In progress at UNHQ

Environmental issues and sustainable development


In Sudan, the United Nations is working with partners to provide life‑saving aid to 9 million vulnerable people.  Operations must continue unimpeded to prevent the humanitarian situation there from deteriorating further. However, the 2021 response plan, which seeks $1.9 billion, remains only 30 per cent funded.

More than half of Afghanistan’s population — some 22.8 million people — will face acute food insecurity starting November, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned today, including 3.2 million children under the age of five, who are expected to suffer acute malnutrition by the end of 2021.

SG/SM/20981

Following is the text of Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the joint high-level segment of the meetings of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters and its Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, in Geneva today:

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a new crisis response initiative in Afghanistan, known as ABADEI, as part of efforts to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.  Among other things, it provides grants to small businesses, cash-for-work projects and support to marginalized individuals.

Despite increased climate ambition and net-zero commitments, Governments still plan to produce more than double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Production Gap Report, released today.