Indirect disaster effects cost the world nearly $2 trillion per year, says UN Secretary-General...
Most of the exorbitant costs of disaster are preventable with proper funding and planning —one of the main messages for this year’s International Day...
UN chief to leaders of regional bloc: end wars, deal with existential crises
“The central goal of our multilateral system must be peace – a pre-condition for sustainable development and the enjoyment of human rights,” he told Heads...
Joint UN meeting tackles small arms control to foster sustainable development
At the joint session, speakers before two of the UN’s most representative bodies stressed that these weapons have fueled wars, exacerbated humanitarian crises and...
Greed is driving oceans toward collapse
Mr. Guterres’ stark assessment came during a press conference on the second day of the weeklong UN Ocean summit, known as UNOC3, where hundreds of...
UN chief calls for ‘dramatic shift’ to transform education worldwide
António Guterres was taking part in a Special Event on Transforming Education – part of the on-going High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and looking ahead...
Smurf your voice: Global campaign urges everyone to speak up for a better future
Launched in June, the eight-week digital campaign draws on the enduring popularity of the beloved Smurfs to encourage young people – along with their...
UN searches for solutions to global housing crisis
This includes more than 1.12 billion people living in slums or informal settlements. An additional 300 million face absolute homelessness, lacking any form of...
Guterres hails 60 years of UN trade and development action
In a speech marking 60 years of UN Trade and Development – the agency previously known by the acronym UNCTAD - the UN Secretary-General highlighted...
Towards a fairer world: Leaders gather in Doha to renew social pact
Yet, the idea that development should be people-centred, inclusive and just is far from new. It’s a vision the world committed to 30 years...
On Brazil’s Combu Island, chocolate makers hold clues to climate action
But this lush harmony carries a warning. If negotiators at COP30 hope to protect the world’s forests, they must first safeguard the people who...
COP29 draft deal proposes wealthy nations give $250 billion in climate finance
The new draft outcome text, which will surely push this round of talks into the weekend, called for the overall climate financing goal to...
Cities now home to nearly half of humanity: UN report
In 1950, the global population stood at 2.5 billion and just 20 per cent were city dwellers. By 2050, two-thirds of global growth is...
Guterres hails Papua New Guinea as an example of diversity, dialogue and climate action
António Guterres is the first serving UN Secretary-General to visit the country, which is celebrating 50 years of independence.He praised its tremendous diversity, with...
Half the world lacks social protection amid climate crisis, ILO warns
Around 50 per cent of us do have access to at least one social protection benefit – but 3.8 billion people lack any kind...
Private sector urged to act as world faces $23 trillion loss from land degradation
Business leaders have been meeting at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) conference being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which is focusing on...
Climate emergency: 2025 declared international year of glaciers
Co-facilitated by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), this global initiative seeks to unite efforts worldwide...
Over three million preventable deaths per year due to alcohol and drug use
Notably, the vast majority of these deaths were among men, with the highest prevalence in the 20-39 age group.The death rates were also highest...
New national climate plans unveiled at high-level summit ahead of COP30 conference
The game-changing summit was convened by Secretary-General António Guterres alongside President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva of Brazil, host of the COP30 conference which...
UN World Court concludes landmark hearings on States’ responsibility for climate change
Initiated by a UN General Assembly resolution, the proceedings involved 96 countries and 11 regional organizations presenting their views on the “obligations of States...
Pakistan floods leave villages cut off as monsoon devastation continues
Aid agencies are continuing to work tirelessly to reach the hardest-hit areas.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said nearly 800 people have died since...
‘It all starts at home’: global UN forum opens in Cairo to rethink urban...
The Forum is convened biennially by the UN Human Settlements Programme, known as UN-Habitat.This year marks the first time the gathering is being held...
Global education must integrate AI, centred on humanity
His message highlighted the dual nature of technological advances such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which offer immense potential – but also pose considerable risks.“Education is...
Hurricane Melissa: Devastation in Jamaica at levels ‘never been seen before’
As Hurricane Melissa moved north of Jamaica on Wednesday, the head of the UN team there said that preliminary damage assessments from the category...
‘This is not just ice’: Glaciers support human livelihoods, UN deputy chief says
She said that since 1975, glaciers have lost more than 9,000 billion tons of ice - equivalent to a 25-metre-thick block covering all of...
