Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva set the tone at the opening session, declaring that the battle for truth has become just as critical as the fight to cut emissions. COP30 must mark “a new defeat for climate denialists,” he said. On Wednesday, 12 nations – including Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and Spain – signed […]
Ethiopian mountain vipers, Galapagos iguanas and Brazil’s Pernambuco tree – prized by violin bow-makers – and are just three of the more than 30 species that could be listed for special protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). “Because the trade in wild animals and plants […]
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) is pressing negotiators to make climate mobility a core part of adaptation plans. “People and communities who choose to stay must be safe, and those who decide to move must have the option to do so with dignity,” Ugochi Daniels, IOM’s Deputy Director […]
But this lush harmony carries a warning. If negotiators at COP30 hope to protect the world’s forests, they must first safeguard the people who sustain them. Chocolate, community and a vision for the future Just 30 minutes by boat from Belém – known as the ‘gateway to the Amazon’ rainforest and host city of this […]
On a sandy riverbank, a modest school crowned with a solar-paneled roof tells a different story – one of resilience, ingenuity, and hope for the next generation. A school built for the future For three years, the Maria Naura Gouvêa Municipal School has been living out one of COP30’s central themes: adaptation. Its flood- and […]
Amid reports of deadlocks on fossil fuels, climate finance and other key issues, both leaders urged negotiators to act decisively on phasing out fossil fuels and boosting adaptation finance, insisting that fairness and ambition must guide the final hours of COP30. Guterres: 1.5°C is the ‘non-negotiable red line’ Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr. Guterres […]
In practical terms, the debates at COP30 revolve around three big questions: 1. How can countries ramp up climate action? With the planet heating at record speed and climate disasters intensifying, cutting emissions and adapting to impacts dominate the agenda. Delegates are looking at key tools: • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): National climate plans updated […]
In Namibia’s Daures region, a bold experiment aims to prove economies can create jobs without fossil fuels. When completed, Daures Green Hydrogen Village will sustainably produce hydrogen and ammonia from renewable sources, which will be used to make the country’s first carbon-free green fertiliser, reducing the need for imports. The project is designed to benefit […]
Women’s voices are rising with clarity and urgency, pressing negotiators to ensure the conference leaves a lasting mark on the link between gender and climate policy. At the heart of talks is the Belém Gender Action Plan – a proposed blueprint that acknowledges climate change hits women hardest and sets out measures for financing, […]
Climate disinformation: Commitment to promote information integrity and counter false narratives. The final decision emphasises solidarity and investment, setting ambitious financial targets while leaving energy transition for later discussion. The burning of fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases that are by far the largest contributors to global warming, making this omission a point of concern for […]
On 10 November, the Federal Government of Somalia formally declared a drought emergency and appealed for urgent international assistance as conditions continued to deteriorate across northern, central and southern regions, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA. Puntland is among the worst affected areas, where authorities estimate that nearly one million people need support, […]
According to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA, 998,918 people across all 25 districts have now been affected, with 212 deaths reported and 218 people missing. More than 180,000 people from over 51,000 families are sheltering in 1,094 government-run safety centres as search and rescue efforts continue. Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on 28 November before […]
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis told reporters in Geneva that Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam are among the countries most affected by what she described as “a combination of monsoon-related rainfall and tropical cyclone activity”. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep sadness over the tragic loss of life across the […]
Since mid-November, overlapping tropical storms and intensified monsoon systems have triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Viet Nam. UN teams across the region are supporting government-led emergency operations with food, health, water and sanitation aid, medical deployments and early recovery assessments, as heavy rains continue and fears grow that […]
The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) first State of the Climate in the Arab Region report paints a stark picture of a region under constant pressure from rising temperatures and increasingly extreme weather. The UN agency noted that “a number of countries [in the Arab region] reported temperatures of above 50°C (122°F) last year, while average […]
As communities struggle to rebuild, many have little time to grieve the immense losses they have suffered. Since June, over six million people in Pakistan have been affected by what have been described as “unusually heavy monsoon rains” which have claimed nearly 1,000 lives, including about 250 children. Residents are still recovering from flash […]
Three women in Jamaica whose lives were upended by the destructive force of a hurricane which battered the Caribbean island are looking to rebuild their future. Right before Hurricane Melissa swept across Jamaica in late October 2025, Rose* took her two children to a friend’s sturdy concrete home to keep them safe. When they returned […]
“The Global Environment Outlook lays out a simple choice for humanity: continue down the road to a future devastated by climate change, dwindling nature, degraded land and polluted air, or change direction to secure a healthy planet, healthy people and healthy economies,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. The report has input from 287 multi-disciplinary […]
As the world moves to slow climate change and create a more sustainable future, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) named five new climate visionaries on Wednesday as its 2025 Champions of the Earth — the UN’s highest environmental honour. These five extraordinary leaders, who work on issues ranging from climate justice to sustainable cooling and forest […]
The assembly is the world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment. More than 6,000 people – representing 186 countries – took part in the week-long gathering which was held at the headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Wide-ranging resolutions The UNEA-7 resolutions cover issues such as the sound management of minerals and materials essential to the shift to clean […]