November 8, 2024
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J. Tuyet Nguyen, a journalist with years of experience, has covered major stories in New York City and the United Nations for United Press International, the German Press Agency dpa and various newspapers. His reports focused mostly on topics with international interests for readers worldwide. He was president of the United Nations Correspondents Association (2007 and 2008), which is composed of more than 250 journalists representing world media with influence over policy decision makers. He has chaired the organization of the annual UNCA Awards, which seeks to reward journalists around the world who have done the best broadcasts and written reports on the UN and its specialized agencies. He has traveled the world to cover events and write stories, from politics to the environment as well cultures of different regions. But his most important reporting work has been with the United Nations since the early 1980s. He was bureau chief of United Press International office at the UN headquarters before joining dpa in 1997. Prior to working at the UN, he was an editor on the International Desk of UPI World Headquarters in New York. He worked in Los Angeles and covered the final months of war in Vietnam for UPI.

UPDATE: UN climate summit opens with agreement on Loss and Damage Fund

Leave a Comment / Climate /

Dubai/New York, November 30 – The UN climate summit in the United Arab Emirates opened with a “historic” agreement to help poor and vulnerable countries pay the cost of losses and damages caused by extreme weather.

“I congratulate parties for this historic decision,” said UAR Sultan al-Jaber, who presides over the summit known as COP28 after it formally launched the Loss and Damage Fund on its first day of work. “This sends a positive signal of momentum to the world and to our work.”

The United Nations said it has a roadmap to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius and it urges leaders attending the opening of the climate summit in Dubai to fire the “starting gun” on the race to keep that limit alive.

UN Secretary-General Antonio asked the summit – known as COP28 – to set “clear expectations” for the next climate action plans, to commit to the partnerships and finance to make them possible and to triple renewables and double energy efficiency.

He also asked the attendees to “commit to phase out fossil fuels, with a clear time frame aligned to the 1.5-degree limit. We must also go further and faster in protecting people from climate chaos.”

He said an early warning system launched by the UN last year should begin working to protect every person on earth by 2027 and every vulnerable developing country should have the support they need to develop and implement adaptation investment plan by 2025.

“Leaders must get the Loss and Damage Fund off to a flying start, with generous,

early contributions,” he said. “Developed countries must honor the promise to deliver $100 billion a year in climate finance, and they must present a clear plan showing how they will make good on their commitment to double adaptation finance by 2025, as a first step to ensuring at least half of all climate finance goes to adaptation. Today’s report shows we’re in deep trouble.”

“Leaders must get us out of it – starting at COP28,” Guterres said.

Guterres, who visited Antarctica in early November to see for himself how fast ice is melting, said both Antarctica and Greenland are melting well over three times faster than they were in the early 1990s as the Southern ocean is slowly heating up.

“We need a global commitment to triple renewables, double energy efficiency, and bring clean power to all, by 2030,” Guterres told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York. “We need a clear and credible commitment to phase out fossil fuels on a timeframe that aligns with the 1.5-degree limit.”

“And we need climate justice – setting the world up for a huge increase in investment in adaptation and loss and damage to protect people from climate extremes. Antarctica is crying out for action. It is profoundly shocking to stand on the ice of Antarctica and hear directly from scientists how fast the ice is disappearing.”

He said new figures provided this September by scientists showed that Antarctic sea ice hit an all-time low and was 1.5 million square kms smaller than the average for the time of year – an area roughly equal to the combined size of Portugal, Spain, France and Germany. Melting sea ice rises sea levels and endangers lives and livelihoods in coastal communities across the globe.

In addition, floods and saltwater intrusion imperil crops and drinking water – threatening food and water security.

Guterres said the cause of all this destruction came from fossil fuel pollution coating the earth and heating the planet. “Without changing course, we’re heading towards a calamitous three-degree Celsius temperature rise by the end of the century,” he said.

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28)

The UN climate summit – from November 30 to December 12 – is hosted this year by the United Arab Emirates, the world’s fifth largest oil producer. It will be attended by government representatives, many of them heads of state and government, from some 200 countries. Business leaders, climate activists, scientists and civil society organizations are expected also to attend. The summit is expected to draft a plan to speed up the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources among a host of climate issues.

The UN expects three significant results from COP28. The first one known as “global stocktake” which will be the first assessment of whether countries have carried out climate action to limit the rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees. The second is a final agreement on the Loss and Damage fund that pays for climate-related damages suffered by poor ad vulnerable countries and the third one is whether the summit would agree to replace fossil fuels with clean energy such as wind and solar power.

The UN website on climate action said COP28 is a “pivotal opportunity to correct course and accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis. COP28 is where the world will take stock of progress on the Paris Agreement – the landmark climate treaty concluded in 2015 – and chart a course of action to dramatically reduce emissions and protect lives and livelihoods.”

“The science is clear: to preserve a livable climate, the production of coal, oil, and gas must rapidly decline, and global renewable power capacity – including wind, solar, hydro and geothermal energy – needs to triple by 2030. At the same time, financing for adaptation and investments in climate resilience need a quantum leap.” (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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EU report calls for Unified Vision for Responsible Sourcing of Mineral Value Chains

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Four-year EU-funded project offers roadmaps for key industry sectors: renewable energy, mobility, and electric and electronic equipment, and advice to governments, civil society. Special cases: Latin America, Africa, China. Experts have delivered a sweeping prescription to governments, civil society and industry for a globally coordinated approach to the responsible sourcing of raw materials needed to achieve a circular green economy.  In a report, the four-year EU-funded RE-SOURCING project proposes adopting a global vision of a circular economy and reduced resource consumption by 2050 and outlines a series of interim milestones and targets for three key industrial sectors: renewable energy, mobility, and electric and electronic equipment.

The report https://bit.ly/3uqXlqT acknowledges that several firms and governments are showing leadership to address troubling global environmental, social and economic issues, including: Biodiversity and habitat protection, land, air and water pollution, climate change; Access to clean water, air & health care, gender equality, human rights, respecting land rights, labour rights, and safeguarding the artisanal and small-scale miners; Corruption and money laundering, promoting sustainable growth and development, and enabling national / local industrial development.

