Special envoy urges Security Council to release assets frozen overseas to avoid economic and social collapse.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/10/un-warns-afghanistan-at-risk-of-total-breakdown
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“Climate emergency is intensifying, we are on the front lines,” Mohamed Nasheed, the president of the Maldives, said.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/climate-change-rising-seas-may-lead-extinction-small-island-nations-n1276394
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Patrick Smith
Enlarge / Cover art of the new report. (credit: IPCC)
It has been eight years since the last major report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), though it has produced smaller reports since then. But today, the first piece of the 6th Assessment Report is out. Most of it should not surprise you—the basics of climate science have been known for decades. And the general outlines were already obvious: almost all of the warming is due to human activities, and, without immediate action, we’re poised to blow past 1.5º C of warming.
Still, each report is a little more useful than the last, and we’re going to go over what has changed in terms of the science and what has changed in how that information is being shared with the public.
The IPCC is the product of a United Nations organization that coordinates—but does not write—these reports. The writing is done by scientists from around the world who volunteer their time to create these daunting tomes that seek to summarize the entire state of scientific knowledge for all kinds of decision-makers. Each major report is split into three working groups. The first focuses on the physical science of the climate system, the second on the impacts of climate change on humans and other species, and the third on methods for mitigating climate change.
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Source: https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/08/new-ipcc-climate-report-is-the-clearest-guidebook-for-selecting-a-future/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Scott K. Johnson
A sweeping United Nations-sponsored review of climate science published Monday projected that the world will cross a crucial temperature threshold as early as 2030 — up to a decade sooner than previously thought.
Why it matters: Warming is affecting every area of the globe, the report notes, and extreme weather events are becoming more common and severe contributing to a more volatile world.
United Kingdom: “Today’s report makes for sobering reading, and it is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet. We know what must be done to limit global warming – consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline,” U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.
United States: “The IPCC report underscores the overwhelming urgency of this moment. The world must come together before the ability to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is out of reach,” U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry said in a statement.
Activists: “The new IPCC report contains no real surprises. It confirms what we already know from thousands previous studies and reports – that we are in an emergency. It’s a solid (but cautious) summary of the current best available science,” Greta Thunberg tweeted.
This story will be updated with more reactions.
Source: https://www.axios.com/un-climate-report-world-leaders-activists-f79dca46-e5fb-4147-aaca-27a5423bee0c.html
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Jacob Knutson
Half of Myanmar’s population could become infected with COVID within the next two weeks, the UK tells UNSC.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/30/the-uk-warns-covid-19-could-infect-half-myanmar-in-next-two-week
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More women and children killed and wounded in the first half of 2021 than in the same period of any year since 2009.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/26/unprecedented-un-says-afghan-civilian-deaths-up-by-47-percent
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A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations shows that global food commodity prices rose in March, marking their tenth consecutive monthly increase.
The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 118.5 points in March, 2.1% higher than in February and reaching its highest level since June 2014.
According to the FAO, the March increase was led by the vegetable oil price index, which rose 8% from the previous month to hit a nearly 10-year high, “with soy oil prices rising sharply due in part to the prospects of firm demand from the biodiesel sector.”
Global food commodity prices rose in March for the tenth consecutive month, with quotations for vegetable oils and dairy products leading the rise.
World cereal production in 2021 expected to increase for the third consecutive year.
More: https://t.co/tb2BVv1kYw #foodprices pic.twitter.com/BATonHu9hw
— FAO Newsroom (@FAOnews) April 8, 2021
The dairy price index increased 3.9% from February, with “butter prices buoyed by somewhat tight supplies in Europe associated with increased demand in anticipation of a food-service sector recovery.” Milk powder prices also rose, supported by a surge in imports in Asia, particularly China, due to declining production in Oceania and scarce shipping container availability in Europe and North America.
The meat price index showed a 2.3% rise from February, according to the report. The agriculture organization pointed out that imports by China and a surge in internal sales in Europe ahead of the Easter holiday celebration underpinned increasing poultry and pig meat quotations.
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By contrast, the cereal price index dropped by 1.8%, but it is still 26.5% higher than in March 2020, the report said, adding: “Wheat export prices declined the most, reflecting generally good supplies and favourable production prospects for 2021 crops. Maize and rice prices also declined, while those for sorghum rose.”
