Environmental issues and sustainable development

The following statement by Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

Countries face serious costs, damage and losses, unless they step up actions to adapt to the new climate reality, the United Nations Environment Programme warns in a new report released today.  Financing and implementation fall far short of needs, with adaptation costs in developing countries estimated at $70 billion.

In Afghanistan, the United Nations and humanitarian partners report that they will seek $1.3 billion this year to assist almost 16 million people with life-saving aid, up from 2.3 million people in 2017, as ongoing conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to devastate the population.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks for the One Planet Summit, today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, as delivered, to the Twenty-sixth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) round table on clean power transition, today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ New Year’s video message 2021, issued today:

The World Food Programme today raised extreme concern that escalating violence and displacement in north Mozambique has led to more than 900,000 people facing crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity.  Plans are in place to reach 750,000 in the area, but $117 million is needed over the next year to meet needs.

A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced, all of the world’s coral reefs will bleach by the end of the century, and calls for even more urgent action to limit ocean temperature rise.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports it is providing supplies such as mosquito nets, solar lamps, and blankets for 36,000 people in Somalia’s Puntland region who have been affected by Cyclone Gati, the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the country, which made landfall in November.

The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan told the Security Council that Afghanistan and the Taliban made genuine progress in peace talks, agreeing to rules and procedures; forming a working committee to discuss the agenda; and presenting each other initial lists of topics for negotiations.