Floods, landslides wreak havoc across South Asia

© UNICEF/Salahuddin Ahmed Paulash

 

Flood-affected residents construct makeshift bamboo rafts to navigate submerged streets in Feni district, southeast Bangladesh.

By Vibhu Mishra

29 August 2024

 Humanitarian Aid

Over 18 million people in Bangladesh have been affected by severe monsoon conditions, with more than 1.2 million families trapped as flash floods submerge vast areas of the country’s east and southeast.

The worst affected regions are Chattogram and Sylhet, where major rivers are “flowing well above danger levels”, further aggravating the situation, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Initial estimates suggest that around five million people - including two million children - have been affected, many stranded without food and relief.

Source: OCHA

 

Impact of cyclone and monsoon floods in Bangladesh (May to August 2024)

Twenty deaths have been reported as of Tuesday, and a further 285,000 have sought refuge in more than 3,500 shelters, UNICEF added.

Massive damage has also been reported to roads, croplands, and fisheries, severely impacting livelihoods.

Government-led search and rescue operations are ongoing, with some areas inaccessible.

UN-partners in some places have reported that water levels are not expected to recede for at least a week, with risk of persistent waterlogging and accompanying threat of water- and vector-borne diseases.

Extraordinary rainfall in eastern India

The state of Tripura in eastern India was hit by extraordinary rainfall for over 72 hours roughly ten days ago, resulting in some of the most severe floods since 1983, according to local media.

The rains along with over 2,000 resulting landslides, reportedly affecting 1.7 million people, including around 117,000 who have been displaced to relief camps set up by district authorities.

Some 26 people are said to have been killed, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, citing officials.

A Government-led response is ongoing, with floodwater levels said to have been receding.

Multiple landslides were also reported in the northern state of Himanchal Pradesh since late July, leading to several casualties.

© UNICEF/Vlad Sokhin

 

In western Nepal, a girl sits on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a massive landslide brought on by the monsoon rains in 2023.

Climate change impacts in Nepal

The monsoon season also wreaked havoc in Nepal, a country on the frontlines of climate change, experiencing more erratic and intense weather and rapid warming of glaciers, leading to severe flash floods and landslides.

A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the country’s Everest region wiped off the village of Thame, situated at an altitude of about 3,800 metres (12,500 feet) and popular with trekkers.

Though no deaths or serious injuries were reported, more than a dozen houses and small hotels, a school and a health clinic were washed away.

Elsewhere in the country, however, the 2024 monsoon season led to more than 200 deaths, including in the capital, Kathmandu.

In a particularly tragic incident, about 65 people died when two buses were pushed into a swollen river last month. Authorities have been able to recover the remains of only three people, with search efforts ongoing.

Response continues in Pakistan

In Pakistan, disasters claimed the lives of 243 people since July – about half of them children, underscoring their heightened vulnerability, OCHA reported.

Floods also resulted in “extensive damage” to livelihoods and vital infrastructure, including schools and bridges.

Assessments and response continue, with humanitarian partners and authorities reporting food, clean water, medical supplies and hygiene kits as key needs.

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What is sea level rise and why does it matter to our future?

© UNICEF/Lasse Bak Mejlvang

 

Children in the Pacific Ocean island of Tuvalu play at a coastal area protected by sandbags.

By Daniel Dickinson

26 August 2024

 Climate and Environment

The level of the sea globally is rising faster and higher than ever before, creating what the United Nations has described as an “urgent and escalating threat” to people around the world.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has been visiting the Pacific Ocean nations, Tonga and Samoa, where sea level rise has been one of the key issues he has been discussing with the communities he has met.

On 25 September, global leaders and experts will gather at the UN to discuss how best to address the threat.

Here’s what you need to know about sea level rise:

High water mark

It is estimated that the oceans have risen by approximately 20-23 centimetres (8-9 inches) since 1880.

In 2023, the average sea level globally reached a record high the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed, according to satellite records kept since 1993.

Worryingly, the rate of increase over the last 10 years is more than twice the rate of sea level rise in the first decade of the satellite record, from 1993 to 2002.

What causes sea levels to rise?

Rising sea levels are the result of ocean warming and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, phenomena which are the direct consequences of climate change.

Even if global warming is limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, which is the goal that countries around the world set as part of the Paris Agreement of 2015, the planet will see a sizeable increase in sea water levels.

It is worth noting that ocean circulation patterns, such as the Gulf Stream, can lead to regional differences in sea level rise.

© Unsplash/Omar Eagle

 

Sea level rise is threatening the tourism industry in places like St Lucia in the Caribbean.

What are the consequences?

Rising sea levels have wide-reaching implications not just on the physical environment, but also the economic, social and cultural fabric of vulnerable nations across the world.

Saltwater flooding can damage coastal habitats, including coral reefs and fish stocks, agricultural lands as well as infrastructure, including housing, and can impact the ability of coastal communities to sustain their livelihoods.

Flooding can contaminate fresh water supplies, promote waterborne diseases threatening people’s health and lead to stress and mental health problems.

At the same time, tourism revenues, a key economic driver especially in many small island developing States (SIDS), can suffer as beaches, resorts and other tourist attractions like coral reefs are damaged.

The combination of so many factors can force people to leave their homes, relocate to higher ground where available or ultimately migrate, which in turn disrupts economies, livelihoods and communities.

It is perhaps not surprising the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has described the phenomenon as a “threat multiplier”.