At the same time, they underline that “the corporate behaviour that existed in the preceding century is no longer acceptable. More responsible and sustainable practices need to be undertaken and evidenced.”

The report adds that the underlying message from wide-ranging stakeholders is that “industry and its supply chains must incorporate and reflect societal values in their operations and business management” and “power imbalances, where they impede the ability of a group to affect the decisions that impact them, need to be addressed.”

Lead author Masuma Farooki says achieving responsible sourcing begins with a universally accepted definition, as well as commonly agreed targets for 2050:

(1) A circular economy and decreased resource consumption, (2) Meeting the Paris Agreement climate goals and environmental sustainability, (3) Social sustainability and responsible production, (4) Responsible procurement, (5) Level-playing field and international cooperation.

International cooperation, the report notes, means helping companies, regions, and countries improve practices and achieve agreed standards. A level playing field “is paramount for achieving all other targets.”

The report strongly underlines the need to address the power imbalance between local communities, workers and other affected stakeholders in decision-making, enabling their meaningful participation in decision-making.

Transparency is also fundamental. Consumers need to know how the elements of the products they buy are obtained, with adequate information to enable their choosing sustainably-sourced products.

Key points in the report include: Companies should not pass along to communities and workers the costs of pollution, land degradation and other negative impacts of corporate activities.

To reduce corruption and the financing of violence that have often accompanied extractive activity, transparency is needed in financial payments and material flows in supply chains.

Standards and guidelines based on multi-stakeholder consultations, as well as certification schemes, and government regulations and legislation, are needed, with several model examples from the US and Europe cited

Among many recommendations to policymakers: Strengthen international cooperation to develop harmonized mining standards for responsible extraction. Enable responsible mining in Europe (no more ‘burden-shifting’ to other regions) Update mining regulations based on existing voluntary certification schemes. Eco-design policies for solar PVs and wind turbines. Lower taxes on, and give preference to, goods manufactured with higher social and environmental standards.

Recycling: Support recycling activities and create markets for secondary raw materials. Require Life Cycle Assessments for all new technologies/products. Develop and implement environmental regulations for wind turbine and solar PV manufacturing and recycling.

Wider Policy: Harmonize environmental policies of EU Member States and coordinate responsible sourcing reporting criteria. Protect human rights defenders and support civil society capacity building. Make supply chain due diligence mandatory for all. Ensure that raw materials and products imported from outside the EU fulfill the same sustainability requirements as operations inside the EU.

Recommendations to industry include:

Mining: Fleet electrification and decreased energy intensity. Plan for mine closure from the beginning of project development. Support local procurement.

Manufacturing: Include eco-design from the beginning of product development to improve recyclability. Include ‘social life cycle assessment’ in product development. Firmly eliminate modern slavery and forced labour in the supply chain of solar PV and wind turbines.

Recycling: Improve collaboration between supply chain stages, research, and academia to substitute non-recyclable materials.Cooperate with other sectors to improve reuse of non-recyclable materials.

Corporate strategies: Environment and climate reporting, including greenhouse gas accounting and reporting for the entire supply chain. Tailor-made climate protection projects. International application of environmental and social standards.

The report provides specific roadmaps and recommendations for policymakers and companies in the renewable energy, mobility sector, and the electronic product sectors.

It also takes a special look at three regions:Latin America, Africa, and China.

Latin America mining projects can face particularly strong opposition from local communities. According to the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas 2023), 45% of reported conflicts worldwide are in Latin America, where projects are often located near sensitive, biodiverse ecosystems, many of which are home to vulnerable communities.

A key regional priority, therefore, is “strengthening of social capital and civil society trust in the mining sector with focus on the local communities.”

African regional challenges include “trustful and transparent collaboration” by industry, local governments, and others. “If the mining sector, communities, supply chain and governments work together, the outlook for the industry on the continent will be bright.”

Among other key considerations for Africa: supporting and improving artisanal and small-scale mining operations, which plays a crucial role in obtaining many raw materials essential for the green transition.

China, meanwhile, dominates the critical green-energy technology minerals supply chain with rising investments abroad. A recent report associated China, however, with over 100 human rights abuses, environmental harms, workers’ rights violations and other allegations over the past two years in Indonesia, Peru, Congo, Myanmar, Zimbabwe and other countries.

It also notes China’s creation of guidelines to align companies’ due diligence with international standards. The report adds that similar allegations are made against mining operations linked to Canadian, USA, UK, Australian and European companies and investors. In the end, the report cautions, “the findings just underline growing concerns that the green transition to renewable energy is repeating unjust business practices that have long dominated fossil-fuel and mineral extractions.”

Comments:

Stefanie Degreif, OEKO Institute, Germany: “Significant and systemic changes are needed now and over the next decades to achieve climate targets and make the lithium-ion battery chain more responsible and sustainable. There is no time to waste – we need to act now! Changes are needed and cannot be postponed to the next generation or next legislation period.”

Andreas Endl, Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), Austria: “Over the course of the last four years, we investigated closely and informed decision makers about the fast-moving and immensely dynamic discourse on responsible sourcing. While progress has been made on many fronts with stricter legislation and successful business cases, we still have to go a long way to improve the livelihoods of affected people and respect the integrity of the environment.”

Michael Tost, Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria: “A sustainable energy transition can be successfully achieved only if all actors including policy makers, industry, and civil society realize their responsibility in openly discussing and engaging with affected communities to create trust.”

Shahrzad Manoochehri, World Resources Forum Association, Switzerland: “Due to the complexity and interconnected nature of mineral value chains, achieving responsible sourcing at a global level requires mutual understanding, a fair competitive environment, and the establishment of shared common goals that are respected by all stakeholders across different regions.”

Background: In 1998, amid mounting internal and external pressures, nine international mining companies united to establish the Global Mining Initiative. Their goal was to understand and transform their operations per societal expectations. A surge in community discord, violent incidents, opposition to mining projects, accusations of corruption and bribery, and the threat of nationalization by host governments had pushed these companies to act. Reputational damage and share price concerns further fueled their drive for change.

