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воскресенье, 17 ноября 2024 г.

Сможет ли COP29 выделить триллионы, необходимые для борьбы с антропогенным климатическим кризисом?


Участники COP29 в Баку, Азербайджан, выступают за финансирование климатических инициатив.

Сможет ли COP29 выделить триллионы, необходимые для борьбы с антропогенным климатическим кризисом?

РКИК ООН/Киара Уорт
 
Участники COP29 в Баку, Азербайджан, выступают за финансирование климатических инициатив.

16 ноября 2024 г. Климат и окружающая среда

Последний раунд климатических переговоров ООН, COP29, открылся в прошлый понедельник в Баку, Азербайджан, после года, который побил несколько рекордов экстремальной жары и увидел масштабный климатический хаос — от лесных пожаров до разрушительных наводнений и ураганов — поразивший почти каждый уголок мира. Значительное увеличение финансовых обязательств для оказания помощи уязвимым странам в смягчении и адаптации к последствиям изменения климата является главной целью конференции этого года, которую окрестили «COP по климатическому финансированию».

Могут ли страны договориться о новом целевом показателе климатического финансирования?

Главный климатический научный орган ООН, Межправительственная группа экспертов по изменению климата ( МГЭИК ), выпускает все более тревожные предупреждения об ускорении темпов глобального потепления. Чтобы ограничить рост температуры до 1,5°C выше доиндустриального уровня, необходимы существенные инвестиции в чистые энергетические технологии, инфраструктуру и меры адаптации.

Развивающиеся страны, особенно малые островные государства и наименее развитые страны, непропорционально уязвимы к климатическим воздействиям, таким как повышение уровня моря, экстремальные погодные явления и засухи. Им требуется значительная финансовая поддержка для повышения устойчивости, перехода к низкоуглеродной экономике и компенсации потерь и ущерба .

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Предупреждение для G20

Середина  COP29 приходится на то время, когда лидеры направляются в Бразилию на саммит G20, который состоится на следующей неделе. 

Круглосуточные переговоры в Баку по всегда щекотливой теме денег, как сообщается, продвигаются медленно. Делегаты из развивающихся стран призывают к большему и более быстрому прогрессу в вопросах нового финансирования потерь и ущерба и ускоренных целей чистой энергии.

Саймон Стилл, исполнительный секретарь Рамочной конвенции ООН об изменении климата ( РКИК ООН ), которая созывает ежегодные заседания КС, обратился  с посланием к лидерам G20 в субботу утром, прежде чем они сели в свои самолеты в Рио-де-Жанейро:

«Прогресс в области климатического финансирования вне [процесса РКИК ООН] не менее важен, и роль G20 критически важна для миссии… глобальный климатический кризис должен стать повесткой дня номер один в Рио на следующей неделе. Саммит [G20] должен послать кристально ясные глобальные сигналы. Что будет доступно больше грантов и льготного финансирования; что дальнейшая реформа многосторонних банков развития является главным приоритетом, и правительства G20 — как их акционеры и надсмотрщики — будут продолжать настаивать на дальнейших реформах».

Наконец, глава ООН по климату заявил, что «в неспокойные времена и в раздробленном мире лидеры G20 должны громко и ясно заявить, что международное сотрудничество по-прежнему является лучшим и единственным шансом человечества пережить глобальное потепление. Другого пути нет ».

Ранее на этой неделе г-н Стил дал суровую оценку ставок : ухудшение изменения климата и наносимый им социально-экономический ущерб означают, что «миллиарды людей просто не могут позволить своему правительству покинуть COP29 без глобальной цели по финансированию мер по борьбе с изменением климата».

«Итак, лидерам здесь и в столицах — дайте понять, что вы ожидаете весомых результатов. Скажите своим переговорщикам — откажитесь от позерства — и переходите непосредственно к поиску общей позиции», — сказал он.

В своем вступительном слове во вторник на Саммите мировых лидеров по борьбе с изменением климата Генеральный секретарь ООН Антониу Гутерриш сказал, что 2024 год стал « мастер-классом по разрушению климата ». Он подчеркнул решающую роль климатического финансирования в преодолении кризиса: «Мир должен заплатить, или человечество заплатит цену... климатическое финансирование — это не благотворительность, это инвестиции. Действия по борьбе с изменением климата не являются факультативными, это императив ».

Г-н Стил позже повторил это мнение: «Давайте откажемся от идеи, что климатическое финансирование — это благотворительность. Новая амбициозная цель климатического финансирования полностью отвечает собственным интересам каждой страны, включая самые крупные и богатые».

Помимо обещания в 100 миллиардов долларов

В 2009 году на 15-й Конференции сторон РКИК ООН ( КС-15 ) в Копенгагене развитые страны обязались мобилизовать 100 миллиардов долларов США в год на климатическое финансирование к 2020 году. Хотя эта цель была наконец достигнута в 2022 году, ее критиковали как недостаточную и отложенную.

На COP29 переговорщики стремятся установить новую, более амбициозную цель по финансированию климата . Развивающиеся страны настаивают на значительно более высокой цифре, потенциально в триллионах долларов в год. Однако обсуждения точной суммы и условий предоставления средств остаются спорными.

Ранний прорыв в области углерода

Значительным прорывом в день открытия COP29 стало принятие статьи 6 Парижского соглашения , проложившего путь к поддерживаемому ООН глобальному рынку углерода . Этот рынок будет способствовать торговле углеродными кредитами, стимулируя страны сокращать выбросы и инвестировать в проекты, благоприятные для климата.

Джеймс Грэберт, глава Отдела по смягчению последствий изменения климата ООН (так сокращенно называют секретариат РКИК ООН), заявил, что это историческое соглашение предоставит странам «ценный инструмент» для достижения своих климатических целей и обеспечения устойчивого развития.

Поскольку COP29 проходит сразу после президентских выборов в Соединенных Штатах, многие в коридорах Бакинского центра размышляют о влиянии новой администрации США на глобальные действия по борьбе с изменением климата.

На пресс-конференции президент Маршалловых Островов Хильда Хайне и министр охраны окружающей среды Ирландии Имон Райан подчеркнули, что, несмотря на опасения по поводу выхода США из Парижского соглашения, борьба с изменением климата является глобальным усилием, которое требует глобального сотрудничества в целях улучшения экономики для всех . Оба лидера также сослались на продолжающийся прогресс штатов и городов как на повод для надежды.

На КС-29 в Баку (Азербайджан) круглосуточно ведутся переговоры по новому глобальному соглашению о климатическом финансировании.
РКИК ООН/Киара Уорт
 
На КС-29 в Баку (Азербайджан) круглосуточно ведутся переговоры по новому глобальному соглашению о климатическом финансировании.

