News

Our news page provides you with a round up of UN news related to economic development, humanitarian aid, climate change, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You will find the summary of news articles together with a link to the news source.

Least developed countries impacted by ‘range of interlinked crises’ – Assembly President

22 Sep 2022

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine war and rising costs are ‘severely and disproportionately affecting’ Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the President of the UN General Assembly told their annual ministerial meeting on Thursday.

Renewable energy jobs rise by 700,000 in a year, to nearly 13 million

22 Sep 2022

Worldwide employment in the renewable energy sector reached 12.7 million last year, a jump of 700,000 new jobs in just 12 months, despite the lingering effects of COVID-19 and the growing energy crisis, according to a new report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO).

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1.5 degree climate pledge ‘on life support’, Guterres tells leaders during frank exchanges

21 Sep 2022

During a private meeting of Heads of State and Government, held on Wednesday at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for more action and leadership to tackle the climate crisis, warning that efforts to keep the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is “on life support”.

Yemen: Marking ‘significant milestone’, UN says stricken tanker salvage operation can begin

21 Sep 2022

The salvage of the ageing supertanker SFO Safer, off the Yemeni coast, can now begin, the UN said on Wednesday, after it announced that more than $75 million has been pledged to carry out the vital operation.

Famine looms in Somalia, but many ‘hunger hotspots’ are in deep trouble

21 Sep 2022

The number of people facing life-threatening levels of hunger worldwide without immediate humanitarian aid, is expected to rise steeply in coming weeks, the UN said on Wednesday, in a new alert about looming famine in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

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Influential young changemakers recognized by UN

21 Sep 2022

On Wednesday, the UN announced the 2022 cohort of Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals, recognizing their efforts to bring about a fairer future for people and the planet.

Irrational war on drugs, destruction of the Amazon, expose humanity’s failures, Colombia’s Petro tells UN

20 Sep 2022

During his first speech at the General Assembly as the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro said that the world’s addiction to money, oil and carbon is destroying the rainforest and its people under the excuse of a “hypocritical” war against drugs.

Pakistan floods: Six month wait for water to recede, warn relief agencies

20 Sep 2022

Millions of people in Pakistan are still deeply affected by catastrophic flooding which “is not going anywhere”, UN relief agencies said on Tuesday.

Rescuing the SDGs: General Assembly highlights ‘world’s to-do list’

19 Sep 2022

The UN Secretary-General and the President of the 77TH General Assembly joined world leaders and Goodwill Ambassadors on Monday in a global call to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and get back on track to building a better world that “leaves no one behind”.

UN spotlights transformational potential of family farming for world food supply

19 Sep 2022

A Global Forum highlighting the UN’s Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) got underway on Monday, aimed at identifying priority policies to boost support for family farmers and agricultural development worldwide.

Guterres: ‘Global addiction to fossil fuels’ must end and a ‘renewables revolution’ be jumpstarted

18 Sep 2022

Achieving a just and equitable energy transition is “one of the biggest challenges facing our world,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Global Compact Board meeting on Sunday.

Closing gender pay gaps is more important than ever 

18 Sep 2022

On average, women globally are paid about 20 per cent less than men, the International Labour (ILO) Organization said on Saturday, International Equal Pay Day.

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Education financing is imperative for “peaceful, prosperous, stable societies’ – UN chief

17 Sep 2022

Education systems around the world need “more, not less money” the UN chief told journalists on Saturday during a joint press stakeout on the Transforming Education Summit and the International Finance Facility for Education.

‘Violent civil unrest’ in Haiti hampers aid delivery

16 Sep 2022

An escalation in what the UN is calling “violent civil unrest” in Haiti, and the subsequent blockading of roads across the country, is making it “very challenging for humanitarian partners to provide assistance” according to the UN Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric.

Global cooperation to protect the ozone layer can ensure a better future for us all

16 Sep 2022

As the Montreal Protocol to Protect the Ozone Layer turns 35 on Friday, World Ozone Day, the United Nations has said that continuing the level of cooperation that led to the treaty’s adoption and success is just what is needed to protect life on Earth, end the climate crisis and ensure a brighter future for us all.