Simultaneously, international policy and politics began to emphasize securing a sustainable future and acknowledging the dire consequences of environmental damage.

Consumer awareness and citizenship advocacy also started pushing for more sustainable public policies, making the environmental agenda a central political topic. Businesses and investors, initially slowly and later in growing numbers, began to prioritize sustainable sourcing practices within their supply chains.

Addressing corruption and bribery in the extractive sector became a significant government issue. This collective but not necessarily coordinated movement aimed to transform behaviours. in the extractive sector and its associated supply chains.

Today, the green transition and the shift toward renewable energy, heavily relies on mineral consumption. However, the adverse impacts on ecosystems, human rights, and economic inequality are no longer acceptable. The mining sector and its associated supply chains are steadfastly committed to becoming more responsible in their operations, with sustainability as a core objective.

Responsible sourcing (RS) practices have emerged as a vital tool in achieving these objectives and minimizing negative impacts within mineral supply chains. By 2023, RS is no longer a distant ideal but a practical reality for businesses and policymakers, and it is increasingly demanded by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

To tackle the growing challenge of implementing RS, the RE-SOURCING Global Stakeholder Platform was initiated in 2020. Funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, this four-year project, coordinated by the Institute for Managing Sustainability at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, assembled international partners within and outside the EU to create the RE-SOURCING Platform, including OEKO Institut (Germany), World Resources Forum Association (Switzerland), Montanuniversität Leoben (Austria), Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia), MineHutte Intelligence (UK), SOMO (Netherlands), WWF (Germany), EIT Raw Materials (Germany), Luleå University of Technology (Sweden, AHK Business Center (Chile) and SRK Consulting (South Africa).

The project’s vision was to advance the understanding of RS as a mandatory requirement in mineral supply chains among EU and international stakeholders. This involved fostering the development of a globally accepted definition of RS, facilitating the implementation of RS practices through knowledge exchange, creating visions and roadmaps and Good Practice Guidance for three key EU sectors – renewable energy, mobility, and electronics – and advocating for RS in international political arenas.

The RE-SOURCING Project focused on: Facilitating a globally accepted definition of RS.Brainstorming incentives to support RS and responsible business conduct.

Enabling exchanges of information and promoting RS among stakeholders.

Fostering the emergence of RS in international political.

Supporting the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials.

Outputs of the RE-SOURCING Project were tailored to:EU and international business stakeholders: Increased capacity of decision-makers to implement responsible business conduct.

Better understanding and awareness of RS in three key sectors: renewable energy, mobility, and electrical and electronic equipment.

Facilitated implementation of lasting and stable sectoral framework conditions for RS.

EU policymakers: Increased capacity for RS policy design and implementation.

Innovative ideas on policy recommendations for stimulating RS in the private sector. Better understanding and awareness of RS in three key sectors: renewable energy, mobility, and electrical and electronic equipment.

Civil society: Integration of sustainable development and environmental agendas into the RS discourse.

Establishment of a global level playing field for RS in international political fora and business agendas.

Enhanced understanding and awareness of RS in three key sectors: renewable energy, mobility, and electrical electronic equipment.

Throughout the project, numerous reports, executive summaries, policy briefings, Good Practice Guidance, workshops, events, and webinars were conducted, ultimately informing a final report.

The move to responsible sourcing is now an integral part of the global conversation on sustainability, and it’s reshaping the way industries operate and impact the world.

According to the report: “The proposed RS framework is adaptable and allows for diverse pathways based on regional priorities. It aims to coordinate and consolidate various RS approaches without losing their unique features, providing a common destination while accommodating different speeds of progress.”

The report presents “a Rights-Based Approach framework for responsible sourcing in mineral supply chains, aiming to consolidate and align existing approaches, promote international cooperation, and ensure equitable distribution of benefits while accommodating regional variations.”

* * * * *

Media contacts:

Shahrzad Manoochehri, shahrzad.manoochehri@wrforum.org

Terry Collins, +1-416-878-8712 (m), tc@tca.tc

Masuma Farooki, masuma.farooki@minehutte.com

Alexander Graf, alexander.graf@wu.ac.at

Terry Collins & Assoc. | www.tca.tc | @TerryCollinsTC | LinkedIn.com/in/terrycollins, Toronto, M6R1L8 Canada

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Sand and Dust Storm Frequency Increasing in Many World Regions, UN Warns

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Two billion tons of sand and dust, equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza, enter the atmosphere every year. UNCCD experts attribute over 25% of the problem to human activities. Wreaks havoc from Northern and Central Asia to sub-Saharan Africa.

Health impacts poorly understood. Sand and dust storms are an under-appreciated problem now “dramatically” more frequent in some places worldwide, with at least 25% of the phenomenon attributed to human activities, according to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).  

Accompanied by policy recommendations, the warning comes as a five-day meeting takes place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan to take stock of global progress in the Convention’s implementation. The UNCCD is one of three Conventions originated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The other two address climate change (UNFCCC) and biodiversity (UN CBD).

The meeting, 13-17 November (www.unccd.int/cric21), includes a high-level session on 15 November hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan on ways to address the impacts of sand and dust storms on global agriculture, industry, transportation ​, water and air quality​, and human health​.

Says Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD’s Executive Secretary: “The sight of rolling dark clouds of sand and dust engulfing everything in their path and turning day into night is one of nature’s most intimidating spectacles. “It is a costly phenomenon that wreaks havoc everywhere from Northern and Central Asia to sub-Saharan Africa.”

“Sand and dust storms present a formidable challenge to achieving sustainable development. However, just as sand and dust storms are exacerbated by human activities, they can also be reduced through human actions,” adds Thiaw. ​

While sand and dust storms (SDS) are a regionally common and seasonal natural phenomenon, the problem is exacerbated by poor land and water management, droughts, and climate change, according to UNCCD experts. And fluctuations in their intensity, magnitude, or duration “can make SDS unpredictable and dangerous.” With impacts far beyond the source regions, an estimated 2 billion tons of sand and dust now enters the atmosphere every year, an amount equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza.  In some areas, desert dust doubled in the last century.