What is the link between rising sea levels and climate change?

Quite simply, sea level rise is a symptom of climate change.

As global temperatures increase due to climate change, the oceans absorb much of this excess heat. Warmer water grows in volume, a process known as thermal expansion, which is a significant contributor to sea level rise.

Rising sea levels also create a catastrophic circular feedback loop.

For example, mangrove forests, which protect coastal habitats and store damaging carbon gases that contribute to climate change, can quickly become overwhelmed losing their protective qualities. Fewer mangroves means more harmful gases in the environment, which drives climate change, and with increased temperatures, sea levels will rise even further.

UN News/Daniel Dickinson

 

Rising sea levels threaten global cities like New York.

Which countries are most affected?

It’s estimated that around 900 million people, that is one out of every 10 people on earth, live in close proximity to the sea.

People living in the coastal zones of densely populated countries like Bangladesh, China, India, the Netherlands and Pakistan will be at risk and potentially suffer catastrophic flooding. Also at risk are major cities on every continent, including Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Lagos, London, Mumbai, New York and Shanghai.

Small islands with low-lying land areas are arguably facing the most critical threats. Sea level rise and other climate impacts are already forcing people in such Pacific Ocean nations as Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon islands to relocate.

© UNICEF/Vlad Sokhin

 

Women and girls fetch water following floods in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh.

What can be done to counter sea level rise?

The single most consequential action that can be taken is to slow down global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the primary driver of climate change.

Meanwhile, mitigating and adapting to higher sea levels has taken on new importance.

A wide range of solutions, which obviously come at a cost, are available including: building infrastructure, such as sea walls and storm surge barriers, to protect against flooding and erosion; improving drainage systems and constructing flood resistant buildings; restoring natural barriers like mangroves; and protecting wetlands and coral reefs to absorb wave energy and reduce the impact of storm surges.

Many countries are also stepping up their disaster risk reduction plans as well as through UN-supported early warning systems to deal with sea level-related incidents.

In some cases, communities may also be relocated from vulnerable coastal areas as part of adaptation measures, an approach known as managed retreat.

UNFCCC/Kiara Worth

 

Civil society organizations attending UN climate negotiations in Dubai in 2023 demand reparations for the loss and damage caused by climate change.

How the UN helps

Countering sea level rise requires a comprehensive and internationally coordinated approach, which the United Nations is uniquely equipped to lead.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) facilitated the Paris Agreement to limit global warming which is essential for reducing the extent of future sea level rise.

The UN also provides support to SIDS and is working with the global community to provide financial support especially through the Loss and Damage Fund to the most vulnerable countries and to help them adapt to climate change impacts.

Learn more about how the UN helps tackle the challenge of rising sea levels here.

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26 August 2024

Secretary-General, at Pacific Island Forum Opening Ceremony, Says Greater Financial, Technological Support for Region Crucial to Protect Climate, Save World

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Pacific Islands Forum Opening Ceremony, in Tonga today: 

It is a great pleasure to address the Pacific Islands Forum. And allow me to express my deep gratitude to the Government and the people of Tonga for their incredible hospitality.

We meet at a turbulent time for our world.  Raging conflicts, an escalating climate crisis, inequalities and injustices everywhere, and the 2030 Agenda is faltering.  But, this region is a beacon of solidarity and strength, environmental stewardship and peace.

The world has much to learn from the Pacific and the world must also step up to support your initiatives.  This is a region of fearless seafarers, expert fishers and deep ancestral knowledge of the ocean.

But, humanity is treating the sea like a sewer.  Plastic pollution is choking sea life.  Greenhouse gases are causing ocean heating, acidification and a dramatic and accelerating rise in sea levels.

Pacific islands are showing the way to protect our climate, our planet and our ocean:  By declaring a climate emergency and pushing for action, and with your Declarations on Sea Level Rise, and aspirations for a just transition to a fossil-fuel-free Pacific.

The young people of the Pacific have taken the climate crisis all the way to the International Court of Justice.  You have also rightly recognized that this is a security crisis — and taken steps to manage those risks together.

I want to express my full support to the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and I will do my best to help mobilize international resources for the Pacific Resilience Facility and to engage with all the relevant initiatives the Pacific Island Forum.

The survival plan for our planet is simple:  Establishing a just transition for the phaseout of the fossil fuels that are responsible for 85 per cent of the emissions of greenhouse gases.  All countries must produce national climate plans — nationally determined contributions — by next year, aligning with the 1.5°C upper limit of global heating.

The Group of 20 (G20) — the biggest emitters responsible for 80 per cent of those emissions — must step up and lead, by phasing out the production and consumption of fossil fuels and stopping their expansion immediately.

When Governments sign new oil and gas licenses, they are signing away our future.  The Pacific Island States’ ambition for a fossil-fuel-free Pacific is a blueprint for the G20 and for the world.

But, the region urgently needs substantial finance, capacities and technology to speed up the transition and to invest in adaptation and resilience.

That is why we have been calling for the reform of the international financial architecture, for a massive increase in the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, for debt-relief programmes that work, including for middle-income countries that are in distress, and an enhanced redistribution of special drawing rights, to benefit developing countries and in particular small island developing States.

The decisions world leaders take in the coming years will determine the fate, first of Pacific Islanders — but also of everyone else. In other words: If we save the Pacific, we save the world.