For more stories on economy & finance visit RT’s business section
Source: https://www.rt.com/business/520594-global-food-prices-rise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS
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The Article Was Written/Published By: RT
Guterres urges rich nations to lead global COVID inoculation effort as 130 countries have not yet received single dose.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/17/un-chief-urges-global-plan-to-reverse-unfair-vaccine-access
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What to expect as 76 world leaders make new commitments on cutting emissions.
Source: https://www.politico.eu/article/un-climate-summit-global-warming-co2-biden-brazil-cop26-summit-un-xi-guterres/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Karl Mathiesen and Kalina Oroschakoff
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/agency-removes-cannabis-strictest-drug-category-74506360?cid=clicksource_4380645_7_heads_posts_headlines_hed
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António Guterres lists human-inflicted wounds on natural world in stark message
Humanity is facing a new war, unprecedented in history, the secretary general of the UN has warned, which is in danger of destroying our future before we have fully understood the risk.
The stark message from António Guterres follows a year of global upheaval, with the coronavirus pandemic causing governments to shut down whole countries for months at a time, while wildfires, hurricanes and powerful storms have scarred the globe.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/02/humanity-is-waging-war-on-nature-says-un-secretary-general-antonio-guterres
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/warning-of-famine-un-releases-100m-to-seven-countries-nairobi-famine-world-countries-countries-b1724832.html
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Via AP news wire
Deal includes departure of all foreign fighters for at least three months and prisoner exchange
Rival forces in Libya have agreed a permanent nationwide ceasefire including the departure of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from the country for a minimum of three months.
“This is a good day for the Libyan people,” said Stephanie Williams, the acting head of the United Nations mission in Libya. She added that she saluted the courage and patriotism of the negotiators who made the deal at UN-sponsored talks in Geneva between military officers representing forces in the east and west of the country.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/23/libya-rival-forces-sign-permanent-ceasefire-at-un-sponsored-talks
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
TEHRAN, Iran — A decade-long U.N. arms embargo on Iran that barred it from purchasing foreign weapons like tanks and fighter jets expired Sunday as planned under its nuclear deal with world powers, despite objections from the United States.
While insisting it planned no “buying spree,” Iran in theory can purchase weapons to upgrade military armament dating back to before its 1979 Islamic Revolution and sell its own locally produced gear abroad. In practice, however, Iran’s economy remains crippled by broad-reaching U.S. sanctions, and other nations may avoid arms deals with Tehran for fear of American financial retaliation.
The Islamic Republic heralded the end of the arms embargo as “a momentous day for the international community … in defiance of the U.S. regime’s effort.” The Trump administration, meanwhile, has insisted it has re-invoked all U.N. sanctions on Iran via a clause in the nuclear deal it withdrew from in 2018, a claim ignored by the rest of the world.
“Today’s normalization of Iran’s defense cooperation with the world is a win for the cause of multilateralism and peace and security in our region,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter.
The United Nations banned Iran from buying major foreign weapon systems in 2010 amid tensions over its nuclear program. An earlier embargo targeted Iranian arms exports.
The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency predicted in 2019 that if the embargo ended, Iran likely would try to purchase Russian Su-30 fighter jets, Yak-130 trainer aircraft and T-90 tanks. Tehran also may try to buy Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft missile system and its Bastian coastal defense missile system, the DIA said. China also could sell Iran arms.
Iran long has been outmatched by U.S.-backed Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have purchased billions of dollars of advanced American weaponry. In response, Tehran turned toward developing locally made ballistic missiles.
Iran has blasted Gulf Arab purchases of U.S.-made defense equipment as “regrettably lucrative weapon deals” with some of those arms used in the ongoing war in Yemen. That conflict pits a Saudi-led coalition backing the country’s internationally recognized government against rebel forces backed by Iran.
The U.N. arms embargoes, however, did not stop Iran from sending weapons ranging from assault rifles to ballistic missiles to Yemen’s Houthi rebels. While Tehran denies arming the Houthis, Western governments and weapons experts repeatedly have linked Iranian arms to the rebels.
Six Gulf Arab nations that backed the extension of the arms embargoes noted arms shipments to Yemen in their objection to the resumption of any weapon sales to Iran. They also mentioned in a letter to the U.N. Security Council that Iran mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane in January and its navy accidentally killed 19 sailors in a missile strike during an exercise. The U.N. also linked Iran to a 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia’s main crude oil refinery, though Tehran denies any links and Yemen’s rebel Houthis claimed responsibility.
Sunday also marked the end of U.N. travel bans on a number of Iranian military and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard members.
