Environmental issues and sustainable development

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Forests, observed on 21 March:

More than 3 billion people globally are at risk of disease because the quality of their rivers, lakes and groundwater is unknown due to a lack of data, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said today.  UNEP’s survey of over 75,000 bodies of water in 89 countries found more than 40 per cent severely polluted.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the President of the General Assembly’s high-level meeting on the “Implementation of the Water-Related Goals and Targets of the 2030 Agenda”, today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the Coalition for Urban Transitions on “Seizing the Urban Opportunity”, held today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the opening of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), in Geneva today:

At least 14 civilians were killed in an attack by suspected combatants of the ADF on Sunday night in Bulongo village, east of Beni, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported.  The Mission’s Force Intervention Brigade deployed to the area yesterday.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the opening ceremony of the fourth meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean for Sustainable Development, today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message on the second anniversary of Tropical Cyclone Idai, observed today:

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released new data today saying that nearly 12 million women lost access to contraception due to pandemic-related disruptions, leading to some 1.4 million unintended pregnancies.  However, health systems in many of the 115 countries adapted and continue to provide services.

The United Nations and the Government of Iraq today released the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan which seeks $607.2 million in humanitarian aid to assist 1.5 million of the most vulnerable internally displaced people in Iraq and returnees.  According to the overview, 4.1 million Iraqis need humanitarian assistance.