Справедливый переход, а не «паническое бегство жадности»

Перед тем как отправиться на саммит G20 в Бразилию, г-н Гутерриш провел несколько встреч, посвященных климату, в том числе встречу по важнейшим минералам, необходимым для технологий возобновляемой энергии, таких как солнечные батареи, ветряные турбины и электромобили.

Эти минералы, такие как медь, литий, никель, кобальт и редкоземельные элементы, имеют решающее значение для перехода от ископаемого топлива, и ожидается, что к 2030 году спрос на них утроится.

Многие из этих минералов находятся в Африке, что может принести финансовую выгоду. Однако есть опасения по поводу «ресурсного проклятия», когда страны, где находятся эти ресурсы, не получают выгоды.

Г-н Гутерриш подчеркнул необходимость управления спросом, не провоцируя « панический порыв жадности », который эксплуатирует и подавляет бедных, а вместо этого обеспечивает выгоду местным сообществам.

Дарио Лигути из Европейской экономической комиссии ООН ( ЕЭК ООН ) также подчеркнул необходимость «устойчивой эксплуатации этих полезных ископаемых», особенно на развивающихся рынках, для защиты окружающей среды и поддержки местных сообществ. В апреле глава ООН сформировал Группу высокого уровня , чтобы гарантировать, что страны и сообщества, обладающие этими ресурсами, получат наибольшую выгоду .

Участники встречи молодежных активистов с Генеральным секретарем ООН в Баку на COP29.
© Управление ООН по вопросам партнерства

Молодежный активизм и климатическая справедливость

Молодежь по всему миру все чаще требует действий по борьбе с изменением климата и климатической справедливости. Они призывают правительства и бизнес предпринять смелые шаги по сокращению выбросов, защите уязвимых сообществ и созданию устойчивого будущего для всех.

После  встречи с представителями молодежи и защитниками климата на КС-29 Генеральный секретарь написал в социальных сетях, что он понимает их разочарование: « Вы имеете полное право злиться. Я тоже злюсь … потому что мы находимся на грани климатической пропасти, и я не вижу достаточной срочности или политической воли для решения этой чрезвычайной ситуации».

Басмаллах Раваш, климатический активист из Care About Climate, сказал: «Мы не те, кто должен нести бремя смягчения последствий. Мы не те, кто стал причиной этого, но мы те, кто будет нести бремя самой большой борьбы в данный момент».

Решения, принятые в Баку, будут иметь далеко идущие последствия для будущих поколений. Крайне важно, чтобы переговорщики достигли амбициозного соглашения, которое обеспечит финансирование, необходимое для построения устойчивого и низкоуглеродного будущего для всех.

Оставайтесь с новостями ООН! Наша команда в Баку будет следить за развитием событий до конца следующей недели.

Хотите узнать больше? Посетите нашу  страницу специальных мероприятий , где вы найдете все наши материалы о COP29, включая истории и видео, пояснения и нашу рассылку.


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https://press.un.org/en/2024/11/1157081





четверг, 14 ноября 2024 г.

COP29: Энергетический переход не должен спровоцировать «паническое бегство жадности», которое уничтожит бедных


© ЮНИСЕФ/Патрик Браун Дети работают на шахте в Южном Киву в Демократической Республике Конго.
   

13 ноября 2024 г. Экономическое развитие
Переговоры по климату на КС-29 в Баку в среду были посвящены актуальному вопросу о том, как управлять спросом на полезные ископаемые, необходимые для производства электромобилей и солнечных панелей, не вызывая при этом «панического жадного натиска», который эксплуатирует местные сообщества и угнетает бедных. 

«Мы здесь, чтобы ответить на ключевой вызов: повернуть энергетический переход в сторону справедливости », — сказал Генеральный секретарь ООН Антониу Гутерриш , попросив участников круглого стола высказать свое мнение о работе его Группы по критически важным минералам энергетического перехода .

Группа была создана в прошлом году на КС-28 в Объединенных Арабских Эмиратах с целью объединения правительств, международных организаций, промышленности и гражданского общества для разработки общих и добровольных принципов управления добывающей промышленностью «во имя справедливости и устойчивого развития».

В Баку глава ООН, организовавший сегодняшнее мероприятие, заявил, что революция возобновляемых источников энергии движется вперед. В прошлом году — впервые — объем инвестиций в сети и возобновляемые источники энергии превысил объем расходов на ископаемое топливо.

Ошибки прошлого и спешка за ресурсами
По словам г-на Гутерриша, ожидается, что спрос на полезные ископаемые, имеющие решающее значение для перехода, резко возрастет, поскольку правительства утроят глобальные мощности возобновляемой энергетики к 2030 году, как и обещали, и постепенно откажутся от ископаемого топлива.

«Для развивающихся стран, богатых этими ресурсами, это огромная возможность: обеспечить процветание, искоренить нищету и обеспечить устойчивое развитие. Но слишком часто это не так», — предупредил он и добавил: «Слишком часто мы видим, как ошибки прошлого повторяются в порыве жадности, которая сокрушает бедных».

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/115688

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четверг, 31 октября 2024 г.

People want action on plastic pollution that’s choking us: Guterres



Plastic waste collects in a river in Trinidad.
UN News/Brianna Rowe Plastic waste collects in a river in Trinidad.
   

30 October 2024 
Climate and Environment

Countries gathered in Colombia to work on a treaty to end plastic pollution must strive for “an ambitious, credible and just” deal that responds to the needs of communities everywhere, including some 20 million waste-pickers, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday.


“We are choking on plastic,” the UN chief told an intergovernmental panel tasked with devising an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution on land and water.

“Each year, humanity produces over 460 million metric tonnes of plastic,” Mr. Guterres said. “Half of it is designed for single-use purposes – used once and tossed away. By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.”

Demand for action
Highlighting the fact that people around the world “are demanding” action on plastic pollution, the Secretary-General urged negotiators meeting in Cali to conclude an agreement by the end of 2024 - as Member States recommitted to in September, when they issued the Pact for the Future.

After the Colombia discussions, which come after several rounds of multilateral encounters since Member States agreed in 2022 to work on a global solution to end plastic pollution, a fifth and potentially final meeting is scheduled in Busan, South Korea from 25 November to 1 December.

Mr. Guterres hailed Peru and Rwanda for originally introducing the proposal at the UN Environment Assembly in March 2022 that recognized the harmful impact of high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution on human health and the planet.

Although the discussions had not been straightforward, reaching a globally agreed solution is “vital” for humanity and the planet, the UN chief insisted, as he noted that plastic pollution “is everywhere – all around us and even inside us – from our seas to our blood, to our brains”.

“We need action,” Mr. Guterres added. “People are demanding it…This is an opportunity to demonstrate that multilateralism, while not always easy, can deliver for people, health and the environment.”

Crucial service
Many countries already recognize the important role played by waste-pickers in managing municipal rubbish. According to the International Alliance of Waste-pickers, workers collect around 60 per cent of all plastic that is destined for recycling globally.

