Environmental issues and sustainable development

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Y20 Summit, being held from 15-17 October:

Despite steady progress against tuberculosis in many countries before the COVID-19 pandemic — with a 9 per cent reduction in incidence and a 14 per cent drop in deaths between 2015 and 2019 — a World Health Organization report released today warns that global prevention and treatment targets are likely to be missed.

Marking International Day of the Girl, Zimbabwe Resident Coordinator Maria Ribeiro called for the protection of girls who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 compared to boys. Girls in Zimbabwe also face myriad challenges, including fewer opportunities in education and, for females under 24, a third of maternal deaths.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message on the occasion of the sixteenth biennial Global Round Table on Sustainable Finance, held today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the fourth meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Climate Action Network “World We Want” public mobilization campaign, today:

There has been a dramatic rise in major storms, drought, wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events over the last 20 years, which have claimed 1.23 million lives, impacted 4.2 billion people and caused almost $3 trillion in global economic losses, according to a report published today by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Nobel Committee has awarded this year’s Peace Prize to the United Nation World Food Programme (WFP).  The Secretary-General congratulates David Beasley, WFP’s Executive Director, as well as the agency’s entire staff.  The Programme is on the frontlines of food insecurity, serving the most vulnerable of the world.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Daring Cities Virtual Forum:  Urban Leaders and Climate Change, in Bonn today:

The World Food Programme in South Sudan strongly condemned an attack on its boat convoy near Shambe carrying food assistance intended for people displaced after losing their homes and crops to floods.  One of the 13-person crew is missing and presumed killed, and three others are suffering from gunshot wounds.