Climate and Environment

Members of an indigenous community, living in the forests in one of the most remote regions of Republic of the Congo.
UNICEF/Vincent Tremeau

Protect forests for ‘people, planet and prosperity’, Guterres urges on World Wildlife Day

3 March 2021
Global

Under increasing threat from the  unsustainable use of forest resources and wildlife trafficking, the UN chief called on Wednesday for people and governments everywhere to step up efforts to protect forests and support forest communities. 

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

Secretary-General urges countries to end ‘deadly addiction’ to coal

2 March 2021
Global

The world still has a “fighting chance” to limit global warming by ending dependence on coal, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told representatives from governments, local authorities and the private sector, meeting online on Tuesday. 

Factories off the coast of Louisiana, United States. (file)
Unsplash/Robin Sommer

Environmental racism in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’, must end, say UN human rights experts

2 March 2021
Americas

The further industrialization of so-called “Cancer Alley” in the southern United States, known for its pollution-emitting chemical plants, should be halted according to a large group of independent UN human rights experts, who on Tuesday branded it a form of “environmental racism”.