In line with the UN chief’s call for a just global treaty that takes into account the needs of waste-pickers and others who earn a living from plastic collection, the Alliance has pressed for international recognition of the vulnerability of many workers who often come from poor and marginalized communities; others are also survivors of abuse, ethnic minorities and climate refugees.

These vulnerabilities are referenced in the landmark UN Environment Assembly resolution UNEA-5/14 to end plastic pollution which recognizes the “significant contribution” made by waste-pickers in collecting, sorting and recycling plastics in many countries.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1156301

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пятница, 25 октября 2024 г.

‘Climate crunch time is here,’ new UN report warns


Fossil fuel power plants are one of the largest emitters of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
© Unsplash/Nik Shuliahin
 
Fossil fuel power plants are one of the largest emitters of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.


24 October 2024

 

Annual greenhouse gas emissions are at an all-time high, and urgent action must be taken to prevent catastrophic spikes in temperature and avoid the worst impact of climate change, according to a new report released on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

In short, countries must start curbing emissions immediately, according to the UN Emissions Gap Report 2024.

“Climate crunch time is here,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.

We need global mobilisation on a scale and pace never seen before, starting right now before the next round of climate pledges.”

If not, she warned, the 1.5°C goal to cap rising temperatures set in the Paris Agreement on climate change “will soon be dead, and well below two degrees Celsius will take its place in the intensive care unit”.

Climate goals could evaporate

Launched at the COP16 global biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia, the report tracks the gap between where global emissions are heading with current country commitments and where they ought to be to limit warming to well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C in line with the temperature goals set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

According to the report, the 1.5°C goal will be gone within a few years unless nations collectively commit to cut 42 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035 in the next round of nationally determined contributions and back this up with rapid action.

These self-defined contributions outline steps to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts – from drought, flooding and extreme weather events – securing necessary funds and updating plans every five years, the next time being in early 2025 ahead of the COP30 climate talks in Brazil.

‘Teetering on planetary tight rope’

Without dramatic cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, the world could face an inevitable and catastrophic 3.1°C temperature rise, according to the report, which comes at a time when governments are failing to fully deliver on their promises.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the emissions gap is not an abstract notion. Indeed, there is a direct link between increasing emissions and increasingly frequent and intense climate disasters.

“We are teetering on a planetary tight rope,” he warned in a video message. “Either leaders bridge the emissions gap or we plunge headlong into climate disaster, with the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the most.

Affordable technologies can help

The COP29 UN Climate Change Conference commencing in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November should serve as a launchpad for a detailed discussion of such new ambitious national plans, he said, saying that the event “starts the clock for countries to deliver new national climate action plans by next year”.

“Governments have agreed to align these plans with 1.5 degrees,” he said.

That means they must drive down all greenhouse gas emissions and cover the whole economy, pushing progress in every sector, he said, urging the largest economies – the G20 members responsible for around 80 per cent of all emissions – to lead in this process.

There is hope, the UN chief stressed.

“Today’s report shows affordable, existing technologies can achieve the emissions reductions we need to 2030 and 2035 to meet the 1.5°C limit, but only with a surge in ambition and support,” he said.

Clean energy can change trajectory

The report shows significant potential to reduce emissions by up to 31 gigatons of CO₂ by 2030, which translates to about 52 per cent of emissions reported in 2023, and by 41 gigatons by 2035, helping to meet the 1.5°C target for both years.

Boosting solar photovoltaic and wind energy usage could contribute 27 per cent of the total reduction in 2030 and 38 per cent by 2035. Additionally, forest conservation could provide around 20 per cent of the necessary reductions in both years.

Other effective strategies include enhancing energy efficiency, electrifying various sectors and transitioning from fossil fuels in buildings, transport and industry, according to the report.

However, the report stated that realising even a fraction of this potential will demand unprecedented international cooperation and a comprehensive approach from governments, focusing on maximising socioeconomic and environmental benefits while minimising trade-offs.


https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1156071


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четверг, 24 октября 2024 г.

85 percent of children affected by polio in 2023 lived in fragile and conflict-affected areas: UNICEF


A child receives the polio vaccine in Gaza.
© WHO
 
A child receives the polio vaccine in Gaza.


23 October 2024
 Health

Countries facing conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian crises are struggling to provide routine childhood immunisations leaving many children vulnerable to the resurgence of polio, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned in new report. 

On World Polio Day, UNICEF has issued a stark warning: polio cases in fragile and conflict-affected countries have more than doubled over the past five years, with 85 per cent of the children affected by the disease in 2023 living in these regions. 

“In conflict, children face more than bombs and bullets; they are at risk of deadly diseases that should no longer exist,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. A new analysis from the agency highlights that vaccination coverage has dropped from 75 to 70 per cent, far below the 95 percent needed to achieve community immunity. 

“In many countries, we are witnessing the collapse of healthcare systems, destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure, and the displacement of families, triggering a resurgence of diseases like polio,” she continued.

Impact on conflict-affected countries 

The resurgence of polio has been most pronounced in conflict zones. Of the 21 countries currently battling polio, 15 are fragile or conflict-affected, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

In Gaza, following the return of polio to the region for the first time in 25 years, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an emergency polio vaccination campaign in September, reaching nearly 600,000 children under 10 years old. However, renewed bombings and mass displacement have delayed the campaign’s completion in northern Gaza.  

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Humanitarian pauses critical

The UNICEF report stresses that successful polio vaccination campaigns in fragile and conflict-affected countries are crucial to suppressing further outbreaks. Humanitarian pauses, allowing healthcare workers to safely access affected communities, are essential for these efforts.

UNICEF, which delivers over one billion doses of polio vaccines annually, called on governments and international partners to take urgent action to halt the spread of the disease.

‘The final push’

“The spread of polio not only puts children in affected countries at immediate risk but also poses a growing threat to neighbouring countries,” added Ms. Russell.

“The final push is the hardest, but now is the time to act. We cannot rest until every child, in every corner of the world, is safe from polio – once and for all.”  


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вторник, 22 октября 2024 г.

The latest UN biodiversity summit opens in Colombia; here’s what’s at stake


Close-up of a hummingbird near flower.


© Unsplash/James Wainscoat
 
Close-up of a hummingbird near flower.


21 October 2024
 Climate and Environment

The UN biodiversity summit known as COP16 officially opened in Colombia on Monday, and hopes are high that negotiating countries can agree on a path forward to safeguarding the planet.

Considered the world’s most important event to conserve biodiversity, the summit is taking place in Cali, the third largest city of the South American nation, and will host some 15,000 attendees, including a dozen heads of State, 103 ministers and over 1,000 international journalists.

