United Nations

Academic Seeks World Progress on Climate-Refugee Regime

January 05, 2016

Expressing concern over the failure of governments and activists to gain traction at UN fora in establishing legal status for "refugees" fleeing the effects of climate change, Professor Alexander Betts of the University of Oxford calls for world leaders to "update and reform the global refugee regime" to include those affected by global warming.
World Bank Uses Paris Deal to Expand "Climate Finance"

January 04, 2016

The World Bank Group is seeking to capitalize on the adoption of a UN deal on countering climate change recently agreed in Paris to expand its work and funding in countries for development projects that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and by developing a "Climate Change Action Plan" that will mainstream climate considerations in the Bank's operations.
World Bank Calls on Poland to Increase Wealth Redistribution

January 04, 2016

The World Bank has published an article calling on the Polish Government, "for social and economic reasons," to expand cash redistribution programs and to increase monetary benefits to the poor population in the country.
US State Department Seeks "Re-funding" of UNESCO

January 04, 2016

According to The Washington Free Beacon, the US State Department is seeking Senate support for a measure permitting the US once again to fund the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ("UNESCO") after the Obama Administration was legally required to de-fund UNESCO in 2011 due to the organization's admission of Palestine as a member.
Slaughter: Climate Deal Signals New Approach to Global Governance

December 30, 2015

Author and former president of the American Society of International Law Anne-Marie Slaughter writes that the approach of the UN climate pact agreed in Paris, involving non-binding national commitments and a "conglomeration" of stakeholders, is part of a 21st-century strategy for implementing global governance.
UN Official Warns EU on Impending Tobacco Reforms

December 30, 2015

POLITICO reports that the head of the UN World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control secretariat Vera Da Costa e Silva has posted a letter to EU officials warning them that working too closely with representatives of tobacco companies in developing anti-cigarette smuggling rules would violate the bloc's international commitments.
US Member of Congress: Disband or Reform UNHRC

December 30, 2015

US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has called for President Barack Obama to call for either a fundamental reform or the disbandment of the UN Human Rights Council ("UNHRC"), which she asserts makes no meaningful contribution to the protection of fundamental human rights and instead merely singles out Israel for alleged rights abuses.
UN-Launched Group Calls for Climate Investment in Cities

December 30, 2015

A report emanating from the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance, launched by the UN in 2014, seeks a large injection of funding from governments and businesses into cities for "climate-smart" infrastructure and transportation development to counter the effects of climate change.
UN Ramps up Pressure for Climate-Change Education

December 30, 2015

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ("UNESCO") recently hosted a seminar for policy coordinators, teachers, and students from its Associated Schools Project Network to assist with the development of action plans to educate children about the effects of climate change in schools around the world.
UN, Norway Agree on Funding for Climate-Poverty Research

December 30, 2015

The UN Environment Programme ("UNEP") has announced a $10 million deal with Norway that will fund UNEP's work on environmental crimes and on "mainstreaming" policy initiatives at the national level on how development planning can alleviate the effects of global warming on poverty.