United Nations

Academic Pursues UN Due Process Framework

December 15, 2016

Devika Hovell of the London School of Economics has published an article pursuing a "value-based" route through which the UN should develop principles of due process permitting those who argue they are harmed by the international organization's actions to seek a remedy.
Article Seeks Global Governance for Health Issues

December 15, 2016

An article from human rights lawyers Gorik Ooms and Rachel Hammonds calls for a Framework Convention on Global Health that would provide for global constitutional structures, separated into legislative, executive, and judicial powers, aimed at advancing the "right to health."
UN Agency Pushes for Broad "Refugee" Definition

December 14, 2016

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has issued guidelines calling on governments to recognize that anyone fleeing armed conflict in their home country deserves asylum, criticizing laws that restrict refugee status to people who are individually targeted with persecution as based on a "myth."
Countries Adopt UN "Sustainable Transport" Policy

December 13, 2016

Government officials meeting at a UN summit in Turkmenistan adopted an "Ashgabat Statement" pledging to build more "sustainable" and climate-friendly transportation systems, as UN representatives pushed for the mobilization of trillions of dollars in investments for such sustainable transport.
UN Pushes SDGs with Outer Space Declaration

December 13, 2016

Following the recent UN High Level Forum on Space as a Driver for Socio-economic Sustainable Development, participating governments and other attendees adopted a Dubai Declaration that pushes for governments to align their policies on outer space with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
UNESCO Body Introduces Oceans "Roadmap"

December 13, 2016

At a side event during the recent UN climate summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's presented its Strategic Action Roadmap on Oceans and Climate for the next five years, in part to support the provision of "climate finance" to ocean projects to reduce the impacts of global warming.
World Bank Outlines Urban Climate Strategy

December 09, 2016

At the recent UN climate change summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, the World Bank touted its broad focus in funding urban projects whose aim is to reduce the impacts of global warming, including by fostering "climate resilience" in cities and pushing local officials to make "climate-smart investments."
World Bank Trains Slovakia on Climate Monitoring

December 09, 2016

The World Bank and the Slovakian government have signed a new "service agreement" through which the World Bank will provide training in economic and energy modeling to assist the country in meeting its goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as provided by the EU's 2030 energy and climate policy framework.
UN Officials Praise Castro as "Inspirational Figure"

December 08, 2016

As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered condolences upon the death of former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro praising his support for "social justice," President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson extolled Castro's "love for his homeland" and "dedication" to the advancement of education and health in developing countries.
UN Rights Office Prepares for Trump Criticism

December 08, 2016

A Foreign Policy article describes how UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, who criticized US President-elect Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, is preparing his office to call out the Trump Administration for rights violations, with one UN official pledging to condemn the implementation of any of Trump's "ghastly campaign pledges."