United Nations

Swiss UN Resolution Seeks Global Governance of Geoengineering

March 04, 2019

The website Climate Home News reports that the Swiss government plans to introduce a resolution at the UN Environment Assembly in March seeking global governance of geoengineering techniques aimed at reducing the negative impacts of climate change.
UN Chief Urges Lawmakers to Bolster SDG Effort

March 04, 2019

In remarks to lawmakers from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for legislative action across the globe to achieve the UN’s comprehensive social and environmental targets contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNESCO SDG Steering Committee Pushes for Education Targets

March 04, 2019

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently showcased its promotion of targets in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on education with a meeting of its SDG-E2030 Regional Steering Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean to bolster regional cooperation on “equity and inclusion” in education systems.
UNFCCC Contributes to Caribbean Climate “Hub”

March 04, 2019

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has partnered on launching a Caribbean Measurement, Reporting and Verification Hub to push governments in the region to share information about their efforts to comply with their pledges under the UN’s Paris climate accord.
Denmark, Australia Criticize UNHRC on Anti-Israel Agenda

March 01, 2019

The Jerusalem Post reports that diplomats of Denmark and Australia recently called on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to eliminate the body’s standing agenda item through which it issues an annual condemnation of alleged Israeli human rights violations, warning the item “undermines the credibility of this council.”
Gennarini: UN Development Reforms Reduce Government Oversight

March 01, 2019

Stefano Gennarini of the Center for Family & Human Rights reports that reforms to the UN development system put in place by UN Secretary-General António Guterres include an increase in the authority of local UN agents to implement policies without consulting national governments of their host states.
UN Chief Refers to “Hate Speech” as Major Global Threat

March 01, 2019

In recent remarks to the UN Human Rights Council, UN Secretary-General António Guterres referred to “hate speech” as “a menace to democratic values, social stability and peace.”
ICJ Demands UK “Decolonization” of Chagos Islands

February 27, 2019

The UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) has found that the UK has an obligation to hand over “as rapidly as possible” administration of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, finding Britain’s continued control of the remote archipelago for use as an air base since 1968 violates international law.
Dutch NGOs Threaten Climate Lawsuit Against Shell

February 22, 2019

Climate Liability News refers to a threat from Dutch NGOs to sue Shell over the company’s contributions to greenhouse gas emissions if it refuses to adhere to the UN’s Paris climate accord as “a new legal front in the climate battle” in which NGOs demand compensation from large energy companies to address their alleged climate impacts.
WHO Creates Standard-Setting Body for Genome Editing

February 21, 2019

The World Health Organization has formed a committee to create uniform global standards governing the editing of the human genome, including “appropriate governance mechanisms” for the practice.