According to a new report by the United Nations, the poverty rate in Bangladesh has decreased from 49 percent to 31 percent as the country has made progress in various aspects of human development. However, the rate of poverty reduction has not been consistent across all areas, with some regions experiencing significant declines while others, such as coastal or char areas, continue to struggle with high levels of poverty. The report, released in 2011, commended Bangladesh for its overall progress and predicted that the country would move up from the lower to the medium human development index category. Priesner stated that Bangladesh has made significant long-term progress on the HDI, but emphasized the importance of not becoming complacent. According to the report, Bangladesh's HDI score improved from 0.497 to 0.5, with a notable advancement in addressing gender inequality. The overall inequality HDI decreased from 29 percent to 22 percent, showcasing the country's strong performance. Bangladesh's HDI ranking is slightly below Pakistan (0.504) and Delhi is ranked higher than Dhaka. The UN country director highlighted the need for Bangladesh to address environmental degradation, the adverse effects of climate change, and the risks of disasters in order to continue improving. He stated that the report highlights four main messages: sustainable urbanization, addressing the threat of climate change, providing clean energy to those in poverty, and tackling environmental degradation. He emphasized that the current rate of urbanization is unsustainable and that climate change disproportionately affects the poor. Access to clean energy is crucial for the development of impoverished communities, and if environmental degradation is not dealt with, those reliant on natural resources will suffer. He also noted that equity and sustainable development go hand in hand.