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Aiming to promote international cooperation, agree on investments to protect ecosystems and strengthen global environmental policies, COP16 takes as its roadmap the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (GBF), a landmark plan to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity for 2030, adopted at COP15 in Canada.

What is ‘biodiversity’?

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) describes biodiversity as “the diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi”. These three work together to create life on Earth, in all its complexity.

The diversity of species keeps the global ecosystem in balance, providing everything in nature that we, as humans, need to survive, including food, clean water, medicine and shelter.  Biodiversity is also our strongest natural defence against climate change. Land and ocean ecosystems act as “carbon sinks”, absorbing more than half of all carbon emissions.

Delegates at COP16, formally the 16th Conference of Parties to the UN Biodiversity Convention, will discuss how to restore rapidly degrading lands and seas in a way that protects the planet and respects the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.

A key goal will be to fully implement the so-called ‘30 by 30’ Kunming-Montreal pledge to protect 30 per cent of the planet’s lands and inland waters, as well as of marine and coastal areas, by 2030.

‘Postcard landscapes’ inspire action

Marking the first global gathering on the vital issue of biodiversity since 2022, when countries agreed on the historic framework, COP16 will run until 1 November in Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca. This area is surrounded by the magical sounds of the jungle, purifying streams, intensely green mountains and the strength of the Pacific Ocean in the northwest of the country.

Fish swim over coral nurseries in Corales del Rosario National Park, Colombia.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
 
Fish swim over coral nurseries in Corales del Rosario National Park, Colombia.

Colombia’s Pacific region is marked by landscapes that could be printed on postcards to commemorate their beauty. Colombia is considered one of the most biodiverse countries in the world with 311 types of continental and marine ecosystems per square kilometers.

Home to more than one thousand species of birds, four thousand species of orchids, and with 53 per cent of its territory covered by forests, Colombia’s selection as COP16 host highlights the importance of the region in the global biodiversity agenda and the fundamental role it plays in the protection of ecosystems.

Biodiversity Plan

During the summit’s opening ceremony on Sunday, Secretary-General António Guterres urged delegations from some 190 countries to “make peace with nature” and shore up plans to stop habitat loss, save endangered species, and preserve our planet’s precious ecosystems.

The UN chief’s call came in a video message to the opening ceremony of the gathering. The Secretary-General said: “the framework is grounded in a clear truth – for humanity to survive, nature must flourish...it promises to reset relations with Earth and its ecosystems.”

Mr. Guterres underscored that delegations must leave Cali with significant investments in the GBF, its related funds and commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver on its goals in full.  

“We have a plan to rescue humanity from a degraded Earth,” the Secretary-General said, and added that he looked forward to seeing delegates in person at the end of the COP “to hear how you have delivered.”  

Colombia, ‘epicentre of global climate action’

The Minister of Environment in Colombia, and President of COP16, Susana Muhamad, highlighted that “Colombia has become the epicentre of global climate action, uniting leaders and experts to address the greatest challenge of our era: protecting our planet and ensure a sustainable future”.

“Understanding that if we safeguard all forms of life, we ​​are safeguarding ourselves, we erect a principle of peace with nature, which also means the search for peace among the villages”, she added, while the blue flag of the United Nations waved where the meeting is taking place.

Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment of Colombia and President of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16).
UN Biodiversity
 
Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment of Colombia and President of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16).

National action plans

Colombia’s former environmental minister, Manuel Rodríguez Becerra, told UN News that one of the main challenges is to ensure that countries make more significant progress on their action plans.

“Only 20 per cent of countries have presented these national plans two years [after] COP15, where this global framework was agreed. We hope that, during COP16 in Cali, many countries will present their national plans or will be very ready. There is still a fallacy that we must recognize and that is why it is so important that progress is made in the monitoring system to follow through on achieving the goals that have been set”, he said.

“In relation to finance, we must begin to fill the gap with the current resources, which are 200,000 million dollars compared to the 700,000 million dollars that are required,” concluded the expert.

The 16th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on the Biological Diversity of the United Nations is considered the most important event that has occurred in Colombia in the last 50 years. 


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среда, 16 октября 2024 г.

World News in Brief: ‘Historic drought’ in southern Africa, human rights in Tunisia, accountability essential for Pakistan mineworker killings


A child in Zimbabwe is checked for malnutrition.
© UNICEF/Rutendo Bamhare
 
A child in Zimbabwe is checked for malnutrition.


15 October 2024 
Humanitarian Aid

Nearly six and a half million people in southern Africa are starving because of an “historic drought” linked to last year’s El Niño, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

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In an appeal for help, the World Food Programme, WFP, said that more than 27 million people’s lives from Lesotho to Zimbabwe have been devastated, leaving 21 million children malnourished.

A record five countries have declared a national disaster because of the drought and requested international assistance: Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – but Angola and Mozambique have been hit hard, too.

Hunger likely to intensify

For many communities, this is the worst food crisis in decades, said WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri: “What makes it worse is that October is just the start of the lean season, the peak of the hunger season is January, so things will get worse before they get better.”

Mr. Phiri explained that crops have failed, livestock have died and children are lucky to receive even one meal per day, in the worst-hit households.

To help, the UN agency needs $369 million but it has only received 20 per cent of that amount.


https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1155741



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воскресенье, 13 октября 2024 г.

Waiting for the ‘big one’ – natural hazards in the Philippines: A UN Resident Coordinator blog


Typhoons have caused widespread damage in the Philippines. (file)


© UNICEF/David Hogsholt
 
Typhoons have caused widespread damage in the Philippines. (file)


11 October 2024 

The Philippines is preparing for the possibility of either a super typhoon or a significant earthquake, often referred to by Filipinos as the “big one.”

The Southeast Asian country is the most prone to natural hazards in the world, and these hazards are becoming more intense due to climate change.

The UN has been working alongside the authorities in the Philippines to prepare for a wide range of disasters, as the UN Resident Coordinator in the country, Gustavo González, explains ahead of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction marked annually on 13 October.

“The Philippines, with its 7000 islands and many coastal cities, has always been extremely vulnerable to intense weather events and natural hazards. Each year there are some 20 typhoons, and many can transform into super typhoons, which are very destructive extreme weather events. 

The UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, Gustavo González, visits a community affected by Typhoon Rai which struck the country in December 2021.
UN Philippines
 
The UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, Gustavo González, visits a community affected by Typhoon Rai which struck the country in December 2021.

We are seeing more super typhoons as the seas in Southeast Asia warm due to climate change.

There are also around 20 active volcanoes across the country, and according to experts, we can expect a 7.2 magnitude earthquake at any time. So, the serious threat of super typhoons, volcanoes and earthquakes, exacerbated by climate change, compels us to prepare for the eventuality of a “big one”, a natural event of huge potential destructive force.

