Welcome to the ‘agrihood’ – the neighbourhood of the future?

Welcome to the ‘agrihood’ – the neighbourhood of the future?

Towns and cities are home to more than half of the world’s population and responsible for around 70 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis, which is why urban planners in Brazil are leading a design revolution that could point the way to creating built-up areas with a dramatically smaller carbon […]

A sustainable future requires new thinking: UN environment report

“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 […]

‘Peace is the most powerful force for a better future’: Guterres

‘Peace is the most powerful force for a better future’: Guterres

António Guterres issued the call during the annual ceremony on the grounds of UN Headquarters in New York to ring the Peace Bell. Pursuing the cause of peace is “the beating heart” of the Organization, “but today, peace is under siege,” he said. “Conflicts are multiplying. Civilians are suffering. Human rights and international law are […]

Peacekeeping: A lifeline for millions seeking a ‘future without fear’

Peacekeeping: A lifeline for millions seeking a ‘future without fear’

Governments and civil society organizations have so far submitted more than 60 contributions to a review process mandated under the Pact for the Future, agreed by Member States last year. The UN has an 80-year legacy that includes deploying multidimensional peacekeeping operations that combine police, troop and civilian personnel; special political missions engaged in conflict […]

Teachers are the ‘guardians of our future’, says UN deputy chief

Teachers are the ‘guardians of our future’, says UN deputy chief

Their work, said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, is “the beating heart of education, the cornerstone of sustainable development, and the guardians of our future.” Speaking Thursday at the opening of the UNESCO World Summit on Teachers in Santiago, Chile, Ms. Mohammed called for urgent global action to address the deepening teacher crisis. “Let us […]

Gazans face a future of pain and prosthetics

Gazans face a future of pain and prosthetics

At the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, a small child, Maryam Abu Alba, is crying in pain. “The neighbour’s house was bombed, and their home was hit,” says her grandmother. “One of her legs had to be amputated, and metal plates had to be inserted into the other one, which was fractured. She is in […]

Young people take the lead for a more sustainable future

Young people take the lead for a more sustainable future

Observed each year on 12 August, the Day draws attention to the rights, contributions and challenges of young people everywhere. This year’s theme, “Local youth action for the SDGs and beyond,” emphasises how grassroots youth engagement is vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and shaping more just, inclusive societies. “Young people are bold […]

Landless and locked out: Young farmers struggle for a future

Landless and locked out: Young farmers struggle for a future

However, this creates challenges by limiting land access for the next generation and diminishing their voice in agricultural policymaking. Without land assets, young people struggle to secure the resources needed to become agricultural producers themselves. Between 2005 and 2021, the number of youth employed in agrifood jobs declined by 10 per cent, prompting concerns for […]

Space is not the final frontier – it is the foundation of our future: UN deputy chief

Space is not the final frontier – it is the foundation of our future: UN deputy chief

Addressing delegates at a UN forum on peaceful uses of outer space, Amina Mohammed urged greater international cooperation as the world becomes increasingly reliant on satellites for everything from disaster response to climate monitoring. “Space is not the final frontier. It is the foundation of our present,” she said. “Without satellites orbiting overhead right now, […]

It’s time to finance our future and ‘change course’, Guterres tells world leaders in Sevilla

It’s time to finance our future and ‘change course’, Guterres tells world leaders in Sevilla

António Guterres issued his clarion call noting that sustainable development powered by international cooperation, is now facing “massive headwinds.” Addressing the opening session of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) in baking hot Sevilla, Spain – basking in record high June temperatures – the Secretary-General noted multilateralism itself is also feeling the heat, while […]

LIVE: World leaders in Sevilla launch ambitious push to finance the future

LIVE: World leaders in Sevilla launch ambitious push to finance the future

From rising debt and shrinking investment, to the aid funding crisis and struggles to meet ambitious development goals, the global financial system is failing the people it’s supposed to serve: that’s the challenge facing world leaders gathered in Spain’s sweltering southern jewel of Sevilla this week, as the  UN’s 4th International Conference on Financing for […]

No green without blue: Young ocean explorers set sail for a sustainable future

No green without blue: Young ocean explorers set sail for a sustainable future

In the old town of Nice, the 98-meter-long, three-masted barque arrived last week at Port Lympia, where UNOC3 is now under way. Built in 1914 and owned by Norway since 1921, the Statsraad Lehmkuhl – named for former Norwegian minister Kristofer Lehmkuhl – was refitted last year with state-of-the-art ocean science instruments, transforming it into […]

Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

The effects of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. Around seven million people died, health systems were overwhelmed, and the global economy was practically driven to a standstill. The global turmoil prompted a stunned international community to pursue an agreement aimed at preventing such a catastrophic event from happening again – and ensuring […]

UNFPA calls on US to reconsider ban on future funding

UNFPA calls on US to reconsider ban on future funding

In a statement, UNFPA said the move – which invokes a 1985 legal provision known as the Kemp-Kasten Amendment – is based on “unfounded claims” about the agency’s work in China. These allegations, it noted, have “long been disproven”, including by the US Government itself. The Kemp-Kasten amendment states that no funds can go to […]

As budgets shrink, UN Peacekeeping looks to the future

As budgets shrink, UN Peacekeeping looks to the future

“This is a particularly timely meeting,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, at a press conference in New York on Thursday. “It’s a unique opportunity to underline the added value of peacekeeping and ensure we remain ready, as a peacekeeping family, to respond with Member States to any new mission that may arise.” The UN […]

Bajaj Auto Reports 9% Net Profit Growth in Q2 FY25, Driven by Strong EV Sales

Bajaj Auto Reports 9% Net Profit Growth in Q2 FY25, Driven by Strong EV Sales

Bajaj Auto on Wednesday announced a 9% rise in net profit for the July-September quarter (Q2 FY25), posting a net income of Rs 2,005 crore, driven by robust performance in its green energy segment. The company’s electric vehicle (EV) sales surged, contributing significantly to its overall growth. Adjusted for exceptional deferred tax provisions, Bajaj Auto’s […]

Odyssey Nears Deal to Acquire Honeywell’s PPE Unit

Odyssey Nears Deal to Acquire Honeywell’s PPE Unit

Private equity firm Odyssey is reportedly in advanced negotiations to acquire Honeywell’s face mask unit, a potential deal valued at around $1.5 billion. This acquisition marks a strategic move by Odyssey to capitalize on the surging demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), driven by the global pandemic. The deal would be a significant milestone in […]

OpenAI’s $6.6 Billion Funding Boosts Future Tech Trajectory Avenues Despite Challenges

OpenAI’s $6.6 Billion Funding Boosts Future Tech Trajectory Avenues Despite Challenges

OpenAI has shattered records by securing a monumental $6.6 billion in funding, a move that could elevate its valuation to an eye-popping $157 billion. This latest round, fueled by a diverse group of investors, positions the AI powerhouse at the forefront of global tech innovation despite undergoing significant internal shifts. Investor Confidence Amidst Executive Changes […]