United Nations

NGO Report Documents Ongoing Abuse of UNHRC

January 16, 2019

Spotlighting the reasons why the US withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), an article from Human Rights Watch documents the ongoing selection of countries routinely accused of widespread human rights violations to the UNHRC with the aim of shielding their conduct from scrutiny.
Law Professor Calls for UN Chief to Investigate Khashoggi Murder

January 15, 2019

Professor Steven Ratner of the University of Michigan Law School calls for UN Secretary-General António Guterres to launch an investigation of the murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, arguing that a UN report on the murder could lead to appropriate sanctions of senior-level officials suspected of involvement in the murder plot.
Yemen Receives Post on UN Women’s Board

January 15, 2019

Patrick Goodenough reports that Yemen was elected Vice President of an executive board managing the UN Women agency for “gender equality and women’s empowerment,” even though a recent World Economic Forum report ranked the country last out of 149 countries in gender equality.
World Bank Launches SDG-Linked Bonds for Asian Investors

January 15, 2019

The World Bank, in partnership with French bank BNP Paribas, recently introduced new bonds for investors in Hong Kong and Singapore that link investment returns with corporate contributions to the comprehensive social and environmental targets contained in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNESCO Promotes Curricula on “Sustainability” in Japan, Morocco

January 11, 2019

A joint project of Japanese and Moroccan foundations with the aim of “twinning” schools in these countries to promote the UN’s “sustainable development” agenda highlights the global nature of projects at the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to embed its Education for Sustainable Development initiative in school curricula.
UNESCO Pushes Schools to Teach “Ocean Literacy”

January 11, 2019

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Office in San José, Costa Rica, recently hosted a training workshop for teachers on “ocean literacy,” as the global organization seeks to include in school curricula portions of the UN’s ambitious “sustainable development” agenda related to protection of the oceans.
UN Project Seeks National Coordination on Environmental SDGs

January 10, 2019

The UN Environment Programme has produced a fact sheet on its program pushing for “coherent and integrated implementation and monitoring” by national institutions in four developing countries of environment-related action toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
New Global Accord Targeting Greenhouse Gases Enters into Force

January 10, 2019

The UN Environment Programme has applauded the entry into force of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which aims to limit the production and consumption of greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons to help achieve the ambitious goals of the UN’s Paris climate accord.
UN, Sports Groups Launch Climate Action Framework

January 10, 2019

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Olympic Committee, and other sports organizations have launched a Sports for Climate Action Framework aiming to reduce sports-related greenhouse gas emissions and use sporting events to promote the goals of the UN’s Paris climate accord and “sustainable development” agenda.
UN Agency Advocates for “Environmentally Displaced People”

January 09, 2019

The UN Environment Programme's interview of a “climate justice” campaigner highlights the UN agency’s promotion of a new category of “involuntary” migrants, called “environmentally displaced people,” who would gain a right to claim legal protection abroad as they flee the impacts of climate change.