Environmental issues and sustainable development

After a volcanic eruption and tsunami caused significant infrastructure damage in Tonga, the World Food Programme said it is exploring ways to bring in aid and the United Nations Children’s Fund is ready to send emergency water, sanitation and other supplies from warehouses in Fiji and Brisbane.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the twelfth session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 15 January:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres remarks at the World Economic Forum, held virtually, today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the twelfth session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 15 January:

Mahamet Saleh Annadif, Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Security Council this morning that concern that the terrorist threat from Sahel countries could expand to the Gulf of Guinea is now a reality and that insecurity is compromising progress in the entire region.

The World Food Programme warned that it is running out of funds to continue its provision of food assistance to 13 million people in Yemen.  From January, 8 million people will receive a reduced food ration, while 5 million who are at immediate risk of slipping into famine conditions, will remain on a full ration.

The Security Council today, in a contentious meeting, rejected a draft resolution that would have integrated climate‑related security risk as a central component of United Nations conflict‑prevention strategies aiming to help counter the risk of conflict relapse.

The United Nations Population Fund launched a $835 million appeal to reach 54 million women, girls and young people in 61 countries in 2022 — the agency’s largest ever humanitarian appeal — seeking integrated sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services, as well as comprehensive support for survivors of violence.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Global Environment Facility, in New York today:

Warning that people and countries most vulnerable to climate change also are most vulnerable to terrorist recruitment and violence, nearly 60 speakers in an open debate today told the Security Council that the negative synergy between the two crises threatens to undermine States and international security itself, as the 15-nation organ considered a draft resolution proposed by Niger and Ireland on the matter.