News
What COVID-19 taught us about risk in a complex, inter-connected world
A new UN report has shed fresh light on the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed cascading risks, particularly on vulnerable people, worldwide.
UN Ocean Conference ends with call for greater ambition and global commitment to address dire state of the Ocean
Following a week of discussions and events in Lisbon, Portugal, the UN Ocean Conference concluded on Friday, with governments and heads of state agreeing on a new political declaration to Save Our Ocean.
UN Ocean Conference ends with call for greater ambition and global commitment to address dire state of the Ocean
Following a week of discussions and events in Lisbon, Portugal, the UN Ocean Conference concluded on Friday, with governments and heads of state agreeing on a new political declaration to Save Our Ocean.
As global food and fuel crisis deepens, Lebanon’s crisis is affecting ‘everyone, everywhere’
Veteran UN aid coordinator Najat Rochdi on Friday signalled grave concerns about rising humanitarian needs across Lebanon linked to the global food and fuel crisis, which are affecting “everyone, everywhere”.
With mangrove conservation, Kenya’s coastal communities plant seeds of sustainable ‘blue growth’
The southern ocean border of Kenya and Tanzania is dotted with thick hedges of mangroves – indispensable carbon sinks and spectacular ecosystems teeming with life – that appear to float dreamlike over creek beds and mudflats.
US Supreme Court ruling on environmental protection ‘a setback in our fight against climate change’
The ruling by the United States Supreme Court against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday, is “a setback in our fight against climate change” said the UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
US Supreme Court ruling on environmental protection ‘a setback in our fight against climate change’
The ruling by the United States Supreme Court against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday, is “a setback in our fight against climate change” said the UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
New UN financing initiative goes live to power climate action
A new UN-led financing tool to strengthen weather and climate forecasting, improve life-saving early warning systems, safeguard jobs, and underpin climate adaptation for long-term resilience, officially opened for business on Thursday.
Save lives, support development, and ‘steer our world to safer roads ahead’: Guterres
Road traffic accidents claim nearly 1.3 million lives each year, cost some countries up to three per cent of their annual GDP, and are the biggest killer of five to 29-year olds globally, the UN General Assembly President told a High-level Meeting
Ukraine: Four months after Russian invasion, humanitarian needs intensify
Across Ukraine, the scale of needs caused by Russia's invasion is still massive and human rights concerns persist, UN humanitarians said in an update on Thursday, as they repeated calls for access to the country's Black Sea ports to export vitally
Scientific knowledge essential for sustainable oceans, UN Ocean Conference hears
Increasing scientific knowledge, developing research capacity and making the most of new marine technology, are essential to sustainable ocean management, the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, heard on Thursday.
Syria’s needs are at their highest ever, says top rights probe
Syria’s humanitarian needs are at their highest ever and any move to block aid from reaching the war-torn country should be resisted strongly, a top UN Human Rights Council probe said on Wednesday.
Flight from cities due to COVID-19 short-lived, says flagship UN-Habitat report
A new United Nations report says that rapid urbanization was only temporarily delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the global urban population back on track to grow by another 2.2 billion people by 2050.
A visionary ‘blue transformation’ strategy to enhance underwater food systems
Record levels of fisheries and aquaculture production are making a critical contribution to global food security, the UN Ocean Conference under way in Lisbon, Portugal, heard on Wednesday.
Sustainable blue economy critical to small countries and coastal populations
With the livelihoods of about 40 per cent of the world’s population living at or near a coast, the second day of the UN Ocean Conference under way in Lisbon focused on strengthening sustainable ocean-based economies, managing coastal ecosystems.
Sustainable blue economy vital for small countries and coastal populations
With the livelihoods of about 40 per cent of the world’s population living at or near a coast, the second day of the UN Ocean Conference under way in Lisbon focused on strengthening sustainable ocean-based economies, managing coastal ecosystems.
Ukraine: Dozens dead and injured as UN condemns ‘utterly deplorable’ shopping centre attack
At least ten people have reportedly been killed by what Ukrainian authorities have said was a Russian missile strike on a crowded shopping centre, and attack which the UN condemned on Monday as “utterly deplorable”.
Tackling marine pollution: Individual action, key to ocean restoration
On Monday, thousands of people gathered at Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal, for the first day of the long-awaited UN Ocean Conference.
Put women’s rights ‘front and centre’ of climate policies: Bachelet
Although climate change threatens everyone, women and girls often suffer its harshest and most violent consequences, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Monday.
Guterres outlines four recommendations to help us all ‘Save Our Ocean’
At the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to commit and unite around the protection and preservation of our seas.
Exploring the largest ocean reef restoration project in the Americas: ‘One Million Corals for Colombia’
The marine treasures of Colombia are often overlooked, as the country is known more for its mountains and the colourful towns that dot its coffee region.
Inclusive cities critical to post-pandemic recovery: Guterres
Making cities more inclusive must be part of global efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message to the World Urban Forum, which opened in Katowice, Poland, on Sunday.
Countries urged to ‘dig deep’ and support Afghanistan in aftermath of deadly earthquake
The top UN official in Afghanistan appealed on Sunday for greater international support for the country, following a one-day visit to communities hit hard by the devastating earthquake on Wednesday.
Youth are the generation that will help save our ocean and our future, says UN chief
The world must do more to stop the dramatic decline in ocean health, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday, urging young people gathered in Carcavelos, Portugal, for a UN Youth and Innovation Forum to step up because his generation’
First Person: The Barbadian entrepreneur turning sargassum into money
Sargassum seaweed has blighted many of the beaches on Barbados for several years. Joshua Forte, a local entrepreneur, is convinced that it can be turned into a valuable commodity, and turned into highly effective, organic compost.
Seafarers' Day honours maritime journeys and voyages
The United Nations has underlined its support for the men and women working at sea, whose immeasurable contributions help to keep global trade moving.
INTERVIEW: Pollution, Cartagena, and the Caribbean
Since the 1980s, a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) convention to deal with pollution issues affecting the wider Caribbean region. Since then, the climate crisis has been added to the risks facing the region.
Life-saving relief continues to reach quake-hit eastern Afghanistan
Emergency lifesaving aid relief continued to flow into quake-hit eastern Afghanistan on Friday, as UN humanitarians and partners rushed to help the most vulnerable communities.
Supporting UN’s Palestine refugee agency, means ‘investing in stability for the region’
Investing in the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is also “investing in stability” for the entire Middle East region, the UN chief told a pledging conference on Thursday.
Global hunger crisis pushing one child per minute, into severe malnutrition
Because of the global hunger crisis, every single minute, one child is pushed into life-threatening, severe malnutrition.