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The Black Sea Grain Initiative: What it is, and why it’s important for the world

16 Sep 2022

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, exports of grain from Ukraine, as well as food and fertilizers from Russia, have been significantly hit. The disruption in supplies pushed soaring prices even higher and contributed to a global food crisis. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye, was set up to reintroduce vital food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine to the rest of the world. Here are some key points to understand.

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‘Tsunami of hunger’ could trigger multiple famines, Security Council warned

15 Sep 2022

As risks of conflict-induced famine and widespread food insecurity continue to rise, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator urged the Security Council on Thursday to address the interlinked crises, and work towards establishing lasting peace in affected regions.

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Brazilian artist’s mural ‘for the planet’ proves big draw for UN General Assembly

15 Sep 2022

World leaders arriving at UN Headquarters for next week’s High Level General Assembly meetings, will be greeted by a powerful and striking new mural from renowned Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra, focusing attention on climate change and stewardship of the planet.

Human rights: Inflation threatens everyone’s right to development

15 Sep 2022

Rising global inflation is expected to hit emerging and developing economies particularly hard this year, adding to a “confluence of crises” that threatens us all, the UN’s acting human rights chief has warned.

Syrians ‘can come together to rescue their country’ from war, Security Council hears

14 Sep 2022

“Progress is possible” to end more than 11 years of war in Syria, in order to produce a peaceful future for all, the UN’s Deputy Special Envoy for the country told the Security Council on Wednesday.

UN officials see progress as global food prices drop amid ongoing Black Sea grain deal shipments

13 Sep 2022

Two vital objectives of the Black Sea grain deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye are already being achieved, a senior UN official said on Tuesday, pointing to the steady decrease in international food prices and the increasing availability of badly needed grain from Ukraine as signs of early success.

Climate change impacts ‘heading into uncharted territory’, warns UN chief

13 Sep 2022

“Climate science is clear: we are heading in the wrong direction”, declares a major, multi-agency UN climate science report released on Tuesday, with a focus on increasing fossil fuel emissions and rising greenhouse gases, now at a record high, which risk thwarting plans to reduce global temperatures and avoid climate catastrophe.

Catastrophic hunger levels leave 500,000 children at risk of dying in Somalia

13 Sep 2022

Catastrophic hunger levels in Somalia have left more than 513,000 children at risk of dying, 173,000 more than during the 2011 famine, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.

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Security Council calls for intensifying efforts to expand Yemen truce

12 Sep 2022

The UN Security Council has urged warring parties in Yemen to urgently intensify negotiations towards expanding their historic truce, according to a statement issued on Monday. 

Global UN forum showcases need, impact of South-South cooperation

12 Sep 2022

From climate change to worsening inequalities and COVID-19 fallouts, top UN officials told a major forum in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday that greater cooperation among developing countries, known as the global South, was needed to overcome a multitude of challenges.

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‘Solutions lie in solidarity’ UN chief says on South-South Cooperation Day

11 Sep 2022

In this era of unprecedented challenge and upheaval, “solutions lie in solidarity,” the UN chief said in his message commemorating United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, on Monday. 

UN chief sees ‘great heights’ of human endurance and heroism amid ‘climate carnage’ in Pakistan

10 Sep 2022

Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday reiterated that the needs in flood-ravaged Pakistan are enormous and called for massive and urgent financial support, as he wrapped up a two-day trip aimed at raising awareness of the climate-driven disaster with flights over some of the hardest hit areas. 

From the Field: Black pigs, green tea, and pink orchids – preserving China’s natural resources

10 Sep 2022

China has a dizzying range of rich natural resources. The country is home to 10 per cent of all known plant species, and 14 per cent of all known fauna. The UN, with the Chinese authorities, is working to ensure that the benefits from these resources are shared in a fair and equitable way.

Pakistan: UN scales up financial and other support after ‘latest climate tragedy’

09 Sep 2022

A $7 million disbursement from the UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), announced on Friday, will bolster response to the devastating monsoon floods in Pakistan, the worst in more than a decade. 

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In flood-hit Pakistan, Guterres appeals for ‘massive’ global support, tougher action on climate change

09 Sep 2022

UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Pakistan on Friday to show solidarity with the people of the country following the loss of life and destruction caused by this year’s devastating floods. He appealed for massive international support to tackle this “climate catastrophe”.