“Sand and dust storms (SDS) have become increasingly frequent and severe having substantial transboundary impacts, affecting various aspects of the environment, climate, health, agriculture, livelihoods and the socioeconomic well-being of individuals. The accumulation of impacts from sand and dust storms can be significant,” says Feras Ziadat, Technical Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), Chair of the UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.

“In source areas, they damage crops, affect livestock, and strip topsoil. In depositional areas atmospheric dust, especially in combination with local industrial pollution, can cause or worsen human health problems such as respiratory diseases. Communications, power generation, transportation, and supply chains can also be disrupted by low visibility and dust-induced mechanical failures. The United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms, chaired by FAO, was created in 2019 to lead global efforts to address SDS.”

In their Sand and Dust Storms Compendium (https://bit.ly/3slJ6mE) and accompanying SDS Toolbox (https://bit.ly/3QSPWcI), the UNCCD, FAO and partners offer guidance on approaches and methodologies for collecting and assessing SDS data, monitoring and early warning, impact mitigation and preparedness, and source mapping and anthropogenic source mitigation at sub-national, national, regional and global levels.

The SDS discussion forms part of the agenda of this year’s meeting in Uzbekistan of the UNCCD’s Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21) and global progress in delivering the Convention’s strategic objectives. It marks the first time since its establishment that UNCCD has agreed to one of its most significant meetings in Central Asia.

The meeting comes at a critical juncture, as recent statistics published via UNCCD’s new data dashboard (https://data.unccd.int) shows the world now losing nearly 1 million square kilometers of healthy and productive land every year – some 4.2 million square kilometers between 2015-2019, or roughly the combined area of ​​five Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

During the meeting (at 18:00 local time / 13:00 GMT, Tuesday 14 November) UNCCD and FAO experts will launch three reports: Background reference document: Compendium on Sand and Dust Storms : https://bit.ly/3slJ6mE –

For additional information, including accreditation to the CRIC21 closing news conference 17 Nov. in Samarkand: https://www.unccd.int/cric21 . Photos: https://bit.ly/3snqYJh 

Media contacts: Xenya Scanlon, +49 152 5454 0492, xscanlon@unccd.int and press@unccd.int

Terry Collins, +1-416-878-8712 (m), terrycollins1@gmail.com

Sand and dust storms. A guide to mitigation, adaptation, policy and risk management measures in agriculture (https://bit.ly/40zSEad) Contingency planning process for catalysing investments and actions to enhance resilience against sand and dust storms in agriculture in the Islamic Republic of Iran (https://bit.ly/3QP8pqF). Preparing for sand and dust storm contingency planning with herding communities: a case study on Mongolia (https://bit.ly/3swg8Rd).

Other items on the CRIC 21 agenda include promoting sustainable land management, ensuring fair land rights for women, and tackling droughts and wildfires exacerbated by climate change and environmental degradation.

* * * * *

Background: Sand and dust storms – Sand and dust storms (SDS) are known by many local names: the sirocco, haboob, yellow dust, white storms, or the harmattan. While SDS can fertilize both land and marine ecosystems, they also present a range of hazards to human health, livelihoods and the environment. SDS events typically originate in low-latitude drylands and sub-humid areas where vegetation cover is sparse or absent.

They can also occur in other environments, including agricultural and high-latitude areas in humid regions, when specific wind and atmospheric conditions coincide. SDS events can have substantial transboundary impacts, over thousands of kilometers. Unified and coherent global and regional policy responses are needed, especially to address source mitigation, early warning systems, and monitoring.

SDS often have significant economic impacts: for example, they cost the oil sector in Kuwait an estimated US$ 190 million annually, while a single SDS event in 2009 resulted in damage estimated at US$ 229 – 243 million in Australia.

The major global sources of mineral dust are in the northern hemisphere across North Africa, the Middle East and East Asia. In the southern hemisphere, Australia, South America and Southern Africa are the main dust sources. More than 80% of Central Asia is covered by deserts and steppes which, coupled with climate change and lasting droughts, represent a major natural source of sand and dust storms.

The dried-up Aral Sea is a major source of SDS, emitting more than 100 million tons of dust and poisonous salts every year, impacting the health not just of the people living in the vicinity, but far beyond and generating annual losses of US$ 44 million.         

Recognition of SDS as a disaster risk appears to be high in North-East Asia, parts of West Asia and North America but less prominent elsewhere. Low recognition of SDS as a disaster risk is likely due to the lack (in many cases) of significant immediate direct human fatalities or injuries from individual SDS events, and limited consolidated documentation on their long-term health, economic or other impacts.

SDS and health – SDS can be life-threatening for individuals with adverse health conditions. Fine dust particles are carried to high tropospheric levels (up to a few kilometers high) where winds can transport them over long distances. The health implications of SDS have been under increased research for decades, with most studies conducted in East Asia, Europe and the Middle East. There has been a lack of studies in West Africa. A particular focus of this research has been SDS modification of air pollution.

The cause-and-effect between sand and dust in the atmosphere and health outcomes remains unclear and requires more extensive study. What can be said is that at-risk members of a population, especially those with pre-existing cardiopulmonary issues, including childhood asthma, may have a higher mortality or morbidity rate during a dust storm.

SDS can also impose major costs on the agricultural sector through crop destruction or reduced yield, animal death or lower yields of milk or meat, and damage to infrastructure. For annual crops, losses are due to burial of seedlings or crops under sand deposits, loss of plant tissue and reduced photosynthetic activity as a result of sandblasting. This can lead to complete crop loss in a region or reduced yield.

There may also be a longer-term effect on some perennial crops due to tree or crop damage (such as lucerne/alfalfa crowns being damaged). On a positive note, SDS dust can contain soil nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as organic carbon. Some places benefit from this nutrient deposition on land, and mineral and nutrient deposition on water, particularly ocean bodies. When deposited, these can provide nutrients to downwind crop or pasture areas. These limited benefits, however, are far outweighed by the harms done.