Pacific Island States have a moral and practical imperative to take your leadership and your voice to the global stage.  You demonstrated this leadership once again with the General Assembly’s endorsement of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.  We must now make sure that international financial institutions include them in their criteria for operations.

The Summit of the Future in New York next month will be an opportunity to reform and update global institutions, so they are fit for the world of today and tomorrow.

Across the board, the Summit aims to provide developing countries with a greater voice on the global stage, including at the UN Security Council and in international financial institutions.

I urge Pacific Island States to make your voices heard and heard loudly because the world needs your leadership.

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Driving Progress: Botswana prepares for historic UN conference on landlocked countries

World Bank/Dominic Chavez

 

Men unload sacks of onions from a truck in Bamako, Mali, a landlocked developing country. Their lack of direct access to the vital trade links often result in landlocked countries paying high transport and transit costs.

22 August 2024 

Economic Development

Leaders from landlocked developing countries, (LLDCs) will gather in Gaborone, Botswana, this December to tackle challenges, explore solutions, and build alliances for a more equitable and prosperous future.

At the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, known as LLDC3, innovative solutions and strategic partnerships will be outlined and leveraged to “unlock the full potential of these nations.”

LLDC3 is set to take place from 10-13 December.

Here’s what you need to know about LLDCs and plans for this year’s conference:

What are LLDCs?

LLDCs, according to the UN Office that deals with issues related to some of the world’s most vulnerable nations (OHRLLS), are countries that lack direct access to the sea, which isolates them and hinders their ability to engage in international trade, connectivity, and economic development.

OHRLLS said the average distance of LLDCs to the seaport is about 851 miles.

Therefore, these countries are forced to depend on “neighbouring transit countries” for accessing international markets which results in higher transportation trade costs – double the transport costs of their neighbours – and delays in commodities movement.

Their dependency on neighbouring nations for transport trade often leaves them with the possibility of political and economic instability in transit countries.

The challenges faced by LLDCs often leave them with “reduced foreign direct investment, limited export opportunities, and slower economic growth.”

UNICEF/Frank Dejongh

 

A boy stands in front of solar panels that provide electricity to pump water, in Herat, western Afghanistan.

Which countries are LLDCs?

There are 32 LLDCs across Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. These include countries like Afghanistan, Botswana, Ethiopia, and Paraguay. Ethiopia is the largest, with a population of around 115 million, while Bhutan is the smallest, with fewer than one million people.

OHRLLS has reported that about 40 per cent of LLDC populations live in slums and nearly half of the countries experience severe food crises.

Further, the working populations of LLDCs reportedly earn just $1,500 annually which is significantly lower than the global average of about $11,000 annually.

What is the history of the LLDC conference?

The LLDC conferences began when the international community, especially the UN, recognised that landlocked countries required special attention and policies to address their unique challenges.

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The first conference, held in 2003 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, was primarily driven by the UN through the OHRLLS.

That conference marked the launch of the LLDC agenda, focusing on improving transit cooperation and trade facilitation to better integrate LLDCs into the global economy. The Almaty Programme of Action, adopted at this conference, set the framework for ongoing international cooperation, leading to subsequent conferences that built on its progress.

The second conference, held in Vienna, Austria in 2014, which culminated in the Vienna Programme of Action, aimed to thoroughly evaluate the progress of the Almaty Programme of Action and review trade and transit cooperation policies in light of new challenges and opportunities. 

It also sought to renew global commitment to supporting LLDCs by developing a new partnership framework for the next decade.

The Third UN Conference on LLDCs will serve under the theme “Driving Progress through Partnerships.”

Rabab Fatima, the Under Secretary-General and High Representative for LLDCs said this year’s theme captures the underlying need for the accelerated advancement of LLDCs.

“Given their unique territorial constraints, partnerships are not just beneficial but indispensable,” Ms. Fatima said.

“By collaborating closely with international organizations, the private sector, and neighbouring countries, LLDCs can develop integrated transportation networks, enhance trade, share best practices, and ultimately overcome their inherent challenges to achieve sustainable development,” she continued.

The High Representative further said as the time for the conference approaches, there needs to be an acknowledgement of the “persistent challenges” LLDCs face.

She said a new programme of action will address the concrete issues experienced by the landlocked developing countries with practical solutions. Ms. Fatima was appointed by the UN chief to serve as Secretary General of the LLDC3 conference.

“This programme represents not only a strategic roadmap but also a commitment to ensuring real, impactful change for the millions of people living in LLDCs,” she said.

What are the hopes for this year’s conference?

Permanent Representative of Botswana to the UN for LLDC3, Gladys Mokhawa, said this year’s conference marks a “historic moment not to be missed” as this is the first such event focused on landlocked nations held in Africa.

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“Botswana is ready to offer her unique hospitality and a platform for shaping a transformative decade of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries,” Ms. Mokhawa said.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Botswana, Zia Choudhury, said the country is excited to host the conference and together with governments, civil societies, and other partners will create the Gaborone Programme of Action – a 10-year plan which will outline what LLDCs and partners will do to overcome structural challenges of the landlocked countries.

Mr. Choudhury said the key to a successful conference is to ensure “we get the right people into the room,” which would include a diverse range of people from government officials to members of youth organizations.

“One thing personally, I’ll be asking the young people of Botswana to do is to make sure you know what the targets are set by the government here and other places and make sure that you are holding government and other players to account are the implementing the plan,” Mr. Choudhury said.

“So, this is the role for future generations,” he continued.

