Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

In progress at UNHQ

Economic issues

GA/EF/3269

Second Committee Approves Text Reiterating General Assembly’s Deep Concern at Oil Slick Arising from Israel’s Destruction of Lebanese Storage Tanks

The Second Committee approved three draft resolutions today, including a text by which the General Assembly would reiterate its deep concern over the destruction by the Israeli Air Force of oil storage tanks near Lebanon’s El-Jiyeh electric power plant due to the adverse implications for sustainable development in that country.
GA/EF/3266

Conflicts over Water Have Potential to Be Catalyst for Peace, Cooperation, Specialist Tells Second Committee Panel Discussion

Conflicts over water -- the world’s most precious resource -- were at the heart of regional instability, but they could be a catalyst for cooperation and peace if managed properly, Aaron Wolfe, a specialist in water resource policy and conflict resolution, said this morning during a panel discussion on “Enhancing governance on water” held by the Second Committee (Economic and Financial).
GA/EF/3264

Second Committee Told That 35 Million New Homes Must Be Built Annually over Next Quarter Century To Accommodate Soaring Urban Populations

An estimated 35 million new homes with the attendant infrastructure and services must be built annually over the next 25 years in order to accommodate the burgeoning number of urban dwellers in cities from Calcutta to Rio de Janeiro, Sudan’s representative told the Second Committee today, as it began considering implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
GA/EF/3263

Some 400 Million People Could Join Ranks of Slum Dwellers by 2020 Unless Urgent Action Is Taken to Reverse Trend, UN–Habitat Tells Second Committee

One out of every three people residing in cities around the globe lived in a slum, and unless the problem was dealt with, another 400 million people would join their ranks by 2020, Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today, as it continued its consideration of sustainable development.
GA/EF/3262

Acceptance of Lesser Climate Deal Will Threaten Existence of Small Islands, Second Committee Told, As It Begins Sustainable Development Debate

If Member States accepted a lesser deal during the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Conference than what was scientifically needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, they would be threatening the very existence of small island countries, the representative of the Federated States of Micronesia told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) as it began its consideration of sustainable development today.