Environmental issues and sustainable development

In Yemen, the United Nations and partners continue to provide life-saving aid to thousands of civilians on both sides of the front lines in Ma’rib, Al Bayda and Shabwah since fighting escalated in these governorates in September, amid calls by the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, for de-escalation.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the launch of the Council on Urban Initiatives, “Advancing a Carbon-Neutral, Resilient Recovery for Cities and Nations”, held today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the virtual side event “Ambition from the Frontlines — Recognizing Champions with the Climate Promise” at the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Glasgow, United Kingdom, today:

The global level of undernourishment increased sharply last year, under the shadow of the COVID‑19 pandemic, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s annual Statistical Yearbook, released today.  Nearly 10 per cent of the world’s population suffered from hunger in 2020, up from 8.4 per cent in 2019.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the seventy-fifth anniversary of the State of Lower Saxony, Germany, in Hannover, Germany, today:

The Secretary-General — in observance of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, on 2 November — stated that 62 journalists were killed for doing their jobs in 2020.  Noting that the number of media workers killed outside conflict zones has risen in recent years, he urged leaders to demonstrate the political will needed to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, as delivered, at the Climate Vulnerable Forum, Leaders Dialogue, in Glasgow, United Kingdom, today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the twenty‑sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) Leaders’ Event:  “Action and Solidarity — The Critical Decade”, in Glasgow, United Kingdom, today:

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the situation in the northern part of Ethiopia is rapidly deteriorating, amid fighting in and around Dessie and Kombolcha in the Amhara region, which led to large-scale displacement and increasing humanitarian needs.  The two towns were already hosting a large number of displaced people from nearby areas.

Against the backdrop of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, speakers today in the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued their review of the International Law Commission report’s second cluster of topics, offering detailed accounts of both national and regional initiatives to address the urgent and life-threatening crisis posed by rising sea-levels.