A new report by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) underscores the need to cut global emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 in order to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. By contrast, recent data reveal that emissions are currently on track to increase by 16 per cent over 2010 levels by that date.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has declared an outbreak of meningitis in Tshopo Province, in the country’s north-east, with some 261 suspected cases, including 129 deaths. National health authorities have deployed an initial emergency team and efforts are under way to quickly ramp up the response.
The United Nations observed the first International Day of People of African Descent on 31 August. The Secretary-General said the Day is a long overdue recognition of the profound injustices and systemic discrimination that people of African descent have endured for centuries, and celebrates their contributions to every field of human endeavour.
The Secretary-General will convene a high-level dialogue on energy on Friday, 24 September, under the auspices of the General Assembly. The dialogue, which will be held virtually, is an opportunity to mobilize action and cooperation to ensure that all people can access clean, affordable energy by 2030.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are concerned about the impact on children of new cases of the bubonic plague in the eastern province of Ituri. They say the plague has been reported in areas that had not seen a case in more than 15 years.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that the first day of school has been indefinitely postponed for 140 million first-time students around the world, due to the pandemic. The consequences of school closures – notably learning loss, heightened risk of dropping out and child labour – will be felt by the youngest learners.
Today marks three years since the death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan. As the current Secretary-General said, Kofi was one-of-a-kind, a man who embodied United Nations values. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said that, on this day three years ago, the world lost one of its moral voices.
United Nations personnel in Lebanon are responding to a fuel tank explosion in the northern district of Akkar, which killed 28 people and injured over 80 others on 15 August. The incident comes as the country grapples with a deepening crisis and electricity shortages have forced hospitals to operate at reduced capacity.
On 16 July 2021, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) was briefed by Special Representative of the Secretary‑General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba on the situation of children and armed conflict in Yemen.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said today that, despite numerous challenges, it has delivered food to more than a million people in the north-western and parts of southern Tigray in June and July. More than 175 trucks arrived in Tigray during the first week of August, and an additional 90 are expected in the coming days.
The World Health Organization reported that weekly deaths from COVID-19 in Africa reached a record peak in the week ending 1 August, with more than 6,400 deaths recorded — the highest seven-day toll since the onset of the pandemic in Africa. South Africa and Tunisia accounted for more than 55 per cent of the fatalities.
The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) say in a new report that conflict, coronavirus and the climate crisis are likely to increase hunger in 23 countries in the next four months. Ethiopia and Madagascar are the world’s newest “highest alert” hunger hotspots, the report states.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that half a million people in parts of Balochistan province in Pakistan are facing crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. Another 100,000 people need immediate life-saving assistance due to severe drought-like conditions.
Today at the G20 environment and energy ministers meeting in Naples, Italy, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, called upon countries to provide the leadership needed to hold the global average temperature rise as close to 1.5°C as possible.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has launched a new Peace Fellows programme to increase participation in the country’s peace process. It brings together representatives from all 10 states and three administrative areas to share information about the 2018 Peace Agreement, with a focus on education.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned of a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as escalating conflict has displaced 270,000 Afghans inside the country since January, bringing the total uprooted population to more than 3.5 million. UNHCR said the needs of those who have fled are “suddenly acute”.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the high-level event on the Impact of Violence on Children’s Mental Health, in New York and online today:
The World Meteorological Organization and its partners today released the first Hydromet Gap report, which states that an estimated 23,000 lives could be saved annually and at least $162 billion per year in potential benefits could be realized by improving weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate information.
In Niger, 2.1 million children need humanitarian assistance, a third more than just a year ago, as the country continues to face conflict, displacement, food insecurity, floods and drought, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports. The Agency is appealing for safe, sustained access to deliver aid.