The Resident Coordinator said he hopes people will leave the conference with a sense that LLDCs are part of the future of development in Africa and across the globe.

“People will see how much we have to offer,” Mr. Choudhury said.

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НАСА разместило штаб-квартиру новой лунной программы в Алабаме

16 Август, 2019 23:27

Reuters



США планируют запустить космический корабль с астронавтами к Луне в 2024 году

Директор американского аэрокосмического агентства НАСА Джим Брайденстайн заявил в пятницу, что штаб-квартира нового лунного проекта США будет размещена в Центре космических полетов имени Маршалла в Хантсвилле, штат Алабама. Соединенные Штаты планируют отправить своих астронавтов на Луну в 2024 году.

Брайденстайн сообщил об этом в Хантсвилле в присутствии местных законодателей. Эта новость, которая подразумевает появление новых высокооплачиваемых рабочих мест и повышение престижа штата, расстроило законодателей из Техаса, которые убеждали НАСА в том, что центр управления новой лунной программой должен быть учрежден в Центре космических полетов в Хьюстоне.

«Система посадки [на Луну] будет запущена из Центра космических полетов имени Маршалла – прямо отсюда, из Хантсвилла, штат Алабама», - заявил глава НАСА. Он объяснил это решение тем, что именно здесь, в Хантсвилле полвека назад были созданы модули аппаратов для высадки астронавтов в рамках первой лунной программы «Аполлон».

В разработке и производстве компонентов лунного космического корабля примут участие частные компании, включая SpaceX Илона Маска, Lockheed Martin Corp и Blue Origin, которая принадлежит миллиардеру Джеффу Безосу. НАСА примет окончательное решение о том, кто будет задействован в программе, в конце этого года, после проведения соответствующего конкурса.

Брайденстайн еще в мае рассказал, что новую лунную программу решили назвать «Артемида» в честь древнегреческой богини охоты, сестры-близнеца бога Аполлона. Глава НАСА попросил Конгресс увеличить бюджет аэрокосмического агентства на 2020 финансовый год на 1,6 млрд долларов. Большая часть этих средств будет потрачена на строительство системы для высадки астронавтов на лунную поверхность.

В общем и целом новая лунная миссия обойдется США в сумму от 20 до 30 млрд долларов в ближайшие пять лет.

Вице-президент Майк Пенс в мае сообщил, что НАСА планируют вновь доставить астронавтов на Луну в 2024 году. Ранее власти страны намечали старт лунной программы на 2028 год. Дональд Трамп в июне призвал НАСА сфокусироваться на «более грандиозных» инициативах, к примеру, на реализации полета к Марсу. Ранее президент высказывался в поддержку развития лунной программы.



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Guterres appeals for ‘Polio Pause’ in Gaza

© WHO

 

Two rounds of a polio vaccination campaign are expected to be launched at the end of August and September 2024 across the Gaza Strip.

16 August 2024 

Health

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Friday for warring parties in Gaza to lay down their arms so that humanitarians can safely vaccinate more than half a million children against polio. 

“I am appealing to all parties to provide concrete assurances right away guaranteeing humanitarian pauses for the campaign,” he said, speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York. 

“Let’s be clear: The ultimate vaccine for polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. But in any case, a Polio Pause is a must.”

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‘Polio does not wait’

Mr. Guterres described Gaza as being in “a humanitarian freefall” because “just when it seems the situation could not get worse for Palestinians in Gaza, the suffering grows – and the world watches.”

Poliovirus was recently detected in sewage samples in two locations, Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah, meaning that the disease – which can cause paralysis - is circulating in the enclave and putting thousands of children at risk.

“Polio does not care about dividing lines – and polio does not wait,” he said.

Vaccines at the ready

Starting at the end of the month, the UN is set to launch a two-phase campaign to vaccinate more than 640,000 children in Gaza under the age of 10.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already approved the release of 1.6 million doses of the polio vaccine and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is coordinating delivery efforts and the cold chain equipment needed for storage.

Meanwhile, medical teams from the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA – the largest primary healthcare provider in Gaza – are ready to administer the vaccines and assist with logistics.

Challenges to the campaign

Mr. Guterres outlined the grave challenges these efforts face.

He said Gaza’s health, water and sanitation systems “have been decimated”, most hospitals and primary care facilities are not functional, and people are constantly forced to run to seek safety.

Furthermore, routine immunizations have been severely disrupted due to the conflict, thus increasing the spread of measles, hepatitis A and other preventable diseases.

“We know how an effective polio vaccination campaign must be administered,” he said.

“Given the wholesale devastation in Gaza, at least 95 per cent vaccination coverage will be needed during each round of the two-round campaign to prevent polio’s spread and reduce its emergence.”

Safety first

The campaign will involve 708 teams at hospitals and primary healthcare centres, he said, again noting that many are barely functioning, and 316 community outreach teams throughout Gaza. 

It requires effective transport routes for the vaccines and cold chain equipment, the entry of polio experts into Gaza and fuel so that health teams can carry out their work.

Reliable internet and phone services for communications outreach, and an increase in the amount of cash allowed into Gaza to pay health workers, are also needed.

“Above all, a successful polio vaccination campaign needs safety,” the UN chief said. 

“Safety for health workers to do their jobs.  Safety for children and families to get to the health facilities. And safety for those health facilities to be protected from bombardment.” 