Globally, the main large dust sources are dried lakes; Local sources include glacial outwash plains, volcanic ash zones and recently plowed fields. The multi-faceted, cross-sectoral and transnational impacts of SDS directly affect 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals yet global recognition of SDS as a hazard is generally low due in part to the complexity and seasonally cumulative impact of SDS, coupled with limited data .

Insufficient information and impact assessments hinder effective decision-making and planning to effectively address SDS sources and impacts. UNCCD helps governments create policies to promote the scaling-up of sustainable land management practices and to find and use the latest science to develop and implement effective mitigation policies.

Working with The Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia https://bit.ly/46aAhKq UNCCD assists countries vulnerable to drought and sand and dust storms in Central Asia to develop and implement risk reduction strategies at national and regional level. UNCCD encourages countries to adopt a comprehensive risk reduction strategy with monitoring and early warning systems to improve preparedness and resilience to these environmental disasters.

Among the measures most needed are:  A multi-sector approach bolstered by information-sharing, short- and long-term interventions, engaging multiple stakeholders, and raising awareness of SDS.

Land restoration, using soil and water management practices to protect soils and increase vegetative cover, which have been shown to significantly reduce the extent and vulnerability of source areas, and reduce the intensity of typical SDS events. Early warning and monitoring, building on up-to-date risk knowledge, and forecasting, with all stakeholders (including at-risk populations) participating to ensure that warnings are provided in a timely and targeted manner. Impact mitigation, through preparedness to reduce vulnerability, increase resilience, and enables a timely, effective response to SDS events.

* * * * *

Terry Collins & Assoc. | www.tca.tc | @TerryCollinsTC | LinkedIn.com/in/terrycollins, Toronto, M6R1L8 CanadaUpdate Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

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Club de Madrid: Rethinking Social Development for People and Planet

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Note: Club de Madrid members are holding their annual policy dialogue 2023 meeting in Brasilia, attended by Brazil’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Indigenous People, Environment and Climate Change. Following is a press reléase from Club de Madrid.

Club de Madrid, the world’s largest forum of democratic former Heads of State and Government, will be holding its Annual Policy Dialogue 2023 “Rethinking Social Development for People and Planet” (APD23) Monday and Tuesday 13-14 November at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia. 

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, and Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, have confirmed their participation in the opening session. As you will see in the attached programme we have invited President Lula whom we hope will also be attending the opening. 

For more information:  https://clubmadrid.org/club-de-madrid/

This is the first time we celebrate our Policy Dialogue time in the global south and in Brazil no less, in support, among other processes, of its G20 Presidency. Club de Madrid is honoured to have the support of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs amongst others, and we would like to offer you this platform for possible collaborations in the field of communication, particularly coverage and face-to-face interviews with participating Club de Madrid Members and other Policy Dialogue participants here and attached. Please note this list will be regularly updated in the run up to the activity.


From our organisation we are at your disposal to work together on quality content, opinion articles from our Members and participants, analysis, reports, or any other format you consider. Please find attached for more details the executive summary, of the initiative as well as the programme to date.

Invitations to media for coverage of the opening and closing sessions will be sent out separately in the days prior to the event. We have enclosed a Media Kit to facilitate press communications and digital communication actions. Moreover, we include some Social Media Assets (FB, LK, IG, X) for social media, as well as suggested posts.

Our Annual Dialogues are our most relevant activity of the year where we bring together approximately 100 participants, among them 20-30 Club de Madrid Members –all of them democratically elected former Presidents or Prime Ministers– and representatives from different sectors (governmental, multilateral, academic, business and civil society) to discuss priority issues on the international agenda in depth and identify recommendations that our Members then take forward to current leaders through high level advocacy geared towards impact.

Likewise, following Brasilia we will be flying –with our President, Danilo Türk and our Member Jorge Fernando Quiroga–, to Sao Paulo (16th November) and Rio de Janeiro (17th November) where we are also open to scheduling interviews if of interest.

Media Contacts: 

Alejandro Hita | Communications Manager, Club de Madrid

+34 622 14 87 29 | ahita@clubmadrid.org

Néstor Báez | Communications Officer, Club de Madrid

+34 671 20 16 74 | nbaez@clubmadrid.org

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Governments plan to produce double the fossil fuels in 2030 than the 1.5°C warming limit allows

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Stockholm, 8 November 2023 – A major new report published today finds that governments plan to produce around 110% more fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C, and 69% more than would be consistent with 2°C.

(Press release issued by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Climate Analytics, E3G, the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).)

This comes despite 151 national governments having pledged to achieve net-zero emissions and the latest forecasts which suggest global coal, oil, and gas demand will peak this decade, even without new policies. When combined, government plans would lead to an increase in global coal production until 2030, and in global oil and gas production until at least 2050, creating an ever-widening fossil fuel production gap over time. 

The report’s main findings include: 

●Given risks and uncertainties of carbon capture and storage and carbon dioxide removal, countries should aim for a near total phase-out of coal production and use by 2040, and a combined reduction in oil and gas production and use by three-quarters by 2050 from 2020 levels, at a minimum.

●While 17 of the 20 countries featured have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions — and many have launched initiatives to cut emissions from fossil fuel production activities — none have committed to reduce coal, oil, and gas production in line with limiting warming to 1.5°C.

●Governments with greater capacity to transition away from fossil fuels should aim for more ambitious reductions and help support the transition processes in countries with limited resources.

The Production Gap Report — produced by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Climate Analytics, E3G, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) — assesses governments’ planned and projected production of coal, oil, and gas against global levels consistent with the  Paris Agreement’s temperature goal.

July 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded, and most likely the hottest for the past 120,000 years, according to scientists. Across the globe, deadly heat waves, droughts, wildfires, storms, and floods are cosing lives and livelihoods, making clear that human-induced climate change is here. Global carbon dioxide emissions —almost 90% of which come from fossil fuels — rose to record highs in 2021–2022. 

 

“Governments’ plans to expand fossil fuel production are undermining the energy transition needed to achieve net-zero emissions, throwing humanity’s future into question,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Powering economies with clean and efficient energy is the only way to end energy poverty and bring down emissions at the same time.”

