores of Brazil’s coast are experiencing one of the largest oil spills in human history, the source of which is unknown. Originally appearing on only a few beaches in early September, crude oil has now washed up on over 2,000 kilometers (roughly 1,240 miles) along the coastlines of nine states. Due to a slow government reaction, volunteers across Brazil have been photographed rolling up oil slicks and disposing of them in trash bags. As the global economy is highly dependent on oil and related industries, the potential for future oil spills underscores the need to develop resilient practices for mitigation and recovery.

CDFI fund forges hope for upward mobility in Mississippi Delta

The long-lasting poverty that afflicted the rural South after the Civil War, though alleviated in many areas, still stands in the Mississippi Delta. In 2018, the state reported a whopping 19.8% of the population lives under the poverty line, topping all other U.S. states. Despite this, some counties have experienced a decline in poverty over the last 20 years. Almost half of the Delta’s poorest counties experienced similar reductions. Many believe this is due in part to the 1994 creation of the Community Development Financial Institution Fund, a federal tax incentive in the New Market Tax Credit Program. This aids Community Development Entities (CDEs), which are private financial institutions that deliver affordable lending to low income households. In May 2019, 73 CDEs were awarded CDFI funds, and many hope that these institutions will help Delta communities strengthen their financial resilience.