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A shared obligation

Stressing that “it is impossible to conduct a polio vaccination campaign with war raging all over,” Mr. Guterres warned of the potential for wider consequences. 

“Polio goes beyond politics. It transcends all divisions. And so it is our shared obligation to come together. To mobilize – not to fight people, but to fight polio,” he said.

He stressed the need to “defeat a vicious virus that, left unchecked, would have a disastrous effect not only for Palestinian children in Gaza, but also in neighboring countries and the region.

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Extreme heat increasingly disrupting child health, UNICEF warns

© UNOCHA/Bilal Al-Hammoud

 

Water is poured on a child to help him cope with scorching heat in Syria.

14 August 2024

 Climate and Environment

One in five children – or 466 million –  live in areas that experience at least double the number of extremely hot days every year compared with their grandparents’ generation, according to a new UNICEF analysis released on Wednesday.

“Extreme heat is increasing, disrupting children’s health, well-being and daily routines,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

The study compared averages in the 1960s with the period 2020-2024, measuring the days which exceeded 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).

It presents a stark warning over the speed and scale at which such days are increasing for almost half a billion children worldwide - many without the infrastructure or services to endure it.

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Country-level findings

In examining country-level data, the analysis also found that in 16 countries, children now experience more than a month of additional extremely hot days compared with six decades ago.

In South Sudan, for example, children are living through a yearly average of 165 extremely hot days this decade, compared to 110 days in the 1960s, while in Paraguay it has jumped to 71 days from 36.

Globally, children in West and Central Africa face the highest exposure to extremely hot days and the most significant increases over time, according to the analysis. 123 million children – or 39 per cent of children in the region – now experience an average of more than one third of the year – or at least 95 days – in temperatures above 35°C, reaching as many as 212 days in Mali, 202 days in Niger, 198 days in Senegal, and 195 days in Sudan.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, almost 48 million children live in areas that are experiencing twice the number of extremely hot days.

‘Children are not little adults’

Heat stress within the body, caused by exposure to extreme heat, poses unique threats to the health of children.

Excess levels of heat stress contribute to child malnutrition, non-communicable diseases such as heat-related illnesses, and leave children more vulnerable to infectious diseases that spread in high temperatures, such as malaria and dengue.

Evidence also shows that neurodevelopment, mental health, and overall well-being are being impacted.

“Children are not little adults. Their bodies are far more vulnerable to extreme heat. Young bodies heat up faster, and cool down more slowly. Extreme heat is especially risky for babies due to their faster heart rate, so rising temperatures are even more alarming for children,” Ms. Russell said.

The impact of climate-related hazards on child health is exacerbated by how such hazards affect food and water security, damage infrastructure, disrupt services for children, and drive displacement.

Pregnant women are also particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat. Heat stress has been linked to pregnancy complications such as gestational chronic diseases and adverse birth outcomes including stillbirth, low birth weight, and preterm birth.

New national climate plans

In the coming months, all countries committed to the Paris Agreement on climate change will submit new national climate plans which will set the course of climate action for a decade. They are a time bound opportunity to set out concrete plans to realise the goals of the Paris agreement.

UNICEF is calling on leaders, governments and the private sector to seize this opportunity to deliver urgent and bold climate action which upholds the right of every child to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

“As governments are currently drafting their national climate action plans, they can do so with the ambition and knowledge that today’s children and future generations will have to live in the world they leave behind,” Ms. Russell added.

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Afghanistan: Taliban rule has erased women from public life, sparked mental health crisis

© UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell

 

An Afghan mother holds her daughter, staring at the light from behind her obscured window.

By Dianne Penn

13 August 2024

 Women

Three years of Taliban rule in Afghanistan has led to the “striking” erasure of women from public life, which is also reflected at the community and household levels, a senior official with the UN agency championing gender equality said on Tuesday. 

Alison Davidian, UN Women Country Representative in Afghanistan, briefed journalists in New York on their latest report addressing the plight of women and girls since the de facto authorities returned to power in August 2021.

She described this period as “three years’ worth of countless decrees, directives, and statements targeting women and girls – stripping them of their fundamental rights and eviscerating their autonomy.”

‘The horrors have not stopped’

Taliban edicts have denied girls from getting an education beyond the sixth grade and banned women from working for non-governmental organization (NGOs).

“Three years ago, the world was watching a takeover that was livestreaming horror after horror,” she said, speaking via videoconference from the Afghan capital, Kabul.

“And three years later, while the world’s attention may have turned elsewhere, the horrors have not stopped for Afghan women and girls, but nor has their conviction to stand against the oppression.” 

© UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell

 

A 31-year-old woman sits by the window. She used to be an entrepreneur before the Taliban takeover.

Monitoring other women

The UN Women report details trends based on consultations with thousands of women across Afghanistan – from provincial capitals to rural areas – since the Taliban’s return.

“And the first most striking trend is the erasure of Afghan women from public life,” said Ms. Davidian.

“To date, no woman in Afghanistan is in a leadership position anywhere that has influence politically, either at national or provincial level. When women are engaged in the Taliban’s structures, their roles are largely to monitor compliance of other women with their discriminatory decrees.”

No longer heard, even at home

This political erasure is also mirrored at the social level as a staggering 98 per cent of women surveyed felt they had limited or zero influence over decisions made in their communities.

Furthermore, the percentage of women who feel they have a say in decisions made in their own homes has dropped by nearly 60 per cent over the past year.

