Global perspective Human stories

The Lid is On

Conor Lennon/UN News

PODCAST: COVID-19 forces relief rethink at world’s largest humanitarian hub

International Humanitarian City (IHC) in Dubai, the world’s largest humanitarian hub with some 135,000 square metres of warehouse space, has been transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, medical supplies far outstrip other emergency items stored at IHC, in terms of volume and dollar value, and the amount of material held at the hub has grown exponentially in the last few years.

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10'46"
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Durban +20: ‘Nobody’ is free from the impacts of racism, intolerance

As the UN independent expert on contemporary racism and intolerance, Tendayi Achiume leads a worldwide effort to combat related human rights violations and tackle systemic racism, through fact-finding missions on the ground, investigating alleged violations, and submitting her findings to the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly in New York.

The Zambian-born law professor tells UN News that it was as an undergraduate that she became fascinated with the potential and power that international law has to ease human suffering, and help transform societies.

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31'46"
Derrick León Washington

PODCAST: Durban +20 - forging a creative path in defense of human rights

Growing up in California’s Silicon Valley, African-American Derrick León Washington took note of the socio-economic disparity around him, and knew early on, there was something unjust about what he saw.

Given the opportunity to explore dance as a teenager, he saw most weren’t so lucky, leading him on a mission to explore how he could be of service to his community and beyond.

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25'43"
UN News/Conor Lennon

PODCAST: Tears, fears and fossil fuels

At times it seemed that a COP26 resolution was still hours or even days away but, on Saturday evening, a final document was finally adopted, despite the misgivings expressed by many countries at revised language regarding fossil fuels.

COP26 President, Alok Sharma, seemed close to tears at one point, betraying the enormous pressure felt by so many of those closely involved with the negotiations.

In the last episode of the Lid Is On from COP26, Conor Lennon and Laura Quiñones discuss the outcome of the conference, the Glasgow Climate Pact.

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10'54"
Conor Lennon/UN News

PODCAST: A turning point, or a disappointment? COP26 winds down, with a final declaration still unsigned

With negotiators still haggling over the details of the COP26 final declaration, Conor Lennon and Laura Quiñones look back over two extremely busy, sleep-deprived weeks of announcements, protests and hopeful pronouncements.

Thanks for tuning into the Daily Lid Is On episodes from Glasgow, and please subscribe to our flagship news podcasts! You can also subscribe to our newsletter: https://news.un.org/en/newsletter/climate-change 

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23'22"
UNIC Bogota/José Ríos

PODCAST: COP26 negotiators ‘roll up their sleeves’ to get a deal

In theory it is the penultimate day of COP26, but this is dependent on negotiators reaching a final agreement, with many thorny details still to be ironed out.

Thursday was also Cities, Regions and Infrastructure day, and our team in Glasgow – Conor Lennon and Laura Quiñones – talk to mayors, activists, and a record-breaking explorer, to get a feel for the progress that is, and isn’t, being made to make cities more liveable and inclusive.

Music: "Within the Earth', Ketsa
 

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22'43"
UN News/Daniel Dickinson

PODCAST: Driving the transition to zero emission vehicles – transport day at COP26

It’s looking more and more likely that electric vehicles will dominate the roads of the most developed countries within the next few decades. But will the Global South become the world’s dumping ground for old, polluting cars?

In today’s episode of The Lid Is On from COP26, Conor Lennon and Laura Quiñones speak to some leading experts from the road, shipping and aviation sectors about sustainable fuels and electrifying transport, and get some of the reactions to the draft COP26 final text, released by the UK presidency on Wednesday morning.
 

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20'5"
OCHA/Danielle Parry

PODCAST: The waters are literally lapping at our ankles – adaptation day at COP26

Even if we were to cut all the world's greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, we would still be left coping with rising temperatures and an unpredictable climate. That’s why adaptation is, literally, a hot topic at COP26.

Nevertheless, the annual $100 billion promised for climate finance in the 2015 Paris Agreement – half of which was to be earmarked to help developing countries to cope with the climate crisis – has yet to materialize. 

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26'49"
UNDP/Tim Laman

PODCAST: Appealing to our better nature - COP26 day 6

Mankind’s impact on the planet is causing it to react against us, provoking extreme weather events in every corner of the world.

But there is a growing realization that, rather than inventing new technology to tackle the climate crisis, we can harness nature to help us solve the problem.

In today’s episode of the Lid Is On, Conor Lennon and Laura Quinones explore nature-based solutions, from forests to seaweed, and mangroves.

Music: Within the Earth, Ketsa
 

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21'10"