A family affected by the eruption of the Taal volcano in 2020 walks in volcanic ash-covered streets.
Philippine News Agency/Joey Razon
 
A family affected by the eruption of the Taal volcano in 2020 walks in volcanic ash-covered streets.

The Philippines ranks number one globally in the World Risk Index, which measures vulnerability and exposure to natural extreme events.

However, the extent of the country’s vulnerability is not well known outside the region. Indeed, when I arrived in this country as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, equipped with my long experience in crisis situations, I immediately recognized the uniqueness of this country.

I realized that we needed to profoundly reassess the standard toolkit for humanitarian aid and development programming used in other countries to better align it with the distinctive circumstances of the Philippines.

In response, there has been a paradigm shift in the work of the UN Country Team towards investing in resilience building, which means enhancing national and local capacities to cope with, adapt to and recover from present and future shocks.

This is reflected in a very popular Filipino proverb which says “when the blanket is short, learn how to bend”.

Not one-size fits all

Furthermore, our approach in the country also must take into account regional differences. 

When I visited an area affected by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021, I assumed that it would share the same cultural identity and political dynamics as other parts of the country, but this was far from the case.

Even on a tiny island you can be confronted with totally different socioeconomic realities, in locations just a few kilometers apart. While one community may ask for mobile phones to rapidly re-establish communications and put solidarity in motion, the neighbouring community may require livelihood support or just some materials to start rebuilding their homes.

I remember one inspirational local leader on Dinagat island who was very clear about the priorities of her community following a super typhoon.  She respectfully questioned some of our standard and globally practiced humanitarian interventions. She argued that some items were superfluous, while highlighting gaps in other areas, and requested a customized response to improve the effectiveness of the response.

What we learn from such experiences is that building resilience starts by recognizing the invaluable capital of knowledge, skills and assets that a community can offer. The people affected are in the best position to decide what they need and where the UN can add value in the aftermath of a disaster. 

A boy drags possessions through the flooded streets of Manila in the aftermath of a typhoon. (file)
© ADB
 
A boy drags possessions through the flooded streets of Manila in the aftermath of a typhoon. (file)

Factoring such wealth of local knowledge into the humanitarian response represents a paradigm shift away from the UN’s standard approach. Portraying affected communities just as a combination of needs and vulnerabilities is oversimplifying a complex reality. Developing the humility to listen, discover and genuinely engage with communities is an absolute requirement.

Preparation and Resilience

Building resilience and preparedness remains the most cost-effective way of addressing natural hazards like earthquakes, floods or typhoons. In the Philippines, an ongoing decentralization process provides local municipalities with a major role in assessing risks and planning for disasters, as well as in developing early warning systems.

I visited a UN Development Programme and UN Habitat-supported project in Albay province in the shadow of the Mayon Volcano where communities were learning to fly state-of-the-art drones.

The digital mapping of disaster-prone areas provides essential information for the planning and risk assessment to better predict, prepare for, and mitigate the negative impacts of disasters and other natural hazards.

In Mindanao, I met the Bajaus, a group of seafaring indigenous people whose houses were severely damaged by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021. Supported by UN Habitat, members of the community rebuilt their houses according to traditional construction practices and using locally available materials.

Recognizing and incorporating local ingenuity has been critical to develop tailor-made solutions. Their houses are now more likely to survive a typhoon.

UN collaboration

While communities are being empowered to take the initiative and prepare for and mitigate the impact of extreme weather or an earthquake, the United Nations is also working alongside the government and other partners to coordinate an international response to those possibly catastrophic events.

As the UN Resident Coordinator as well as the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, my role is to, firstly, put global knowledge and practices at the disposal of the government, secondly, to build alliances to support integrated humanitarian and development solutions and, finally, leverage financial resources to make them sustainable.

When I started working for the UN, almost three decades ago, there was an artificial division of labor between humanitarian and development work. Such divide was across programmes, strategies and budgets. Today, there is a humble recognition that the nature and magnitude of crises require a more holistic and integrated approach. We call it the “nexus approach”.

Our new Anticipatory Action Pilot Programme* brings community knowledge, technology, digitalization and logistics together, in a single formula. 

We generally only have a 36-hour warning ahead of the arrival of a super typhoon to activate anticipatory action including arranging cash transfers to previously identified people. This money can help families to move valuable assets like boats and tools, as well as to stock up on food or move to evacuation centres.

Experience shows that for every dollar we invest in prevention, we save four dollars in reconstruction.

As we see, the exposure to disasters and the vulnerability to climate change have compelled Filipinos to cultivate a unique sense of resilience. The “saving lives” spirit is widely spread within local communities.

As Filipinos frequently say, “as long as there is life, there is hope.

*The Anticipatory Action Pilot Programme is implemented by UN agencies: the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, and supported by the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (GERF)


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вторник, 8 октября 2024 г.

Water is ‘canary in the coalmine’ of climate change: WMO



A group of women fill water pots and containers in Barki village, located in the Karauli district of Rajasthan, India.
© UNICEF/Faisal Magray
 
A group of women fill water pots and containers in Barki village, located in the Karauli district of Rajasthan, India.


7 October 2024 

The year 2023 marked the driest year in over three decades for rivers around the world, according to a new report coordinated by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The State of Global Water Resources report released on Monday also highlights that over the last five years below-normal conditions for river flows have been recorded with less water reaching reservoirs.The reduction in supplies has reduced the amount of water available for communities, agriculture and ecosystems.

Currently, 3.6 billion people worldwide face inadequate access to water at least a month per year and this is expected to increase to more than five billion by 2050, according to UN Water.

The report also reveals that glaciers suffered the largest loss of mass ever registered in the last five decades. Every region in the world where glaciers are present reported ice loss.

The ice loss has produced more than 600 gigatonnes of water, much of which has ended up in the ocean as well as some riverways.

Meanwhile, 2023 was recorded as the hottest year on record, leading to elevated temperatures and widespread dry conditions, which contributed to prolonged droughts.

Unprecedented stress

Water is the canary in the coalmine of climate change. We receive distress signals in the form of increasingly extreme rainfall, floods and droughts which wreak heavy toll on lives, ecosystems and economies said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

The report also paints a stark picture of the world’s freshwater resources, highlighting unprecedented stress, exacerbated by climate change and increasing demand.

Climate change intensifies

A significant number of floods across the world are highlighted in the report.

The surge in extreme hydrological events has been influenced by naturally occurring climate conditions including the transition from La Niña to El Niño weather patterns in mid-2023 as well as human induced climate change.

As a result of rising temperatures, the hydrological cycle has accelerated. It has also become more erratic and unpredictable, and we are facing growing problems of either too much or too little water,” Ms. Saulo explained.

Africa battered

Africa was the most impacted in terms of human casualties. In Libya, two dams collapsed due to the major flood in September 2023, claiming more than 11,000 lives and affecting 22 per cent of the population.