“Starting at COP28, nations must unite behind a managed and equitable phase-out of coal, oil and gas — to ease the turbulence ahead and benefit every person on this planet,” she added.

The 2023 Production Gap Report provides newly expanded country profiles for 20 major fossil-fuel-producing countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America. These profiles show that most of these governments continue to provide significant policy and financial support for fossil fuel production.

“We find that many governments are promoting fossil gas as an essential ‘transition’ fuel but with no apparent plans to transition away from it later,” says Ploy Achakulwisut, a lead author on the report and SEI scientist. “But science says we must start reducing global coal, oil, and gas production and use now — along with scaling up clean energy, reducing methane emissions from all sources, and other climate actions — to keep the 1.5°C goal alive.”

 

 Despite being the root cause of the climate crisis, fossil fuels have remained largely absent from international climate negotiations until recent years. At COP26 in late 2021, governments committed to accelerate efforts towards “the phasedown of unabated coal power and phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies”, though they did not agree to address the production of all fossil fuels.

“COP28 could be the pivotal moment where governments finally commit to the phase-out of all fossil fuels and acknowledge the role producers have to play in facilitating a managed and equitable transition,” says Michael Lazarus, a lead author on the report and SEI US Centre Director. “Governments with the greatest capacities to transition away from fossil fuel production bear the greatest responsibility to do so while providing finance and support to help other countries do the same.”

 

More than 80 researchers, from over 30 countries, contributed to the analysis and review, spanning numerous universities, think tanks and other research organizations. 

Reactions to the 2023 Production Gap Report

“The writing’s on the wall for fossil fuels. By mid-century we need to have consigned coal to the history books, and slashed oil and gas production by at least three quarters — well on the way to a full fossil phase-out. Yet despite their climate promises, governments plan on ploughing yet more money into a dirty, dying industry, while opportunities abound in a flourishing clean energy sector. On top of economic insanity, it is a climate disaster of our own making.” – Neil Grant, Climate and Energy Analyst, Climate Analytics.

“Despite governments around the world signing up to ambitious net zero targets, global coal, oil and gas production are all still increasing while planned reductions are nowhere near enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change. This widening gulf between governments’ rhetoric and their actions is not only undermining their authority but increasing the risk to us all. We are already on track this decade to produce 460% more coal, 82% more gas, and 29% more oil than would be in line with the 1.5°C warming target. Ahead of COP28, governments must look to dramatically increase transparency about how they will hit emissions targets and bring in legally binding measures to support these aims.” – Angela Picciariello, Senior Researcher, IISD.

“With demand for coal, oil and gas set to peak this decade even without additional policies, it’s clear that the new economic reality is becoming one of clean energy growth and fossil fuel decline — yet governments are failing to plan for the reality of the inevitable energy transition. Continuing investments into new fossil fuel production as global demand for coal, oil and gas narrows is a near term economic gamble for all but the cheapest producers. And climate damages will be aggravated further unless we stop fossil fuel expansion now. The time is now for governments to take control of the clean energy transition and align their policies with the reality of what’s needed for a climate-safe world.“ – Katrine Petersen, Senior Policy Advisor at E3G.

Notes to Editors 

About the Production Gap Report 

Modelled after the UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report series — and conceived as a complementary analysis — this report conveys the large discrepancy between countries’ planned fossil fuel production and the global production levels consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C and 2°C. 

About the Stockholm Environment Institute  –  Stockholm Environment Institute is an independent, international research institute that has been engaged in environment and development issues at local, national, regional and global policy levels for more than a quarter of a century. SEI supports decision-making for sustainable development by bridging science and policy. 

About Climate Analytics – Climate Analytics is a global climate science and policy institute engaged around the world in driving and supporting climate action aligned to the 1.5°C warming limit. We connect science and policy to empower vulnerable countries in international climate negotiations and inform national planning with targeted research, analysis and support.

About E3G  – is an independent European climate change think tank accelerating the transition to a climate safe world. E3G is made up of world leading strategists on the political economy of climate change, dedicated to achieving a safe climate for all. E3G builds cross-sectoral coalitions to achieve carefully defined outcomes, chosen for their capacity to leverage change. E3G works closely with like-minded partners in government, politics, business, civil society, science, the media, public interest foundations and elsewhere. E3G is making the necessary possible.

About The International Institute for Sustainable Development  - The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning, independent think tank championing research-driven solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges. Our vision is a balanced world where people and the planet thrive; our mission is to accelerate the global transition to clean water, fair economies and a stable climate. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa and Toronto, our work impacts lives in nearly 100 countries.  

About the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP –  UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. 

For more information please contact:  Ulrika Lamberth, Senior Press Officer (Stockholm, Sweden), and Lynsi Burton, Communications Officer (Seattle, US), Stockholm Environment Institute.

Keisha Rukikaire, Head of News and Media, United Nations Environment Programme (Nairobi, Kenya).

Paul May, Head of Communications, and Neil Grant, Climate and Energy Analyst, Climate Analytics (Berlin, Germany).

Aia Brnic, Senior Communication Officer, and Angela Picciariello, Senior Researcher, International Institute for Sustainable Development (Geneva, Switzerland).

Riya Amin, Junior Communications Officer, E3G (London, UK).

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UN calls for urgent humanitarian ceasefire as death toll reaches 9,770 in Gaza

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New York, November 6 – The United Nations said the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza demands an immediate ceasefire one month after the Israeli-Hamas war broke out, killing 9,770 people with more than half of them children and women.

The UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) said, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, that the death toll since October 7 has reached 9,770 including 4,008 children and 2,550 women. In addition, the ministry said some 2,260 people, including 1,270 children, are reported missing in Gaza, with most presumed to be trapped under the mounting rubble.