“To give some context, three years ago an Afghan women could technically decide to run for President. Now, she may not even be able to decide when to go and buy groceries,” said Ms. Davidian.

“Now, I’m not saying that three years ago it was perfect. It was not perfect. But it wasn’t this.”

When asked about the finding, she responded: “I think when you take away women’s right to education and restrict their rights to work and public life, it affects all rights and affects women’s agency more generally.”

Mental health crisis

The UN Women data also revealed an escalating mental health crisis linked to the loss of rights.  Sixty-eight per cent of women reported having “bad” or “very bad” mental health, and eight per cent said they knew at least one other woman or girl who had attempted suicide.

Ms. Davidian was adamant that the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls will affect generations to come.

“Our analysis shows that by 2026, the impact of leaving 1.1 million girls out of school, and 100,000 women out of university, correlates to an increase in early childbearing by 45 per cent and an increase in maternal mortality by up to 50 per cent,” she said.

Invest in women

In the face of the deepening women’s rights crisis in Afghanistan, UN Women are calling for continued investment in the country’s women and girls.

“Nothing undermines the Taliban’s vision for society more than empowering the very part of the population that it seeks to oppress,” Ms. Davidian told reporters.

She said investment means allocating long-term sustainable funding to women’s organizations, designing programmes that directly counter their erasure – such as initiatives focused on education, livelihoods and entrepreneurship – and facilitating spaces “where Afghan women can tell us directly on what their priorities are and what their recommendations are.” 

Regarding entrepreneurship, she explained that Afghan women can run businesses, though mainly home-based, in sectors such as carpet weaving, tailoring and food processing.  However, access to markets and financing are key challenges.

In this regard, UN Women are supporting Afghan women entrepreneurs to overcome these hurdles, in addition to helping them with business development skills “so that in the space that they have, they’re able to utilize it as much as possible.”

© UNICEF/Munir Tanwee/Daf recor

 

An Afghan girl studies at home with the help of her father after being denied the right to carry on studying at school.

‘The world is watching’

Overall, the agency’s report shows that “Afghan women want to represent themselves, but one meeting, one participation option, is not enough,” Ms. Davidian said.

“In every and any form of engagement, we need to be asking how do we meaningfully include Afghan women?  And how do we break the pattern of women’s exclusion?” 

She also looked at the wider picture as “we are at a real inflection point” in the fight for women’s rights globally, and not just in Afghanistan.

“The world is watching what happens to Afghan women and girls,” she said. “In some cases, it watches to condemn, but in others, it watches to emulate the Taliban’s systematic oppression.” 

She insisted that the international community cannot leave Afghan women to fight alone, because “if we do, we have no moral ground to fight for women’s rights anywhere else. Their fate determines the fate of women everywhere.”  

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Youth digital engagement crucial for achieving SDGs: Guterres

© UNICEF

 

Internet connectivity in schools is essential for strengthening education systems.

12 August 2024 

SDGs

As the world celebrates International Youth Day on Monday, the UN chief is emphasising the importance of empowerment and equality for young people to reach the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Under the theme, From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development, the Day focuses “on the pivotal role of youth in harnessing technology to advance sustainable development.”

International Youth Day is recognised each 12 August and highlights youth issues and the extraordinary potential of young people as a force for social good.

It was proposed to the UN General Assembly in 1991 by the World Youth Forum and officially established in 1999 to promote awareness and offer support.

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Achieving SDGs

UN Secretary-General António Guterres pointed to the ways young people have been using digital tools effectively to tackle local and global challenges including climate change and mental health issues, praising “digital natives” in the younger generations.

Data from the UN in 2022 reveals that digital adoption and innovation are led by the 15 to 24 demographic. Yet, there are still recognisable disparities in low-income countries and among women who have less access to the Internet.

The UN chief said achieving the SDGs requires a “seismic shift” which will require “bridging digital divides, boosting investments in education, critical thinking and information literacy” as well as tackling gender biases in the tech industry and encouraging young people to expand digital solutions.

“As Artificial Intelligence reshapes our world, young people must also be front and centre in shaping digital policies and institutions,” Mr. Guterres said.

A UN statement further said that “by celebrating the digital contributions of youth, we can inspire further innovation and collaboration towards achieving sustainable development.”

Summit of the Future

At next month’s Summit of the Future, world leaders will gather to establish ideas and solutions for a more sustainable future for all.

The UN is encouraging all governments to use this opportunity to advance

youth participation at the summit at every level.

“You can count on the UN Youth Office and the entire UN family to stand with and for young people,” Mr. Guterres said. “Together, let us draw on their energy and ideas to shape a more sustainable future for all.”

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UN migration agency steps up support to families affected by deadly Yemen floods

OCHA Yemen

 

The heavy rains in Hudaydah, Yemen, have impacted and damaged health facilities in the area, further impeding access to healthcare.

12 August 2024 

Humanitarian Aid

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is ramping up emergency operations in Yemen to support thousands of families affected by relentless rains and catastrophic flooding that has wreaked havoc across the country. 

The floods began in late June and intensified through early August.  At least 57 people were killed and over 34,000 families impacted, as torrential rains devastated Hudaydah, Taiz, Marib and other regions, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA.

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War, displacement and poverty

The crisis is unfolding amid the ongoing war between Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels, which began a decade ago.

The devastation caused by the floods and windstorms has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, where millions are grappling with the impacts of the prolonged conflict as well as displacement and poverty. 