Floods also affected the Greater Horn of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as Rwanda, Mozambique and Malawi.

Meanwhile, the southern United States, Central America, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Brazil were affected by widespread drought conditions, which led to the lowest water levels ever observed in the Amazon and in Lake Titicaca on the border of Bolivia and Peru.

Monitoring and data sharing

Far too little is known about the true state of the world’s freshwater resources. We cannot manage what we do not measure,” Ms. Saulo stated.

“This report seeks to contribute to improved monitoring, data-sharing, cross-border collaboration and assessments. This is urgently needed,” she added.

WMO said the report seeks to enhance the accessibility and availability of observational data, through better monitoring and improved data sharing, particularly in the Global South.

Early warning

The report aligns with the focus of the UN’s global Early Warnings for All initiative in addressing water-related challenges.

The global effort aims to improve data quality and access for water-related hazard monitoring and forecasting, with the goal of providing Early Warning systems for all by 2027.

The WMO has emphasised the urgent need for action to address water-related challenges, calling for improved monitoring, data sharing and cross-border collaboration to better understand and manage global water resources.


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суббота, 5 октября 2024 г.

With World Experiencing Increasing Floods, Hurricanes, Droughts, Sixth Committee Debates Framework for Draft Articles on Protecting Persons in Event of Disasters


Seventy-ninth Session,
5th & 6th Meetings (AM & PM)
GA/L/3717


Amidst ever-more-frequent wildfires, drought, cyclones, flooding, hurricanes and other hazards, the Sixth Committee (Legal) today deliberated over the International Law Commission’s draft articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters as delegates discussed States’ obligations to their citizens and to each other in the wake of the devastation caused by these events.

“As old and emerging challenges become ever more transnational and complex, it is likely that the world will face events that are increasingly more common, as well as more severe in scale and effects,” said the representative of Portugal.  These will result in “widespread loss of life, great human suffering and distress” and cause “serious disruption of the functioning of society”, he said, quoting the Commission’s draft articles.  In addressing this, the texts strike a “sensible and delicate balance” between the need to protect human rights and facilitate international cooperation on the one hand, and the fundamental principle of State sovereignty and the affected State’s primary role in providing disaster relief on the other, he observed.

Agreeing on the need for such a balance was Canada’s representative, speaking also for Australia and New Zealand.  Welcoming the emphasis on international human-rights law included in the draft articles, he added that “sharing best practices and initiatives under way at the local, national and regional levels can usefully advance reflection and enable swift action”.  Building on that was Germany’s representative, who underlined the need — especially in events of disaster — “to have an agreement on all actors’ rights and obligations laid out in a concise and clear framework in order to act fast and effectively”.

Yet, “despite the urgency on the ground”, Hungary’s representative pointed out that the field of disaster law remains fragmented.  Many current international instruments suffer from limited ratification or focus narrowly on specific aspects of disasters. Thus, the value of the Commission’s approach “seeks to bring coherence and systematization to this fragmented legal landscape”.  While stating that the draft articles are a “good basis for future negotiations”, she noted “several opportunities for improvement” — including further consideration of the impact of disasters on cultural heritage.

The draft articles can serve as a “useful guide for States and others engaged in disaster relief”, said the representative of Singapore, stating that a “laudable aspect” is that they reflect the diversity of State practice. “States, being familiar with their own national contexts, are best placed to determine the necessary measures to reduce the risk of disasters,” she emphasized.  Similarly, the representative of the Netherlands said that the draft articles — in their current form — “are useful as non-binding guidelines that may assist in better protection of persons affected by disasters”.

Other speakers were more critical.  The Russian Federation’s representative said that the draft articles, as they stand, are not a good basis on which to elaborate a convention and proposed that they be sent back to the Commission to be “reworked”. The articles do not consider the obligation of assisting actors — including when assistance is denied for political reasons — nor do they oblige assisting States to obey the law of the affected State throughout the period of assistance.  “The affected State is considered as an object, rather than an equal subject here,” she observed.  Further, she said that it should be a “criminal act” when “the assisting State and its subjects profit from the assistance they extend”.

Egypt’s representative, stating that the draft articles “require significant revision and redrafting”, expressed concern that they could be misconstrued or misapplied in a manner that infringes on States’ sovereignty or territorial integrity.  He also pointed out that they do not provide practical mechanisms to “galvanize international support for developing States in the processes of disaster response and reconstruction”.  As well, he stressed, “The principal impediment to the ability of affected States to address disasters is the lack of capacity in this field.”

“We cannot do it alone,” said the representative of Grenada, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), noting that a significant portion of disaster relief and recovery in many small island developing States is supported by external assistance.  For many such States, he added, climate change is not a “hypothetical”, but an “undisputable reality”.  Echoing that, Indonesia’s representative also declared that “no nation — regardless of its preparedness — can confront such challenges alone”.  The draft articles provide “critical legal underpinnings to foster cooperation”.  Further, they ensure that affected individuals receive the necessary assistance, aligned with their dignity and needs. 

Similarly, Guatemala’s representative recalled the devastating effects of hurricanes Eta and Iota and the 2018 eruption of Volcán de Fuego, emphasizing that the consequences of natural disasters often exceed affected States’ resources and overwhelm their capacities to respond. Adding to that, Iraq’s representative, detailing national efforts to concurrently “tackle environmental climate challenges while implementing our development plans”, said that his country is acutely exposed to natural disaster.  This, in turn, prevents efforts to reduce poverty and presents difficulties regarding the use of natural resources. 

Underscoring the importance of ensuring a human-rights approach and a gender perspective as a “central pillar”, Mexico’s representative joined others in expressing support for the elaboration of an international convention based on the draft articles.  While Mexico is party to several bilateral agreements, he observed that — in a world where disasters are becoming more frequent — an international convention is not only necessary, but also the best tool with which to address current challenges. He also said that the most-efficient way to respond to disaster is to prevent it, stressing the need to transition from a reactive approach to a proactive one.

“We must take action to reduce vulnerability and exposure to hazards in advance,” stressed Nepal’s representative, stating that efforts to mitigate climate change and improve disaster preparedness are “crucial to reducing the impact of these events”.  For its part, the Nepalese Government regularly issues early warnings of major hazards, has created a dedicated data portal to provide real-time updates on disaster events and response measures and prioritizes the reconstruction of disaster-affected infrastructure.  While emphasizing that the affected State’s sovereignty must be respected while providing assistance — “even during difficult times” — he said that “utmost priority” must be given to protecting human lives.

El Salvador’s representative, also underlining the need to protect the rights of human beings, quoted Brazilian jurist Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade:  “As international law evolves, it is moving away from the paradigm of State-centrism in favour of human-centrism, managing to place human beings at the centre and always bearing in mind the problems that affect humanity as a whole.”

