News
Lift ‘suffocating’ unilateral sanctions against Syrians, urges UN human rights expert
10 November 2022
A UN-appointed independent human rights expert on Thursday, urged States to lift unilateral sanctions against Syria, warning that they are perpetuating and exacerbating the destruction and trauma suffered by ordinary citizens since the brutal war
‘Our futures are being stolen!’ Youth activists tell COP27 negotiators it’s past time to tackle ‘loss and damage’
10 November 2022
Armed with banners, picket signs, megaphones, and especially with heart-wrenching testimonies backed by scientific and economic facts, the youth took over the halls of COP27 on Th
Ukraine: UN and partners provide life-saving aid to some 13.5 million
10 November 2022
The United Nations and humanitarian partners are continuing to reach growing numbers of people impacted by the war on the ground with life-saving assistance, a UN spokesperson told journalists on Thursday.
Dirty fossil fuel investments and a new AI inventory of global emissions in the spotlight during ‘Finance Day’ at COP27
9 November 2022
The first of the ‘thematic’ days kicked off on Wednesday at COP27, focused on finance, and activists made it clear right from the start that there must be a global push to re-direct the hundred
‘10 gigatonne’ emissions boom leaves construction ‘off track’ for decarbonization by 2050
9 November 2022
The global building and construction boom has pushed the sector’s CO2 emissions to an all-time high of 10 gigatonnes, meaning that it is now “off track” to meet decarbonization pledges by 2050, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
‘10 gigatonne’ emissions boom leaves construction ‘off track’ for decarbonization by 2050
9 November 2022
The global building and construction boom has pushed the sector’s CO2 emissions to an all-time high of 10 gigatonnes, meaning that it is now “off track” to meet decarbonization pledges by 2050, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Young people reconsidering parenthood due to climate change, UNICEF poll reveals
9 November 2022
Climate change is forcing nearly half of young Africans to rethink their plans to have children someday, a global poll conducted by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed, underlining their uncertainty about the future of a plan
Over 27 million children at risk from devastating record-setting floods
8 November 2022
Overwhelming flooding has affected at least 27.7 million children across 27 countries worldwide, with the number of children affected by flooding in Chad, Gambia, Pakistan and northeast Bangladesh, being the hig
UN ramps up humanitarian appeal for life-saving assistance to 3.4 million Sri Lankans
8 November 2022
Amidst Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence, the UN on Tuesday revised its joint Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) Plan, appealing for more life-saving assistance to aid 3.4 million people.
COP27: ‘Zero tolerance for greenwashing’, Guterres says as new report cracks down on empty net-zero pledges
8 November 2022
While a growing number of governments and non-State actors are pledging to be carbon-free, the criteria for net-zero commitments can have loopholes wide enough to “drive a diesel truck through”, the UN Secretary-General decried as his
Developing countries at COP27 call for ‘climate justice’ in the form of adaptation and loss and damage funds
8 November 2022
The second day of COP27’s Climate Implementation Summit saw world leaders raise their voices for concrete action, particularly on adaptation and the thorny issue of loss and damage.
New milestone in battle against illegal, unregulated fishing
7 November 2022
Global action to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing has intensified, the Food and Agriculture Organization said on Monday, noting that 100 States have now signed on to an international agreement battling the scourge.
‘Cooperate or perish’: At COP27 UN chief calls for Climate Solidarity Pact, urges tax on oil companies to finance loss and damage
7 November 2022
At the opening of the two-day Climate Implementation Summit at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, António Guterres called for a historic pact between developed and developing countries to combine capacities, and pivot the world tow
New milestone in battle against illegal, unregulated fishing
7 November 2022
Global action to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing has intensified, the Food and Agriculture Organization said on Monday, noting that 100 States have now signed on to an international agreement battling the scourge.
Like racism and sexism, ‘povertyism’ should be illegal, UN rights expert says
7 November 2022
Although the global cost-of-living crisis will be an obstacle to eradicating poverty by 2030, countries can still make significant progress towards this Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), UN-appointed human rights expert Olivier de Schutter has s
COP27: $3.1 billion plan to achieve early warning systems for all by 2027
7 November 2022
With climate-related disasters displacing more people than conflict, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday unveiled the details of his plan to ensure everyone on the planet is protected by early warning systems within the next five years
Humanitarians call for greater support to prevent famine in Horn of Africa
7 November 2022
Greater global solidarity is needed to address the rapidly unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in the Horn of Africa, where millions are going hungry due to two years of unprecedented drought, UN agencies and partners said in a statement on Monday.
New UN weather report ‘a chronicle of chaos’: UN chief
6 November 2022
The latest report from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), released on Sunday, shows that the last eight year
COP27 begins a ‘new era to do things differently’, UN climate change chief declares as pivotal conference gets underway
6 November 2022
The UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, should shift the world towards implementation of previously agreed plans to tackle humanity’s greatest challenge, Simon Stiell, the new Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Co
Climate change much deadlier than cancer in some places, UNDP data shows
4 November 2022
The impact of climate change on health if carbon emissions remain high, could be up to twice as deadly as cancer in some parts of the world, according to new data released on Friday by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate Impact Lab
More funding needed for climate adaptation, as risks mount
3 November 2022
Countries must urgently ramp up action to adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change, as efforts now are too little and too slow, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in its latest report, published on Thursday.
Ukraine grain deal, Ethiopia agreement, show ‘power of multilateralism in action’: Guterres
3 November 2022
Russia’s decision to rejoin the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Ethiopian agreement to end the war in Tigray demonstrate the power of multilatera
South Sudan: Conflict and climate crisis drives rising hunger
3 November 2022
The number of people in South Sudan who are going hungry is at the highest level ever, UN agencies said in their latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, issued on Thursday.
Iconic World Heritage glaciers to disappear by 2050, warns UNESCO
3 November 2022
Some of the world’s most iconic glaciers are set to disappear by 2050, according to a new study by
UN chief warmly welcomes Russia decision to end suspension from Ukraine grain deal
2 November 2022
The UN Secretary-General on Wednesday issued a statement warmly welco
Europe hotting up more than twice global average: WMO
2 November 2022
Temperatures in Europe have increased at more than twice the global average over the past 30 years – the highest of any continent in the world.
Human rights belong at the heart of climate change debate, urges Türk
2 November 2022
Humanity’s basic right to life is being threatened by insufficient action in the face of the climate emergency, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk
Ethiopia: Peace agreement between Government and Tigray ‘a critical first step’: Guterres
2 November 2022
A peace deal between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed on Wednesday in South Africa, represents “a critical first step” towards ending the brutal two year war,
In speech to Arab League, UN chief appeals for greater regional unity
1 November 2022
Amid growing geopolitical divides and deepening inequalities, cooperation is the only way forward, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in Algiers on Tuesday, addressing the Summit of the League of Arab States.
The UN belongs to you, deputy chief tells youth advocates in Spain
1 November 2022
How the UN can better support young people pushing for a more sustainable future for all was among issues discussed during a dialogue between some of the Organization’s senior officials and youth leaders, held in Madrid, Spain, on Monday.