This is the News in Brief from the United Nations.

UN chief calls for investments in sustainable tourism

As the climate crisis threatens the tourist industry and the communities who depend on it, greening the tourism sector is the only way forward.

That’s the message from UN chief António Guterres on World Tourism Day observed on Wednesday.

According to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism employs one in every 10 people on Earth. 

To protect tourism jobs, Mr. Guterres said that governments and businesses must invest in sustainable and resilient practices, embrace renewable energy, and better protect the “biodiversity and ecological balance” of all destinations.

The UN chief stressed that targeted investments can deliver jobs and support local businesses and industries while mitigating the environmental impacts of tourism.

“Investing in sustainable tourism is investing in a better future for all,” he said.

Maritime transport needs to decarbonize ‘as soon as possible’: UNCTAD

Staying on the topic of sustainability: action is urgently needed to combat surging carbon emissions in the shipping industry, the UN trade and development body UNCTAD said on Wednesday.

Ahead of World Maritime Day on 28 September, UNCTAD called for cleaner fuels, digital solutions and clear and universal carbon regulations in an industry accounting for over 80 per cent of the world’s trade volume, in which emissions have risen by one fifth over the past decade. 

UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan insisted that maritime transport needs to decarbonize “as soon as possible”, while ensuring economic growth. 

“Balancing environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance and economic demands is vital for a prosperous, equitable and resilient future for maritime transport,” she said.

Investment in green technologies is urgent as nearly 99 per cent of the global shipping fleet still relies on conventional fuels, and commercial vessels are on average over 22 years old.

UNCTAD reports that up to an additional $28 billion will be required annually to decarbonize ships by 2050 and up to $90 billion will be needed each year to develop infrastructure for entirely carbon-neutral fuels by 2050.

Cyberbullying can be deadly, requires holistic approach

Anxiety, emotional distress and even child suicide can be among the consequences of cyberbullying, which requires prevention strategies that fully involve big tech firms, the Human Rights Council heard on Wednesday.

Here’s 15-year-old Santa Rose Mary, a children’s advocate from Uganda, with a warning to the Council about the violence of cyberbullying:

“When your personal information has been shared with everyone around the world, you can’t even face the community when you live, you can’t even face your own parents… A child can also commit suicide. Children have that feeling of, you know, not being needed in the community.”

UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif told the Council that the “complex” topic of cyberbullying lies at the intersection of human rights, digital and policy issues.

“To get this right, we must adopt a holistic approach, and address root causes”, she said, underscoring that “central to this is the voice of children themselves”.

Ms. Al-Nashif also highlighted that according to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, cyberbullying affects girls almost twice as much as boys. 

She stressed the “centrality and power of companies in the online space”, insisting on the responsibility of tech companies to provide adapted privacy tools and follow content moderation guidelines “in line with international human rights standards”.

A representative of Meta – parent company of Facebook - also took part in the discussion.

DTM, UN News.