The representative of Nigeria, also speaking for the Bahamas, Colombia, Croatia, Italy, Jamaica and Thailand, said that launching the process of negotiating a convention on this topic would be instrumental, and in line with the political commitments made during the midterm review of the Sendai Framework.  While recognizing that there will be different views on the draft articles, she nevertheless stressed that this should not prevent States from establishing an open and inclusive process.  “The draft articles may constitute a foundation, but we should not lose sight that it is for us – States – to build a solid house and to make it comfortable for everyone,” she said.

South Africa’s representative concurred:  “While we appreciate that there are concerns that State practices is not fully settled, States should not shy away from playing a more constructive role in establishing a framework for cooperation.” She cautioned, however, “that we should not get caught in the trap of perpetual discussions about discussions”, underscoring:  “It is crucial that discussions move forward.”

At the outset of the meeting, the Committee concluded its debate on measures to eliminate international terrorism.  During that discussion, Haiti’s representative noted that 19 universal and 36 regional legal instruments exist on this topic. “However, the very fact that we are here today discussing these issues shows us that the challenge remains when it comes to implementing these instruments — and doing so effectively,” he observed.  Ethiopia’s delegate concurred, emphasizing:  “We have come to realize that the absence of peace and stability in our sub-region created a safe haven for international terrorism.”  This reality underscores the need for international cooperation to “defeat both brands of international and domestic terrorism,” he added.


https://press.un.org/en/2024/gal3717.doc.htm


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пятница, 4 октября 2024 г.

Muhammad Abdul Muhith (Bangladesh) Chair of Second Committee


GA/EF/3599


(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) elected Muhammad Abdul Muhith (Bangladesh) Chair on 6 June.  (See Press Release GA/12605.)

Prior to his appointment in 2022 as Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Muhith served as his country’s ambassador to Austria with concurrent accreditation to Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia, as well as Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Offices and International Organisations in Vienna.  From 2015 to 2020, he was Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Denmark with concurrent accreditation to Estonia and Iceland.

Between 2012 and 2015, he was Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington, D.C.  From 2010 to 2012, he was Director-General (Americas) with occasional additional responsibility as Director-General (Europe), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Between 2004 and 2010, he was Counsellor/Minister at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York.

From 2002 to 2004, he served as Director of the Foreign Secretary’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from 2000 to 2002, he held the position of Counsellor at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Doha.  He also served as Second and First Secretary at his country’s embassy in Rome in 1999 and 2000 and as Third and Second Secretary at the embassy in Kuwait from 1995 to 1999.

Joining the Bangladesh Civil Service in 1993, he was the Assistant Secretary (Legal, Treaty and Maritime) and Assistant Secretary (Protocol) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1995.

He holds both a Master and a Bachelor of Social Science (Sociology) from the University of Dhaka.


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среда, 2 октября 2024 г.

Nepal: Hundreds killed as ‘unprecedented’ flash floods strike capital Kathmandu


A swollen river surges through Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, after the heaviest rainfall in over 50 years.
© UNICEF/Laxmi-Prasad-Ngakhusi
 
A swollen river surges through Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, after the heaviest rainfall in over 50 years.


By Vibhu Mishra
1 October 2024 


More than 215 people, including 35 children, have been killed and dozens are missing after heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides across Nepal, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Many of the deaths have occurred in the capital, Kathmandu, which witnessed the most intense rains in over half a century. Hundreds of houses along with schools and hospitals have been damaged and the southern portion of the city remains inundated.

The rains, which began on 27 September, and lasted more than 72 hours, also caused extensive damage outside the capital. Forty-four of Nepal’s 77 districts have been affected, and many areas are cut off, with bridges and roads swept away and powerlines and telecommunication networks disrupted.

Security forces and volunteers have rescued about 4,500 people. It is estimated that over 7,600 families have been severely affected, many of whom lived in informal settlements that have washed away.

Furthermore, as water pumps, pipes and cropland have been damaged, access to water and food and their affordability, could become a major challenge in coming days.

Concern for children

In response to the disaster, UN humanitarian teams alongside the Government and partners have mobilised rapidly to deliver aid and assess damage.

Emergency teams from UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for instance, are distributing vital supplies, including hygiene kits, water purification tablets, blankets and mosquito nets, a spokesperson told UN News.

Florine Bos, Chief of Communications at UNICEF Nepal said the agency has also set up a medical tent to temporarily replace a major hospital that was destroyed, potentially reaching 2,000 people with healthcare.

She also highlighted that children are at heightened risk of violence, abuse and exploitation, especially with many schools closed after being damaged.

We are very worried about children’s access to schools. Schools are not only for learning, but they also are a safe place where children meet their friends and play,” she said.

“We hope that the schools will open soon,” she added.

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Florine Bos, UNICEF Nepal Chief of Communications, speaks with UN News.

‘Unprecedented disaster’

Azmat Ulla, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Nepal country office, emphasized the unprecedented nature of the disaster.

Speaking to the media at a briefing in Geneva via video link from Kathmandu, he said that access to essential resources, such as fresh water, will be a challenge in the coming days and once the floodwaters have receded, there is the threat of water and vector borne diseases such as dengue.

There are still many villages which are isolated due to impassable roads and broken bridges…the Nepal Red Cross and IFRC have been coordinating with the local authorities to clean roads and access people in need, and these efforts are making a difference,” Mr. Ulla said.

A view of flooded areas of southern Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, following heavy rainfall lasting several days across the country.
© UNICEF/Laxmi Prasad Ngakhusi
 
A view of flooded areas of southern Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, following heavy rainfall lasting several days across the country.

While its teams are engaged in immediate relief efforts, the Red Cross is also preparing for long-term recovery, including the launch of a humanitarian appeal, he added.

“As Nepal faces the increasing threat of climate change, which has intensified disasters like this, preparedness within communities will be the key,” he said.


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пятница, 27 сентября 2024 г.

$1.5 billion commitment for education and skills training in lower-middle-income countries


Today, globally, some 250 million children are out of school.
© UNIC Pakistan
 
Today, globally, some 250 million children are out of school.


26 September 2024 

Culture and Education

A new $1.5 billion investment, announced on Thursday, will boost education and skills development for millions of the world’s children and youth most in need. 

The commitment by the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) will address the dire but often forgotten global education emergency. Currently, 250 million children do not attend school while more than 800 million young people – more than half of the world’s youth – will leave school without any skills for the modern workforce. 

It will also help bridge the enormous education funding gap, pegged at some $97 billion annually through to 2030. 

A historic investment 

The commitment, which covers the period through 2025, represents “the largest one-off investment in global education and skills in decades,” said UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown, who spearheaded IFFEd’s development. 

The public-private, non-partisan international finance facility specifically focuses on education financing for lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), home to 1.2 billion children and young people, or nearly half the global total.  

