United Nations

UN Official: Climate Action Is "Unstoppable"

March 13, 2017

The BBC reports that, despite contrary evidence from the Trump Administration's regulatory overhaul of the energy industry, the new head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Patricia Espinosa has called actions to counter climate change "unstoppable" and has expressed hope that the US will not withdraw from the recent UN climate deal.
UN Mechanism Updates "Clean Development" Rules

March 13, 2017

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's Clean Development Mechanism has announced an update to its regulations streamlining the use of the Mechanism by developing countries seeking to receive financial credits for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions as part of the UN's climate change agenda.
Experts: Fold UNRWA into Broader UN Refugee Efforts

March 13, 2017

Two representatives of nongovernmental organizations on Jewish policy and international relations, Richard Schifter and Eric Rozenman, are calling on the Trump Administration to insist that the UN integrate its Palestinian refugee office into its general refugee office, rather than continuing to fund an office accused of deepening the sectarian conflict.
UN Agent Criticizes US Relations with Indian Tribes

March 08, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz has criticized the US federal government for a "lack of good faith involvement" in consulting Native American tribes on energy and development projects such as the Dakota Access pipeline project in North Dakota.
UN Agent Calls on Tunisia to Improve "Social Rights"

March 02, 2017

At the end of his visit to Tunisia, UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky called for the country's government to focus on fulfilling economic, social, and cultural human rights by promoting "socially inclusive growth" in its economic policy, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Report Calls for Labor Rights to Reduce Inequality

March 02, 2017

A report from the UN's International Labour Organization and the European Commission points to "centralized or highly coordinated collective bargaining systems" and high minimum wages as the best ways in which European governments can reduce income inequality.
US Considers Withdrawing from UNHRC

March 01, 2017

Politico reports that, according to sources in contact with the US State Department, officials within the Trump Administration are considering withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) over the body's anti-Israel bias and its inclusion of regimes widely considered to be human rights violators.
UN Official Warns Against Withdrawal from Rights Treaties

March 01, 2017

At the opening of the current UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein warned that attempts by "reckless political profiteers" to withdraw their countries from "international or regional treaties and the institutions which uphold them" would threaten human rights around the world.
UN Official Seeks Language Learning for SDGs

March 01, 2017

In a statement marking "International Mother Language Day," the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Irina Bokova linked the importance of "linguistic diversity" around the world with her agency's agenda on teaching students of all ages to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN, EU Bodies Issue "Telework" Recommendations

March 01, 2017

The UN International Labour Organization and EU agency Eurofound have published a report containing global recommendations on access of employees to "telework," warning of increased stress due to mobile work and calling for the promotion of "part-time teleworking" to improve worker well-being.