The 21st century is witnessing a profound shift in global dynamics, driven by the fast to rising powers of the developing world. China has overtaken Japan as the world's second biggest economy, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty in the process. India is reshaping its future with new entrepreneurial creativity and social policy innovation. Brazil has become an engine of development for all South America while implementing antipoverty Programmes that are emulated worldwide. Turkey, South Africa, Mexico, Indonesia and many other dynamic developing nations are also lead actors on the world stage. Each of these countries has chosen its own distinct development pathways. Yet they share important common denominators and face many of the same challenges. They are also increasingly interconnected and interdependent. The 2013 Human Development Report examines the causes and consequences of this "Rise of the Global South," and identifies policies emerging from this new reality that can promote greater sustainability, social cohesion and human development progress throughout the world in the decades to come