The war broke out after Hamas militants in Gaza launched a surprise attack against Israel, killing 1,400 people, according to Israel.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and humanitarian groups launched an appeal for US$1.2 billion to help 2.7 million people, including the entire population of the Gaza Strip and half a million Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

“Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children. Hundreds of girls and boys are reportedly being killed or injured every day,” Guterres said at UN headquarters in New York, adding that more journalists have reportedly been killed over the last month than in any conflict in at least three decades. He said more UN aid worker have been killed than in any comparable period in the history of the UN.

“The parties to the conflict — and, indeed, the international community — face an immediate and fundamental responsibility: to stop this inhuman collective suffering and dramatically expand humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

Guterres called for “cool heads and diplomatic efforts” to prevent an expansion of the conflict as the West Bank and East Jerusalem are at a “boiling point” while “a spiral of escalation” is happing from Lebanon and Syria to Iraq and Yemen.

Martin Griffiths, the head of OCHA, said a dozen UN agencies are joining in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire with the message that “enough is enough”, and for the immediate and unconditional release of the more than 240 hostages captured by Hamas and held in Gaza since the start of the war.

Griffiths said all parties in the conflict should respect their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. The humanitarians issued a call

for the protection of civilians and the infrastructure, including hospitals, shelters and schools.

They said in a joint statement that the killings of civilians in Gaza an “outrage” and the fact that 2.2 million residents in Gaza Strip are still cut off from food, water, medicine, electricity and fuel.

The statement said it is “unacceptable… that an entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship”.

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AI governance should be based on UN Charter and human rights principles, UN says

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London/New York, November 2 – Calling the threats posed by artificial intelligence “insidious” and “dangerous,” the UN chief urged the AI Safety Summit in the United Kingdom to base governance of the technology on the principles of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose main objectives are promoting peace and sustainable development; protecting and promoting human rights.

“We urgently need to incorporate those principles into AI safety,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an address to the two-day summit held at Bletchley Park, a city northwest of London.

“Bletchley Park played a vital part in the computing breakthroughs that helped to defeat Nazism,” Guterres said.  “The threat posed by AI is more insidious – but could be just as dangerous.

We need a united, sustained, global response, based on multilateralism and the participation of all stakeholders. “

“This summit is an important step on the way to consensus, built on a bedrock of science and evidence. Let us connect global efforts for synergy and for impact. The United Nations is ready to play its part.”

During World War II, Bletchley Park was the meeting place of experts and mathematicians who waged a secret war against Nazi Germany and cracked codes that helped allied armies to detect movements of Nazi military movements and its fleets of U-boats. The place also gave birth to modern computers.

Guterres said frameworks should be urgently established to deal with AI risks to protect both developers and the public and prevent AI’s possible long-term negative consequences, which he said include “disruption to job markets and economies; and the loss of cultural diversity that could result from algorithms that perpetuate biases and stereotypes.”

“The concentration of AI in a few countries and companies could increase geopolitical tensions,” he said. “Longer-term harms extend to the potential development of dangerous new AI- enabled weapons… the malicious combination of AI with biotechnology… and threats to democracy and human rights from AI-assisted misinformation, manipulation, and surveillance.”

“The United Nations – an inclusive, equitable and universal platform for coordination on AI governance – is now fully engaged in that conversation.,” he said, pointing to the Multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, which he recently launched. The advisory body comprises 39 experts from various countries who are called to work out recommendations to govern AI.

 The Bletchley Declaration

The 29 countries that attended the summit adopted a declaration, which said in part: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents enormous global opportunities: it has the potential to transform and enhance human wellbeing, peace and prosperity. To realise this, we affirm that, for the good of all, AI should be designed, developed, deployed, and used, in a manner that is safe, in such a way as to be human-centric, trustworthy and responsible. We welcome the international community’s efforts so far to cooperate on AI to promote inclusive economic growth, sustainable development and innovation, to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to foster public trust and confidence in AI systems to fully realise their potential…”

“In the context of our cooperation, and to inform action at the national and international levels, our agenda for addressing frontier AI risk will focus on:

—“identifying AI safety risks of shared concern, building a shared scientific and evidence-based understanding of these risks, and sustaining that understanding as capabilities continue to increase, in the context of a wider global approach to understanding the impact of AI in our societies.”

—“building respective risk-based policies across our countries to ensure safety in light of such risks, collaborating as appropriate while recognising our approaches may differ based on national circumstances and applicable legal frameworks. This includes, alongside increased transparency by private actors developing frontier AI capabilities, appropriate evaluation metrics, tools for safety testing, and developing relevant public sector capability and scientific research.”

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UPDATE: UN General Assembly calls for humanitarian truce in Israel-Gaza war

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New York, October 27 – The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” after reports showed that at least 6,500 Palestinians have been killed in the 21 days of war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants and 1.4 million people have been displaced in Gaza.

The resolution was presented to the 193-nation assembly as it was holding a second day of debate on the war with the power to act under the Uniting for Peace mandate after the UN Security Council failed its responsibility over world peace and security. The resolution said the humanitarian truce should be followed by a cessation of hostilities.

A total of 120 countries voted in favor while 14 countries voted against and 45 abstained. The assembly took the decisive vote after rejecting, with vote of 88-55, a demand by Canada to insert an amendment into the resolution. 

The amendment demanded that the resolution “Unequivocally rejects and condemns the terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting on 7 October 2023 and the taking of hostages, demands the safety, well-being and humane treatment of the hostages in compliance with international law, and calls for their immediate and unconditional release;“

The assembly decided to hold the emergency session under its annual agenda item known as the Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The adopted resolution calls on “all parties immediately and fully comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and civilian objects, as well as the protection of humanitarian personnel, persons hors de combat, and humanitarian facilities and assets, and to enable and facilitate humanitarian access for essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in need in the Gaza Strip.”

It also calls for rescinding the order by “Israel, the occupying Power, for Palestinian civilians and United Nations staff, as well as humanitarian and medical workers, to evacuate all areas in the Gaza Strip north of the Wadi Gaza and relocate to southern Gaza…”

It expresses “grave concern at the latest escalation of violence since the 7 October 2023 attack and the grave deterioration of the situation in the region, in particular in the Gaza Strip and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel;”

It condemns “all acts of violence aimed at Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction;”

Lynn Hastings, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said in a briefing in Geneva that “all humanitarian assistance and humanitarian issues have to be unconditional. “

“We all know there are more than 200 hostages in captivity, and they need to be released immediately and unconditionally,” Hastings said. “The same goes for humanitarian assistance going into Gaza. It has to be able to reach civilians unconditionally.”

