United Nations

UN Agent Criticizes "LuxLeaks" Whistleblowers' Conviction

July 14, 2016

Calling whistleblowers "heroes of our time," UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Alfred de Zayas, condemned the conviction by a Luxembourg court of two former employees of PricewaterhouseCoopers for leaking sensitive documents purporting to reveal generous tax breaks for multinational companies.
UN Forum: Climate Work Must Be Central to Development

July 14, 2016

In panels that closed the UN's Africa Carbon Forum 2016, African government officials called for a development agenda based in efforts to counter climate change, including greater financing to help Africa adapt to the current and future impacts of global warming.
UNEP Distributes $20 Million in Gambia Climate Efforts

July 14, 2016

The UN Environment Programme has announced that it is using $20 million from the UN's Green Climate Fund to finance a broad effort to mitigate the impacts of global warming in The Gambia, with projects ranging from reforesting portions of the country to increasing crop yields.
Businesses Sign on to ILO Disability Charter

July 14, 2016

The International Labour Organization has announced that four new companies have signed on to its Global Business and Disability Network Charter, a pledge committing the companies "to promoting and including persons with disabilities" in their global operations, protecting persons with disabilities from discrimination, and expanding accessibility in workplaces.
OHCHR: SDGs Are Built on Human Rights Agenda

July 13, 2016

As the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development held its first meeting since the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement calling on participants to wed their efforts to achieve the SDGs with the implementation of the broadly defined, global human rights agenda.
UN Agents Warn of Economic Focus in "Urban Agenda"

July 13, 2016

A group of UN special rapporteurs and independent experts has warned that the focus of the UN's "New Urban Agenda," a development agenda for cities around the world, neglects economic and social human rights in favor of "unrestrained urban economic growth."
UN Launches Ad Initiative Publicizing SDGs

July 12, 2016

At a recent International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on advertising and communications professionals to partner with the UN to publicize the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a comprehensive set of development and environmental targets to be achieved by the year 2030.
India Considers Broad Climate Law Under UN Deal

July 12, 2016

The Economic Times reports that the Indian Prime Minister's Executive Committee on Climate Change has considered speedy and comprehensive implementation of the country's pledges under the UN climate agreement through an "umbrella law" that would set out legislative changes combating global warming across all government ministries and sectors.
UN Official: Brexit Means Rewriting Climate Deal

July 11, 2016

Prior to the UK's vote to leave the EU, Christiana Figueres of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change asserted that the UN deal setting out climate change commitments, agreed in Paris last year, would have to be "recalibrated" in case of Brexit because the deal contemplated that Britain would remain a member of the EU.
EU Leaders Seek Accelerated Climate Deal Ratification

July 11, 2016

EurActiv reports that environment ministers from EU member states are calling for their governments to accelerate the ratification of the UN climate deal agreed in Paris last year in order to permit the EU to be a party to the agreement when it comes into force.