World News in Brief: Pakistan floods, countries lag on climate reporting, concern over attack on peacekeepers in south Lebanon, cuts hit human rights investigations

World News in Brief: Pakistan floods, countries lag on climate reporting, concern over attack on peacekeepers in south Lebanon, cuts hit human rights investigations

In a statement released by his Spokesperson, the UN chief noted that the disaster driven by severe monsoon conditions had been exacerbated by climate change, impacting around 1.5 million people. Hundreds of thousands of people need humanitarian aid while more than 3,000 homes, over 400 schools and some 40 health facilities have suffered some level […]

Guterres hails Papua New Guinea as an example of diversity, dialogue and climate action

Guterres hails Papua New Guinea as an example of diversity, dialogue and climate action

António Guterres is the first serving UN Secretary-General to visit the country, which is celebrating 50 years of independence. He praised its tremendous diversity, with over 800 languages spoken and countless traditions. Commitment to peace, dignity and progress “And yet, you have a shared commitment to speak with one voice – to having ‘one talk’ […]

Latin America and Caribbean: Millions more children could face poverty due to climate change

Latin America and Caribbean: Millions more children could face poverty due to climate change

Even worse, the number could triple if countries do not meet their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to ensure that climate financing prioritises social and climate resilience services for children. The finding comes in a report by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the UN Children’s […]

Putting water management at the centre of the climate change fight

Putting water management at the centre of the climate change fight

Currently underway in Stockholm from 24 to 28 August, the 35th World Water Week meeting highlights the crucial link between water and global warming, under the theme, Water For Climate Action. At the core of sustainable development and basic human survival, safe drinking water is critical for socio-economic development, energy and food production – and […]

Facing rising risks, landlocked nations launch climate alliance at UN summit

Facing rising risks, landlocked nations launch climate alliance at UN summit

Operating within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the group aims to amplify their voices in global climate talks, where their distinct vulnerabilities have long been overlooked. Disproportionate climate risks Although LLDCs account for approximately 12 per cent of the world’s land surface, they have experienced nearly 20 per cent of the world’s […]

World News in Brief: Hunger in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, climate and displacement crisis in Somalia, World Breastfeeding Week

World News in Brief: Hunger in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, climate and displacement crisis in Somalia, World Breastfeeding Week

Across the region, nations face food-related challenges notably due to geographical remoteness, lack of local available resources and exposure to climate change.  “The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to natural hazards and supply chain disruptions, which can cause increases in food prices,” said, Brian Bogart. head of WFP for the region. “It’s deeply concerning that many people […]

‘Delivering better’: New ECOSOC president emphasises climate action, food security

‘Delivering better’: New ECOSOC president emphasises climate action, food security

Mr. Thapa said that the motto of his presidency will be “Delivering Better,” which requires strengthening partnerships and multilateralism to achieve more effective implementation of initiatives, including the 2030 Agenda adopted 15 years ago.   “Delivering better is not an option — it is an imperative. It is our pathway to restoring trust in multilateralism, […]

Pollution, melting microbes, undamming rivers, risks for elders: 4 key climate issues

Pollution, melting microbes, undamming rivers, risks for elders: 4 key climate issues

From ancient microbes awakening in melting glaciers to toxic pollutants unleashed by floods, the dangers are no longer distant or theoretical. They are here, and they are growing. The Frontiers Report 2025, released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), highlights four critical areas where environmental degradation intersects with human vulnerability: legacy pollution, melting glacier microbes, undamming […]

In hard-hitting human rights address, Guterres calls for urgent action on Gaza, authoritarianism and climate justice

In hard-hitting human rights address, Guterres calls for urgent action on Gaza, authoritarianism and climate justice

Recalling his own experience living under dictatorship in Portugal, Mr. Guterres told participants at the Global Assembly of the international rights charity Amnesty International on Friday that the fight for human rights is “more important than ever”. He called on States to uphold international law and defend human rights “consistently and universally, even or especially […]

UN’s Guterres declares fossil fuel era fading; presses nations for new climate plans before COP30 summit

UN’s Guterres declares fossil fuel era fading; presses nations for new climate plans before COP30 summit

In a special address at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres cited surging clean energy investment and plunging solar and wind costs that now outcompete fossil fuels. “The energy transition is unstoppable, but the transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough,” he said. The speech, A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean […]

Global demand for meat and dairy set to rise, but climate and nutrition gaps remain

Global demand for meat and dairy set to rise, but climate and nutrition gaps remain

However, persistent nutritional gaps and mounting environmental pressures reveal a complex path ahead, according to a new study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – an influential international policy forum. The Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034, released on Tuesday, projects a six per cent increase in […]

From Himalayan melt to drowning shores, children lead the climate fight

From Himalayan melt to drowning shores, children lead the climate fight

For young people living on the frontlines, climate change disrupts education, health and safety, casting a pall of uncertainty over the future. As countries race to meet climate goals, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is stepping in to ensure that children’s voices are not just heard, but central to shaping solutions. UN News spoke with […]

Climate emergency is a health crisis ‘that is already killing us,’ says WHO

Climate emergency is a health crisis ‘that is already killing us,’ says WHO

Europe is warming faster than any other WHO region, and the impact on people’s health is growing more severe. From rising death rates to increasing climate-related anxiety, nearly every health indicator linked to climate has worsened in recent years.  In response, WHO/Europe on Wednesday launched a new initiative – the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH) […]

Drifting architects: Plankton, climate, and the race to understand our changing ocean

Drifting architects: Plankton, climate, and the race to understand our changing ocean

On a sun-drenched morning off the coast of Villefranche-sur-Mer, the Sagitta III cuts through the cobalt waters of the Mediterranean, past the quiet marinas and pine-fringed terraces of France’s Côte d’Azur. The 40-foot scientific vessel – named after a fearsome zooplankton with hook-lined jaws – rumbles toward a lonely yellow buoy bobbing offshore. In the […]

World News in Brief: Aid for Syria, children under attack in Mozambique, rights-based climate action

World News in Brief: Aid for Syria, children under attack in Mozambique, rights-based climate action

Despite limited resources, the UN and partners are reaching some 2.5 million people each month across the country. In May alone, more than one million people received assistance, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Cross-border aid has significantly increased this year. Since January, 1,185 humanitarian trucks have crossed from Türkiye […]

‘We are the present’: Tajik climate activist urges leaders to include youth voices in dialogue

‘We are the present’: Tajik climate activist urges leaders to include youth voices in dialogue

At the end of April, Fariza Dzhobirova attended a Model United Nations Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, where she represented Switzerland. For Ms. Dzhobirova, it was a rehearsal of sorts for the actual High-level Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation which began on Thursday in Dushanbe. There, she will serve as a panel member representing […]