Climate and Environment

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.

Carbon dioxide levels continue at record levels, despite the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unsplash/Johannes Plenio

Carbon dioxide levels hit new record; COVID impact ‘a tiny blip’, WMO says  

23 November 2020

Levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere hit a new record of 410.5 parts per million in 2019, and are expected to keep rising this year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin on Monday.  

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. 

A resident of Puerto Cabezas (Bilwi), the main town on Nicaragua's Northern Caribbean region, clears the debris on his home after the passage of Hurricane Eta.
© WFP/Photolibrary

UN warns of catastrophe as second hurricane in two weeks hits Central America  

17 November 2020
Americas

The United Nations warned on Tuesday of catastrophic consequences from Hurricane Iota, the second major tropical cyclone to hit Central America this month.   

A woman cycles past wind turbines on a country road in Heijningen, The Netherlands.
Unsplash/Les Corpographes

Climate change: UN chief calls for ‘great leap’ towards carbon neutrality

16 November 2020
Global

As countries work to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, they also have the chance to “get it right” on climate change, the UN Secretary-General told a virtual gathering of influential leaders on Monday. 

Tuvalu is particularly susceptible climate change.
UNDP/Joe Hitchcock

After nearly a decade away, La Niña weather system is back…

29 October 2020
Global

Many will be familiar with El Niño – the ocean-warming phenomenon that affects global weather patterns – but how about La Niña, which is linked to cooler sea temperatures? 

Some areas of Niger have been degraded due to unsustainable land practices.
© FAO/Giulio Napolitano

UN builds momentum for restoring forests as world enters key decade for ecosystems 

28 October 2020
Global

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is leading a push for the world to scale up efforts to restore landscapes and forests over the next decade, with eyes on a target to salvage 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested lands, an area bigger than India in total. 

Cities in South Korea, like the capital, Seoul, are huge consumers of power.
Unsplash/Ethan Brooke

UN chief hails Republic of Korea’s vow to achieve carbon neutrality

28 October 2020
Asia Pacific

The Republic of Korea’s pledge towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 has been hailed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as “a very positive step in the right direction”. 

Drought in Africa will adversely impact the productivity of major cereal crops, says a report launched by WMO today.
WMO/Cornel Vermaak

Africa climate change report reveals heat rising north and south, Sahel getting wetter

26 October 2020
Africa

Africa needs to prepare better for climate change by responding to a wide range of potential risks, a multi-agency report led by the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday, the first in a series of continent-by-continent assessments.

The capital of Japan, Tokyo, requires huge amounts of electricity to power the city.
Unsplash/Jezael Melgoza

Climate action: UN chief encouraged by Japan’s 2050 net zero pledge 

26 October 2020
Asia Pacific

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed Japan’s announcement on Monday that it would reduce carbon emissions to zero, by 2050, as part of the global effort to slow the worldwide rise in temperatures, and prevent the most damaging effects of human-made climate change.