Op-ed: Climate change is a threat to rich and poor alike
The heads of the UN's agencies for development, climate change and disaster risk say recent hurricanes are a reminder that the impacts of climate change know no borders.
Secretary-General’s message for International Day for Disaster Reduction
"Let’s put more effort into tackling disaster risk to create a safer, more sustainable world for all," he says.
UN chief lauds Dominica’s vision to become first climate-resilient nation after recent devastation
The category-5 storm made landfall on 18 September, thrashing the country with extreme winds and rain. It left people without electricity and water, destroyed homes and health clinics and isolated communities on the mountainous island.
In hurricane-stricken Barbuda, UN chief urges global solidarity, accelerated climate action
“I have just witnessed a level of devastation that I have never seen in my life,” Mr. Guterres told a press conference following a visit to storm-battered Barbuda.
Secretary-General’s remarks at press conference in Dominica
"There must be new financial instruments, bonds of different natures, linked mainly to the buildup of resilience," he said.
Secretary-General’s remarks at press conference in Antigua-and-Barbuda
"We have now hurricanes and storms with a much higher frequency and a much higher intensity," he said.
UN chief urges world to implement Paris Agreement ‘with greater ambition’
Ahead of a trip to the storm-ravaged Caribbean, the UN Secretary-General urged all countries to implement the landmark climate accord.
Secretary-General’s remarks on recent Caribbean hurricanes
"The United Nations will continue to help countries in the Caribbean to strengthen disaster preparedness, working closely with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency," he said.
Ban urges burden-sharing, solidarity to combat effects of El Niño and mitigate climate change
The lives and livelihoods of more than 60 millions people around the world have been turned upside down by the extreme weather events linked to the El Niño phenomenon, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said, calling for a scaled-up, unprecedented response that goes beyond humanitarian action.
Response to El Niño must be ramped up amid preparedness for La Niña’s likely knock-on effect – UN
Failure to prepare for and adapt to the 'new normal' of increasing climate-linked emergencies such as El Niño could put global development targets at risk and deepen widespread human suffering in areas already hard hit by floods and droughts, top United Nations officials said in Rome today.
Conflict prevention efforts more effective and sustainable when women participate – Security Council
Despite commitments of the international community, inconsistent levels of political will, resourcing, accountability and gender expertise often hinder the full and meaningful inclusion of women in efforts to prevent conflict, the Security Council said today.
Caribbean region must boost efforts to prepare for increased drought – UN report
Climate change is expected to increase the intensity and frequency of droughts in the Caribbean, so countries in the region must enhance their capabilities to deal with this and other extreme weather-related challenges to ensure food security and hunger eradication, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said in a new report.
UN chief appoints 12 experts to his task force to prevent and manage future health crises
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the membership of his Global Health Crises Task Force, which aims to help countries and communities prepare and respond to emergencies, such as the recent outbreaks of Ebola and Zika.
UN agencies to meet on El Niño’s ‘devastating impact’ in Central America’s Dry Corridor
With the El Niño climate event devastating Central America’s so-called Dry Corridor, where one of the worst droughts in decades has left 3.5 million people food insecure, United Nations agencies will gather this week to discuss ways to improve the long-term response to the weather developments in the region.
Ban: UN humanitarian summit to ‘shape a different future’
“We are all here because global humanitarian action is unprecedentedly strained,” the UN Secretary-General said at the World Humanitarian Summit opening ceremony.
World Humanitarian Summit will be ‘launch pad’ for new initiatives
"There is huge need for us to show solidarity with those who are affected by natural disasters and man-made disasters,” UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said.
El Niño not a one-off event, UN says, calling for action
The international community must boost efforts to build the capacity for disaster risk management to prevent El Niño weather extremes from causing humanitarian crises, the ECOSOC president said.
ECOSOC on El Niño: reducing risks, capturing opportunities
The El Niño phenomenon––with its increasing intensity––has lasting consequences for development.
FAO, Google collaborate on satellite data tools to manage natural resources
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Google announced plans to make high-resolution satellite data a common tool in managing the world’s natural resources, boosting efforts towards the pursuit of sustainable development.
Visiting drought-hit region of Ethiopia, Ban urges support
The international community must stand with the people of Ethiopia [...]