The situation for internally displaced persons has become even more critical as the destruction of shelters, coupled with limited access to essential services, further hampers their recovery.

Donor support needed

Matt Huber, IOM Yemen’s Acting Chief of Mission, said the magnitude of the disaster is overwhelming and needs are enormous.

“Our teams are on the ground, working tirelessly to provide life-saving assistance to those in need, but the resources at our disposal are limited,” he said.

“Without significant and sustained support from international donors and partners, the ability to meet the needs of those affected will remain severely limited.”

Families displaced, farmland destroyed, landmines dislodged

The floods have displaced over 6,000 families and caused severe infrastructure damage in Hudaydah governorate, among the hardest-hit areas. 

The flood waters have buried wells, washed away farmlands and caused widespread destruction of homes and essential public services. Roads have been closed and access to affected areas remains challenging, which is further complicating relief efforts.

IOM said the situation is equally dire in three districts on Yemen’s west coast- Hays, Mokha and Al Khokha - where 5,800 families have been affected and thousands displaced.  Crops and critical infrastructure have been destroyed, including roads and water supply systems. 

Meanwhile in Hays, the flooding has swept landmines into new areas, thus complicating access and increasing risks of those trying to reach communities in need.

Assistance and assessments

In response to the crisis, IOM has provided aid to more than 300 families in Hays and Al Khokha districts. The agency has distributed shelter materials to 83 households as well as 3,000 hygiene kits.  Teams are also conducting assessments, including in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), protection, and shelter/non-food items.

In Marib, recent windstorms and floods have caused extensive damage, with broken electrical poles, widespread power outages, and severe impact on shelters. 

IOM manages 21 displacement sites there and preliminary assessments reveal that 600 shelters were fully damaged and 2,800 partially damaged, affecting over 20,000 people. Four deaths and several injuries were reported, with 12 people referred to IOM-supported hospitals in Marib city for urgent care.

Disease fears

The flooding has also raised serious health concerns as the combination of stagnant water and poor sanitation provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which could lead to diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.  Contaminated water sources also may exacerbate the risk of waterborne diseases and the current cholera outbreak.

In response, IOM’s teams have been conducting initial assessments, activating emergency response committees and restoring critical infrastructure, such as water and sanitation systems.  Teams have also been deployed to open channels for water discharge and construct embankments to prevent further damage. 

Appeal to the international community

Yet despite these efforts, IOM said the scale of the disaster has exposed critical gaps in resources, particularly among partners supplying shelter and non-food items, due to low contingency stocks. 

IOM is closely coordinating with local authorities and humanitarian partners to ensure a comprehensive and effective response. 

With more rain and wind expected in the coming days, the agency urgently called for the international community to significantly increase support to address the overwhelming needs in Yemen. 

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Zimbabwe faces worsening food crisis due to El Niño droughts

© WFP/Matteo Cosorich

 

People wait for a distribution of food in Mazambara, Zimbabwe.

7 August 2024 

Humanitarian Aid

A new report from the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) reveals that food insecurity levels in Zimbabwe are rapidly deteriorating after it was hit with historic droughts due to the El Niño weather pattern.

This comes just two months after UN humanitarians declared Zimbabwe as one of the hunger hotspots where acute food insecurity was likely to deteriorate.

The storm destroyed more than half of the country’s harvest, leaving about 7.6 million people at risk of acute hunger.

El Niño is a regular and naturally occurring weather event which affects the air temperatures around the sea and coastal landmasses. The climate crisis in recent years has led to more frequent and intense patterns.  

Officials from the UN and the World Food Programme (WFP) recently visited Zimbabwe to determine the drought’s impact on the nation and to call for more international support for the humanitarian response.

‘Nationwide state of disaster’

In April, local Zimbabwean authorities declared that the country was in a nationwide state of disaster.

Figures from the authorities showed that 57 per cent of people in “rural” parts of the country are set to be food insecure between January and March 2025 – a peak hunger period there.

Other UN reports indicate that civilians will need to depend on “alternative sources of income, social support, and humanitarian assistance” to withstand this season.

It was further reported that “humanitarian assistance needs will remain high in many areas of the country until the harvest in 2025 due to poor purchasing capacity resulting from limited income-earning opportunities and high food prices.”

El Niño’s impact

The El Niño-induced droughts have reportedly put a strain on Zimbabwe’s economy, leaving more than a fifth of children out of school and a lack of water supplies in the country.

The UN and some of its partners are working with the Zimbabwean Government to provide aid to civilians.

However, these teams require more funding, as the $429 million flash appeal which was launched in May that aims to aid over 3 million people, is only about 11 per cent funded.

The El Niño droughts have also affected other South African countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Malawi and more. Each of these nations is in high need of humanitarian interventions as food insecurity levels have risen significantly due to the drought. 

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152936

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Another month, another heat record broken: UN weather agency

© Unsplash/Timo Volz

 

Temperatures have hit record highs across the world in 2024.

7 August 2024

 Climate and Environment

Last month saw another extreme weather milestone with the world’s hottest day on recent record registered on 22 July – yet another indication of the extent to which greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are changing our climate, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported on Wednesday. 

Global average temperatures for 13 consecutive months from June 2023 to June 2024 also set new monthly records.

50℃ barrier broken

“Widespread, intense and extended heat waves have hit every continent in the past year. At least ten countries have recorded daily temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius in more than one location,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

These trends underline the urgency of the Call to Action on Extreme Heat, a new initiative launched in July by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to enhance international cooperation to address extreme heat.

