United Nations

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.
World Bank Announces Climate Funding for Vietnam

July 11, 2016

Signaling the increased financial support of international development banks for projects that seek to counter global warming or reduce its impacts, the World Bank has announced a $90-million credit for Vietnam to support "green growth" and coastal planning with an eye to reducing the effects of climate change in the country.
NGO Criticizes Rights Abusers' Election to UN Body

July 11, 2016

The nongovernmental organization UN Watch has criticized the election of China, Russia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela, regimes often accused of extensive human rights violations, to the UN Economic and Social Council, which oversees a range of human rights issues and groups.
UN Agent Demands National Votes on EU Trade Deals

July 11, 2016

Alfred de Zayas, the UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, has asserted that the EU would violate global human rights standards if it does not grant the national parliaments of its member states a vote on any trade deals the bloc agrees with Canada and the US.
US Legislators Criticize UN for Cholera Outbreak

July 06, 2016

A letter from 158 members of the US Congress criticizes the UN for refusing to accept responsibility for a massive cholera outbreak in Haiti beginning in 2010 and calls on the US State Department to place more pressure on UN officials to implement an appropriate response to the disaster.
UNESCO Analyzes Governance of Culture

July 01, 2016

A report recently released by UNESCO at the European Parliament sets out recommendations on the governance of "cultural expressions" and analyzes how culture interacts with the UN's "sustainable development" agenda.