United Nations

World Bank Scales up MENA Climate Finance

November 29, 2016

The World Bank has announced the launch of its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Action Plan, under which it will seek to double its financing of "climate action" over the next four years by supporting projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support adaptability to global warming impacts in the MENA region.
California Joins Climate-Friendly Urban Planning Initiative

November 28, 2016

The World Bank has announced that the State of California has agreed to partner with the Bank's "Global Platform for Sustainable Cities" to promote "sustainable" urban planning in China and other countries to help these countries meet their commitments under the UN climate deal that entered into force earlier this month.
UN Agents Criticize Result of California Murder Trial

November 28, 2016

A group of UN human rights mandate holders have called on California Governor Jerry Brown to halt the execution of a man convicted of murder due to what they characterize as reports of a flawed trial that violated the man's right to due process, asserting that carrying out the execution would be a "flagrant contravention of the United States’ national and international obligations."
UN, EU Bodies Discuss Future Governance of "Work"

November 28, 2016

The UN's International Labour Organization and the European Economic and Social Committee recently organized a conference in Brussels to discuss with representatives of nongovernmental organizations a global agenda for addressing future challenges to work, including those presented by climate change and income inequality.
Experts Offer Climate "Pathway" for New US Administration

November 22, 2016

Nicolas Loris and Steven Groves of the Heritage Foundation offer a series of steps for the next US Administration to "unwind" US participation in the UN's Paris climate deal, which entered into force earlier this month, including withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
UN "Incubator" Advances Climate Partnerships

November 22, 2016

At a recent UN summit in Morocco on implementing the Paris climate change agreement, UN officials outlined how its Southern Climate Partnership Incubator is forging transnational structures and agreements to counter the impacts of global warming and support implementation of the UN's comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals.
EU Committee Head Seeks Stronger UN Climate Pledges

November 22, 2016

Speaking at a UN climate summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, President of the European Committee of the Regions Markku Markkula called for countries to heed local and regional governments in going beyond their pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the UN climate deal that entered into force earlier this month.
Officials Warn US to Respect UN Climate Deal Pledge

November 16, 2016

Reuters reports that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and French President François Hollande, in separate remarks following the election of Donald Trump as President, have both called on the US to carry out its commitments under the "irreversible" and "unstoppable" UN climate accord that entered into force earlier this month.
UN Pays Governments to Impose Tobacco Controls

November 16, 2016

The UN has announced that it is offering new funding for poor and "middle income" countries that agree to impose restrictions on tobacco under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as part of the international organization's comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals for the year 2030.
UN Seeks Environmental "Duty of Care" Standards

November 16, 2016

As the UN International Law Commission reviews global standards to advance environmental preservation, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for countries to recognize a "shared duty of care toward the environment" to fulfill the UN's "sustainable development" agenda.