“Earth is becoming hotter and more dangerous for everyone, everywhere,” stressed the UN Chief.

Deadly impacts

Extreme heat is causing a ripple effect felt right across society.

An annual 1℃ increase in temperature leads to a 9.1 per cent increase in poverty. Moreover, 12 per cent of all food produced is lost due to a lack of cooling and working hours equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs could be lost due to heat stress by 2030.

The consequences have become deathly. Nearly half a million heat-related deaths occurred each year from 2000 to 2019.

Taken together, extreme heat is tearing through economies, widening inequalities, and derailing the future of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

“This is becoming too hot to handle,” said Ms. Saulo. 

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Call to Action on Extreme Heat

The UN chief launched the Call to Action to mitigate the dire environmental and socioeconomic consequences that are already evident.

The initiative emphasises the need for concerted effort in four critical areas: caring for the vulnerable, protecting workers, boosting resilience of economies and societies using data and science, and limiting temperature rise to 1.5℃ by phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up investment in renewable energy.

It brings together the expertise and perspectives of ten specialised UN entities, underscoring the diverse multi-sectoral impacts of extreme heat on human health, lives, and livelihoods.

“The WMO community is committed to responding to the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action with better heat-health early warnings and action plans,” said Ms. Saulo, adding that recent estimates indicate that the global scale-up of heat health-warning systems for 57 countries alone has the potential to save around 98,000 lives per year. 

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152911

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Heat claims more than 175,000 lives annually in Europe, latest data shows

© Unsplash/Andrew Seaman

 

Staying cool during a heatwave is especially important for children who have a harder time regulating their body temperature than adults.

By Daniel Johnson

2 August 2024 

Climate and Environment

A staggering 175,000 people die from heat-related causes every year in Europe and that figure is set to soar in line with our steadily warming planet. That’s the warning from the UN World Health Organization (WHO), which said on Friday that European countries are seeing temperatures rise at around twice the global average.

Across Europe, more than 50 countries “are paying the ultimate price”, said WHO Regional Director Dr. Hans Kluge, only days since Earth recorded its warmest average temperature yet, at 17.16 degrees Celsius (62.89 Fahrenheit), and as exhausting summer heatwaves hit across the northern hemisphere.

Dr. Kluge said that the three warmest years on record in Europe have all happened since 2020 and that the 10 hottest years have all been charted since 2007.

Heat: The leading killer

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“In the European region, heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death in the region,” he said. “Temperature extremes such as those we’re experiencing at the moment are really exacerbating chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebro-vascular diseases, mental health and diabetes-related conditions. The extreme heat that we’re experiencing is a particular problem for elderly people, especially those living alone. It can also place an additional burden on pregnant women.”

Protection measures call

The WHO insisted that more governments need to take action to mitigate heat shocks on vulnerable people.

More than 20 countries in the WHO Europe region have such plans in place which is “not enough to protect all communities”, the UN health agency warned.

That message echoes the Call to Action on Extreme Heat by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who insisted that Earth “is becoming hotter and more dangerous for everyone, everywhere”.

In some places around the world, the climate crisis is already driving temperatures up to unbearable levels, WHO noted. Estimates show that globally, approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths occurred each year between 2000 and 2019, with the European Region accounting for 36 per cent or on average more than 175,000 lives every year.

Hot Earth

Mr. Guterres’s comments came in the week that saw the three warmest days recorded on Earth in recent history, according to one of the datasets that the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) uses to monitor the climate.

On 22 July 2024, the daily global average temperature reached a new record high of 17.16°C, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. On 23 July, the preliminary value was 17.15°C. On 21 July, the temperature record was 17.09°C. All three days were warmer than the previous record of 17.08°C, set only last year on 6 July 2023.

As part of the UN health agency’s #KeepCool campaign, which offers simple guidance to keep everybody safe, Dr. Kluge insisted that the negative health effects of hot and extreme heat are largely preventable.

“If we are better prepared for a hotter region, we will save many lives, both now and in the future,” he said.

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The WHO’s guidance on coping with heatwaves includes:

• Keeping out of the heat: Avoid going out and undertaking strenuous activities when the sun’s at its hottest. Stay in the shade and do not leave children or animals in parked vehicles. If necessary and possible, spend two to three hours in a cool place, such as a supermarket or cinema.
• Trying to keep your home cool: Use night air to cool down your home. Reduce the heat load inside your home or hotel room during the day by using blinds or shutters, opening them at night to ventilate your home.
• Keeping your body cool and hydrated: Use light and loose-fitting clothing and light bed linens, take cool showers or baths and drink water regularly while avoiding sugary, alcoholic or caffeinated drinks which will leave you dehydrated.
• Taking care of yourself and others: Check on family, friends and neighbours, especially the elderly, especially if they are on their own.

Understanding the risk

UN guidance on what constitutes heatwaves is “periods of unusually hot and dry or hot and humid weather that have a subtle onset and cessation, a duration of at least two to three days and a discernible impact on human activities”.

Heatwaves differ from warm spells, although they have many similarities. A warm spell is defined as a persistent period of abnormally warm weather in a location. A warm spell can also be defined in terms of the 90th or 95th percentile of daily maximum temperature (Tmax).

Warm spells can occur at any time of the year, whereas heatwaves can only occur in the warm season, according to WMO.

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