The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released a new report warning that the world is rapidly approaching catastrophic levels of heating and that immediate and radical action is needed to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The report emphasizes that the technology to adapt to climate change and reduce emissions is available, and that it is now up to governments, businesses, and individuals to take action. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has called for mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action.
Posts tagged as “the United Nations General Assembly”
On Saturday, the United Nations reached a historic agreement to protect biodiversity in the high seas, with nearly 200 countries signing a legally-binding treaty. The treaty provides legal tools to establish and manage marine protected areas, as well as environmental assessments to evaluate the potential damage of commercial activities. After two decades of negotiations, the agreement marks a major victory for conservationists and will help to protect the planet’s biodiversity.
Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of the Viasna human rights center, was sentenced to 10 years in prison along with three other activists. This has been met with international condemnation, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling it "a grave injustice" and the European Union expressing its concern over the violation of freedom of expression and assembly. This sentencing is seen as a major setback for the Belarusian human rights movement and a sign of the government's increasing crackdown on dissent.
The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine, which includes Russia ceasing attacks on critical infrastructure, the end of Western sanctions, and measures to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities. China has proposed a 12-point plan for a cease-fire and peace talks, but has refused to criticize Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The resolution is a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to bring an end to the conflict.