Tensions between Iran and the U.S. reached fever pitch at the start of the year, when an American drone killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad. Tehran retaliated with a ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces in Iraq that injured dozens. Meanwhile, Iran has steadily broken limits of the nuclear deal in an attempt to pressure Europe at salvaging the accord.
In recent months, provocations on both sides have slowed as President Donald Trump faces a re-election campaign against former Vice President Joe Biden. Biden has said he’s willing to offer Iran “a credible path back to diplomacy” if Tehran returns to “strict compliance” with the deal.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/18/iran-arms-embargo-united-nations-430042
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Associated Press
Covid-19 crisis could tip 130 million more people into chronic hunger by end of 2020, report finds
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/global-hunger-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-zero-hunger-2030-a9616186.html
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Chiara Giordano
A new WWF report calls for international action on the high-risk wildlife trade, deforestation and industrial farming
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/coronavirus-biodiversity-un-who-pandemics-wildlife-trade-a9571206.html
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Louise Boyle
The world is about to learn if Canada is truly back on the international stage, just as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared it was after leading the Liberals to victory five years ago.
Canada is vying Wednesday for one of two nonpermanent U.N. Security Council seats reserved for Western European and “other” nations — a privilege the country hasn’t held in two decades. It lost its last race in 2010, a defeat interpreted as a rebuke of then Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s foreign policy and his general attitude toward the UN.
Trudeau could be facing an embarrassing defeat against much smaller but still formidable opponents in Norway, which many regard as a shoo-in, and Ireland. Both countries have been campaigning for spots since the mid-2000s.
A victory would give Canada, with fewer residents than the state of California, instant global cachet — providing it direct access to representatives for the most powerful nations on the planet and heightened relevance among the rest of the international community.
In domestic terms, a loss, while mostly symbolic, could deliver a blow to Trudeau’s standing, putting a black mark on his efforts to grow Canada’s reach.
“The prime minister will be forced to wear that loss personally,” said Adam Chapnick, the author of a book about Canada’s history on the Security Council and a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Canada hasn’t held a Security Council seat since 2000. Until then, it had been present on the council in every decade since the United Nations’ inception.
Voting begins Wednesday but is expected to extend into Thursday given social distancing guidelines that will govern the process at U.N. headquarters. In that scenario, Ottawa may not know until Thursday if it has bested one of its rivals — or if it faces another long wait before it returns to the vaunted panel.
“Being in the tent, at the council table, gives an opportunity for a country like Canada, a middle power, to solidify the role of the premier multilateral institution in the world,” said Yves Fortier, a former Canadian ambassador to the U.N. who served on the council from 1989 until 1990.
And Canada has something to give, according to Marc-André Blanchard, Canada’s ambassador to the U.N. The country’s convening power — its ability to convince other countries to come together to tackle global issues — and its focus on economic security among developing nations have been on display during the novel coronavirus pandemic, he said.
“We were able to show the world that we are big enough that we can convene but we are small enough to understand that we cannot do it alone and that we need to work together,” Blanchard told POLITICO.
The five pillars of Canada’s platform — sustaining peace, fighting climate change, promoting economic security, elevating the rights of women and girls and crafting an inclusive multilateral system — “all of these issues are coming out now when you look at the pandemic as essential issues to be dealt with for the future,” Blanchard said.
Indeed, Canada kicked its Covid-19 diplomacy into high gear as worldwide lockdowns dragged on.
Trudeau co-hosted a U.N. summit with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness in May focused on how to finance international development as the world recovers from the pandemic’s economic fallout. Blanchard said the event was organized in less than 10 days. A week later, Trudeau spoke to members of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States — regions his government has targeted for support — and then pledged $850 million to a global vaccine research initiative. That’s in addition to a slew of phone calls to world leaders, many of whom hail from Africa and the Caribbean, plus other small nations.
And the Trudeau government announced Monday that the Canadian military would offer airlift support to move medical and humanitarian supplies throughout Africa, Europe and the Middle East, fulfilling a U.N. request.
“This puts Canada in the mind of the other countries — the leadership of Prime Minister Trudeau with respect to this initiative and others, that’s extremely important,” Fortier said. “That says, ‘We are here.'”
Before the pandemic enveloped North America, Trudeau traveled to Africa on a trip widely interpreted as a campaign stop for the seat. He had to cancel an appearance at a Caribbean summit weeks later due to domestic protests over Indigenous land rights and energy development that had snarled rail traffic.
