The Last Twenty. For a theory of impoverishment

Abstract

The Last Twenty Report is a research paper about the current state of the world’s 20 most impoverished and vulnerable countries. Despite their richness in culture, arts, and knowledge, these countries face significant challenges exacerbated by prolonged conflicts and other detrimental mechanisms. The medium to long-term goal is to gauge the social, political, and environmental ‘temperature’ of our planet starting from its bottom rather than its top. This approach offers a perspective on the future from the less visible side of the Earth, providing more accurate insights into where we are heading. Launched in 2021 in Reggio Calabria, the L20 project has promoted events in cities like Milan, Rome, L’Aquila, and Santa Maria di Leuca. They laid the foundations for ongoing monitoring of L20 countries’ conditions, with a special emphasis on critical issues such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. The 2023 report, second edition after 2022, aims at tracking the evolution of these countries, highlighting not only socio-economic challenges and the impact of climate change, but also new geopolitical scenarios and their interactions with L20 countries.