LMICs – which include India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Kenya - are caught in the so-called “missing middle”. These nations are no longer able eligible to receive grants, but non-concessional financing remains unaffordable, while limited domestic resources mean education and skills  skills are often hit the hardest.

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‘Innovative financing at its best’ 

 IFFEd turbocharges the financing power of multilateral development banks (MDBs) by leveraging a mix of grants and sovereign guarantees in a new way to increase funding for human capital development. 

Every one dollar in donor cash will deliver $7 in education and skills financing at the country level. As a result, LMICs will be able to prioritise investment in these two areas, even in the face of competing needs for climate, health, and infrastructure.  

Mr. Brown called the $1.5 billion commitment “innovative finance at its best”, saying that “aligning guarantees with grants and loans offers a way ahead to maximise resources for international development generally.” 

He called for “governments and private partners to join IFFEd’s financing innovation that turns millions into billions to unlock opportunity for the world’s children and youth who need it most.” 

Happy students in a school in the Maasai community in the Kajiado County, in Kenya.
© UNICEF/Frank Dejongh
 
Happy students in a school in the Maasai community in the Kajiado County, in Kenya.

Transforming millions of lives 

IFFEd's founding donors Canada, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have committed $342 million in guarantees and paid-in capital, plus $100m in grants.  

Several global philanthropic foundations have provided critical seed funding, including the Atlassian Foundation, Jacobs Foundation, Porticus, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Soros Economic Development Fund (the impact investment arm of Open Society Foundations).  

“Inspired by Gordon Brown's vision I am delighted that we have now reached the point that we can bring positive change to the life chances of millions of children and young people worldwide,” said IFFEd’s Board Chair Sir Julian Smith. 

“We look forward to working with our first MDB partner, the Asian Development Bank, to begin our programme of delivery.” 

Meanwhile, 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region have been approved as eligible for IFFEd financing: Bangladesh, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.  

IFFEd is also actively engaged in conversations with additional donors and other MDBs including the World Bank and the African Development Bank. 

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LIVE: World leaders adopt declaration to tackle growing threat of superbugs


Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines.
© WHO/Etinosa Yvonne
 
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines.


26 September 2024 

Health

Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is an invisible killer, so world leaders are holding a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters on Thursday in New York to discuss the best ways forward, adopting a political declaration that focuses on a coordinated response to one of the most serious public health threats. UN News app users can follow here.


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четверг, 26 сентября 2024 г.

Stop global warming to turn the tide on sea level rise: UN Assembly President


A mosque is partially submerged  in the Muara Baru neighbourhood of North Jakarta, Indonesia.
© UNICEF/Arimacs Wilander
 
A mosque is partially submerged in the Muara Baru neighbourhood of North Jakarta, Indonesia.


25 September 2024 

Climate and Environment

With global sea level rising faster than at any time over the last 3,000 years, UN Member States met on Wednesday to examine how best to address this existential threat. 

The situation is critical, said UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang, who convened the high-level meeting which included a plenary session and panel discussions, with more than 100 speakers participating.

Mr. Yang said it is estimated that sea levels will rise by 20 centimetres between 2020 and 2050, and up to 1.2 billion people could be forcibly displaced. 

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“For those on the front lines, the impacts of rising seas threaten livelihoods, inflict damage to settlements and critical infrastructure, and can in its most dramatic manifestations force the displacement of entire island populations and coastal communities,” he said. 

Halt global warming

Mr. Yang urged countries to work together to build resilience, tackle disaster vulnerability, ensure development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies, and improve coastal management practices. 

“Above all, we must stop the global warming that is fuelling sea level rise by recommitting to our goal of limiting temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees,” he said. 

Action and finance critical: Guterres 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the need for “drastic action” - both to reduce emissions to limit sea level rise and to save lives.  He said everyone, everywhere must be protected by early warning systems by 2027, in line with a UN initiative

Meanwhile, countries must deliver new climate action plans that align with the 1.5°C goal, cover all sectors of the economy, and provide a fast track to phasing out fossil fuels.  G20 nations – responsible for roughly 80 per cent of global emissions – must take the lead. 

“Money is indispensable. We need a strong finance outcome at COP29 this year – including on new and innovative sources of capital,” he said, referring to the UN climate change conference in Azerbaijan in November. 

The Secretary-General also called for significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund that assists developing nations, and for richer countries to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion annually by 2025. Furthermore, multilateral development banks must be reformed to deliver more affordable finance to developing countries

A starting point 

Former General Assembly President Dennis Francis commended UN Member States for taking decisive action on the issue of sea level rise. He said the meeting marks the starting point towards “an ambitious declaration” by the General Assembly in September 2026.  

The declaration is an opportunity to secure prosperity, dignity and rights of all affected countries and communities,” he continued.  “Through the declaration, we must reaffirm that sovereignty and statehood are inalienable rights, and they are enduring and permanent, notwithstanding any circumstances of sea level rise.” 

Mr. Francis called for greater support for climate adaptation in the most vulnerable communities as “climate financing is not sufficiently reaching the local level and should not saddle countries suffering from repeat disasters with more and more debt.” 

A small child scoots through flooded terrain in Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean.
© UNICEF/Lasse Bak Mejlvang
 
A small child scoots through flooded terrain in Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean.

The ‘very fabric’ of nations at risk: Tuvalu 

Sea level rise poses an existential threat to the economies, culture, heritage and land of small island developing countries, said the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo. Many will lose considerable territory, running the risk of becoming largely inhabitable. 

He spoke of impacts such as saltwater permeating aquifers that provide drinking water, and higher tides and intensifying storms that devastate villages and fields.  Additionally, flooding increases soil salinity, thus reducing crop yields and weakening trees. 

Our people will be unable to exist on the islands and shore they have called home for generations. Livelihoods are destroyed, families gradually move, community cohesion is tested, heritage is lost, and eventually the very fabric of our nations become increasingly threatened,” Mr. Teo said. 

“For many of us, these are the hard realities we experience today, not the projections of a coming future.” 

Boost mitigation and resilience: European Union 

 The European Union (EU) Climate Action Commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, focused on the two “truly crucial elements” of mitigation and building resilience through adaptation. 

Regarding mitigation, he said “there is no time to bury our heads in the sand a moment longer” and it is essential that countries keep working towards the goal of net-zero emissions. 

Mr. Hoekstra said the EU will uphold the commitment to reach climate neutrality by 2050. The objective is part of its climate law “and we are well on our way to implementing the policies needed to achieve that transition in a way that is both fair and just and enables clean economic growth.” 

He stressed, however, that curbing emissions “will not be enough” in the face of rising climate risks, hence the need to step up resilience. 

The Commissioner also assured vulnerable communities that “the EU is with you in this struggle”. He said the bloc “will continue to fight for greater ambition on mitigation, and to support as much as we can with adaptation and the measures that we have to take in the domain of loss and damage.” 


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