Climate and Environment

A horse rider heads towards mountains in Kyrgyzstan .
© UNESCO

UN offers science-based blueprint to tackle climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution

18 February 2021
Global

Without nature’s help, “we will not thrive or even survive”, the UN chief said on Thursday, launching a major report on the environment. 

A young girl at a plant nursery in Indonesia.
CIFOR/Ricky Martin

First Person: ‘The world is in your hands and begins at your door’.

18 February 2021
Global

British celebrity gardener Monty Don, a UN advocate for plant health, is raising awareness of the links between human health, plant health and the well-being of the planet.

A boy makes a small house using plastic and debris. His home was completely swept away when Typhoon Goni hit the Philippines in November 2020.
UNICEF/Nino Luces

Scale up funding for climate adaptation programmes, Guterres urges

25 January 2021
Global

The UN Secretary-General on Monday called for urgent scaling up of funds for climate change adaptation and resilience building programmes, so they can offer real and lasting protection against the impact of major events such as droughts, floods and rising sea-levels. 

Former United States Secretary of State John Kerry, accompanied by his grand-daughter, signs the Paris Agreement at UN headquarters in April 2016.
UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

Secretary-General welcomes US return to Paris Agreement on Climate Change

20 January 2021
Americas

Following the inauguration of United States President Joe Biden on Wednesday, the UN Secretary-General said he looks forward to an era of new leadership towards accelerating climate action, with the US back inside the landmark Paris Agreement.  

Workers pick tea in Tanzania. Changes in the climate have affected crops such as tea, across the world.
CIFOR/Nkumi Mtimgwa

Step up action and adapt to 'new climate reality', UN environment report urges

14 January 2021
Global

Though countries have made progress in planning for climate change adaptation, there are significant financing shortfalls in getting them to the stage where they provide real protection against droughts, floods and rising sea levels, a new UN environment report has found. 

Secretary General’s New Year message.
UN News

After year of ‘trials, tragedies and tears’, UN chief sends message of hope for 2021

28 December 2020
Global

As the world enters 2021, after a “year of trials, tragedies and tears”, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has delivered a message of hope for the new year. 

Students in a rural area of Kenya are set to enjoy the benefits of solar lanterns.
UNDP Kenya/Inger Haugsgjerd

LIVE: Climate Ambition Summit

12 December 2020
Global

Live coverage of the Climate Ambition Summit 2020, an important step forward in the battle against the climate crisis, with several major economies announcing new commitments to cut their carbon footprints and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the Climate Action Summit?

UN Secretary-General declares "state of climate emergency"

What is net zero?

What comes next?

Local school children water a vegetable garden at their Primary School in Laos.
© FAO/Manan Vatsyayana

Contribution of life in soil ‘remains largely underestimated’, says UN agriculture agency 

4 December 2020
Global

Even though soil organisms play a crucial role in boosting food production, enhancing nutritious diets, preserving human health, and combating climate change, the real contribution of these tiny life forms remains largely underestimated, the UN agriculture agency (FAO) said on Friday. 

The Earth, an image created from photographs taken by the Suomi NPP satellite.
NASA

Climate Action: It’s time to make peace with nature, UN chief urges

2 December 2020
Global

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has described the fight against the climate crisis as the top priority for the 21st Century, in a passionate, uncompromising speech delivered on Wednesday at Columbia University in New York.

Young girls wait by a shallow well during a humanitarian mission in drought-affected Garbahaarey, a town in southern Somalia.
UN Photo/David Mutua

Climate crisis: ‘Nowhere near the finish line’ – UN chief 

19 November 2020
Global

Pointing to its “pioneering legislation and policies”, on Thursday the UN chief hailed the 27-member European Union (EU) as a “a leader on climate action”, that had shown that it was possible to cut emissions while achieving economic growth.