COP28 ends with call to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels; UN’s Guterres says the industry will phase out 'whether they like it or not'

COP28 ends with call to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels; UN’s Guterres says the industry will phase out ‘whether they like it or not’

Reacting to the adoption of the outcome document, UN chief Antonio Guterres said mention of the world’s leading contributor to climate change comes after many years in which the discussion of this issue was blocked. The Secretary-General stressed that the era of fossil fuels must end with justice and equity. “To those who opposed a…

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COP28 gets underway in Dubai with call for ‘terminal decline’ of the fossil fuel era

COP28 gets underway in Dubai with call for ‘terminal decline’ of the fossil fuel era

“We are taking baby steps and stepping far too slowly to work out the best responses to the complex climate impacts we are faced with,” Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change Simon Stiell told delegates gathered for COP28.  The 28th annual meeting known as ‘COP’ after the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention…

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World News in Brief: UNCTAD development finance call, Nepal quake update, religious freedom in Nicaragua

World News in Brief: UNCTAD development finance call, Nepal quake update, religious freedom in Nicaragua

That’s the message from the UN’s trade and development body UNCTAD, which called on Tuesday for urgent reform of the international financial system to support the world’s 46 Least Developed Countries. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, these most vulnerable economies urgently require foreign investment to add value to their economic output,…

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World News in Brief: Protection call for refugees in Pakistan, ‘One Health’ plan launched, radio waves saving lives

World News in Brief: Protection call for refugees in Pakistan, ‘One Health’ plan launched, radio waves saving lives

According to news reports, Pakistani security forces began detaining and deporting dozens of Afghans under the new policy this week after a Government deadline for them to leave ran out. The majority of undocumented refugees who have settled in Pakistan over decades are from neighbouring Afghanistan, and following the Taliban takeover, thousands more fled seeking…

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Global leaders call for action to meet ambitious development boost

Global leaders call for action to meet ambitious development boost

The weeklong forum, organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), focuses on the challenges faced by developing countries amid today’s overlapping global crises. The Secretary-General urged participants – including national and business leaders, sustainable stock exchanges, sovereign wealth funds and finance experts – to put the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) Stimulus Package…

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UN agencies call on Pakistan to protect Afghan refugees

UN agencies call on Pakistan to protect Afghan refugees

Amid a “severe humanitarian crisis”, Afghanistan currently faces several human rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, according to the UN. Pakistan’s new plans would have “serious implications” for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon their return, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International…

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UN and Red Cross call for restrictions on autonomous weapon systems to protect humanity

UN and Red Cross call for restrictions on autonomous weapon systems to protect humanity

“We call on world leaders to launch negotiations of a new legally binding instrument to set clear prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapon systems and to conclude such negotiations by 2026,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres and ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said on Thursday. “In the current security landscape, setting clear international red lines will benefit…

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