In addition to personal visits to those countries, Trudeau dispatched former Prime Minister Joe Clark and former Quebec Premier Jean Charest as envoys to promote Canada’s candidacy for the Security Council.
Still, Chapnick and former Canadian envoys to Turtle Bay pointed out several issues that could trip up Ottawa’s bid.
A major one is the four-year time frame in which Trudeau has campaigned for a seat — Canada jumped into the race in 2016, while Ireland and Norway declared their candidacies in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
While it’s important for Canada to have regular representation on the council, Chapnick said, the political calculation to run this cycle “was a very bad one,” given the truncated campaign time and the fact Ottawa forced a contest.
Stephen Lewis, who served as Canada’s ambassador to the U.N. from 1984 until 1988, said Canada has two big deficiencies competing against Norway and Ireland — its level of official development assistance and its peacekeeping presence worldwide.
Norway regularly gives the U.N. target of 0.7 percent of gross national income in development aid, while Canada’s comes in at 0.27 percent. Meanwhile, Ireland has 474 peacekeepers deployed on U.N. missions and has prioritized peacekeeping in its platform, whereas Canada contributes 35 such personnel.
Canada promised more peacekeepers than it ultimately deployed to Mali in 2018. The fact it ended the mission early after a year “is probably not a good sign, or a good signal to the world generally,” Lewis said, noting the irony that a Canadian prime minister, Lester B. Pearson, is credited with founding modern-day peacekeeping.
Trudeau also has been distracted by political upheaval at home during the course of the campaign. While he made the bid a priority early in his first government, Chapnick said, President Donald Trump deciding NAFTA should be renegotiated “changed everything for Canada,” as then-Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland took the reins on the country’s relationship with the U.S.
“It’s really hard to run a campaign from behind when you don’t have support from the center,” he said.
Blanchard said Canada’s development assistance is “very substantial in absolute terms,” and is focused on aiding woman and girls and on providing innovative financing that can ensure money moves quickly to where it’s needed. More than 125,000 Canadian peacekeepers have served in the past 60 years, he said, and Canada has focused its peacekeeping efforts of late on where it can make the most impact.
“The engagement of Canada is bigger than any of these countries in many ways,” Blanchard said.
Trudeau’s politically tumultuous 2019 — an ethics scandal followed by an election campaign that uncovered past photos of the Liberal leader in blackface and racist garb — also may have affected member countries’ confidence that he’d remain in power for the seat’s 2021-2022 term.
But now, Ireland is in a similar position to Canada eight months ago. Irish voters sent the ruling government packing in February, and it’s unclear how member nations will evaluate the prospect of the forthcoming coalition government this week.
Blanchard has spent the past three months meeting virtually with his U.N. colleagues, a development he acknowledges is far from ideal, even though the pandemic has compelled countries to discuss “substantial” issues.
“What’s missing is the softer side of diplomacy,” he said, like bumping into other ambassadors in the hallways of headquarters, or chatting with them over meals.
In the final days of the campaign, Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne joined Blanchard in New York to help work the phones and to make some socially distanced visits to other diplomats. Trudeau will make his final campaign push to U.N. member states Tuesday night.
Regardless of the vote outcome, “we will continue to be more involved on the world stage,” Trudeau said Tuesday.
Trudeau’s pursuit isn’t without its critics. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer blasted the prime minister Tuesday for cozying up to world leaders he called “dictators and human rights violators” as part of “a personal vanity project at the U.N.”
A loss this week may not seriously threaten Trudeau’s political future in Canada, especially since the Conservatives presided over the country’s loss the last time it vied for a seat. But it likely would be an embarrassing setback for a prime minister who’s made global engagement with multilateral institutions a chief focus of his leadership.
Chapnick said he thinks Canada has done everything it needed to do during the past few months to secure a win this week.
“The question is: Is it too late?” he said.
Maura Forrest contributed to this report.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/17/trudeau-canada-united-nations-security-council-324525
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Lauren Gardner
The practice, which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, is currently banned in just five countries.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/u-n-calls-global-end-conversion-therapy-says-it-may-n1230851
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Tim Fitzsimons
Hundreds of millions go hungry as lockdowns disrupt supply chains
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/coronavirus-global-food-emergency-hunger-supply-economy-un-a9561136.html
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Edith M Lederer
‘We have witnessed the gutting of the already weak Paris Agreement, with the advance of dodgy carbon trading that will only exacerbate the climate crisis and harm southern communities’
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/cop25-climate-change-summit-madrid-carbon-a9247326.html
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Isabella Kaminski