Hastings cited reports by the Ministry of Health in Gaza that at least 6,500 Palestinians have been killed in the past 21 days, 17,000 are injured, 68 per cent of those are children and women.

He said 53 staff of the UN relief agency in Gaza have been killed. “And these are the people who are out there trying to deliver services in these extremely difficult circumstances. It is they, that we really need to be paying tribute to,” he said.

UN Security Council fails to find unified solution 

The 15-nation UN Security Council, the highest authority in the UN system over world peace and security issues, has so far failed to adopt a unified response to the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Political differences and vetoes cast by the US on one side, and Russia and China on the other, have crippled the council since war erupted on October 7. Those three countries, France and the United Kingdom are permanent members of the council with the power to cancel a resolution with a veto.

China and Russia on October 25 vetoed a draft resolution sponsored by the United States. Russia submitted a second draft resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, but both failed to get the necessary nine votes to pass.

Ten members of the council voted for the US draft resolution and three against (China, Russia and UAE), with two abstentions (Brazil and Mozambique).

On October 18, the United States vetoed a Brazil-backed resolution that called for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza because it failed to recognize Israel’s right to self-defense even though 12 of the council’s 15 members voted in favor. Russia and the United Kingdom abstained.

The council’s voting rules call for nine countries to vote in favor to pass a resolution, provided there is no veto from any of the five permanent members – the U.S., Russia, United Kingdom, France and China.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she cast the no vote because the resolution failed to “mention Israel’s right of self-defense. Israel has the inherent sight of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter.” 

But Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S., despite its veto, will continue to work closely with all council members on the crisis, “just as we will continue to reiterate the need to protect civilians, including members of the media, humanitarian workers, and UN officials.”

“Yes, resolutions are important, and yes, this Council must speak out. But the actions we take, must be informed by the facts on the ground and support direct diplomacy that can save lives,” she said. 

The U.S. veto, which voided the resolution submitted by Brazil, came after the council rejected on October 16 a Russia-backed resolution on Israel-Gaza war, which called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages, aid access and safe evacuation of civilians. Only five countries – China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia and the United Arab Emirates – voted in favor. Four countries – France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – voted against and six abstained, they are Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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UPDATE: U.N. fears the worst as Israelis and Palestinians face most difficult moments in 75 years

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New York, October 18 – The U.N. Envoy to the Middle East called for an inquiry into the destruction of a hospital in Gaza City that killed hundreds of people and he warned that the current Israeli-Hamas conflict is a “devastating and clearly difficult challenge” to the region and the world.

Tor Wennesland, the special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Emergency, told a U.N. Security Council meeting that the war is “one of the most difficult moments” for Israeli and Palestinian people in the past 75 years.

“The massacre and despicable acts of violence and terror perpetrated by Hamas against Israelis on 7 October are seared into our collective memory. There is no justification or excuse for such acts and I condemn them unequivocally,” he said. “We are facing a devastating and clearly difficult challenge for the region and for the international community. It comes at a moment when the global institutions we need to respond to such a crisis are already stretched.”

“Hundreds of Palestinians were killed – patients, health workers and those seeking shelter – when the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was struck by lethal fire,” Wennesland said. “The circumstances and responsibility remain obscure and will need to be fully investigated, but the result speaks for itself.”

Israel-Gaza war creates an “utter catastrophe” in humanitarian situation – Fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip in the last 11 days has killed thousands of people and displaced over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza who cannot escape bombs and missiles, a U.N. official said, describing the humanitarian situation as an “utter catastrophe” as casualties and destruction are mounting.

Joyce Msuya, a U.N. assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said in a briefing that the death toll in the current conflict has already exceeded that of the 7-week conflict in 2014 between the two sides. More than 2,800 Palestinians have been killed, over 10,850 injured and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble.

Israeli authorities have confirmed that 1,300 Israelis have been killed and more than 4,100 injured while nearly 200 people are kidnapped by Hamas. Msuya said the captives must be “treated humanely; hostages must be released immediately.”

She said 15 staff of the U.N. relief organization in Gaza and five from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have been killed and U.N. premises in Gaza are among those damaged by the war.

“As hostilities escalate, these numbers will only rise, and an already dire humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate,” Msuya said. “It is now estimated that as many as 1 million people have fled their homes to other parts of Gaza. In reality civilians have nowhere to go—nowhere to escape the bombs and missiles, and nowhere to find water or food, or to escape the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.”

“As civilians are packed into an ever-smaller area, the essentials they need to survive—shelter, water, food, power and medical care—have all but run out.”

Msuya said the U.N. will continue to engage with the fighting parties and governments with influence to find ways to bring and deliver humanitarian supplies in Gaza and allow U.N. and NGO personnel enter and exit the strip.

 “We will continue to demand respect for international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected and humanitarian relief must be facilitated, as international humanitarian law demands. We urge all countries with influence to insist on respect for the rules of war and the avoidance of any further escalation and spillover,” she said.

The United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution – A the council meetingon October 18,the U.S. vetoed a resolution that called for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza because it failed to recognize Israel’s right to self-defense even though 12 of the council’s 15 members voted in favor. Russia and the United Kingdom abstained.

The council’s voting rules call for nine countries to vote in favor to pass a resolution, provided there is no veto from any of the five permanent members – the U.S., Russia, United Kingdom, France and China.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she cast the no vote because the resolution failed to “mention Israel’s right of self-defense. Israel has the inherent sight of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter.”

But Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S., despite its veto, will continue to work closely with all council members on the crisis, “just as we will continue to reiterate the need to protect civilians, including members of the media, humanitarian workers, and UN officials.”

“Yes, resolutions are important, and yes, this Council must speak out. But the actions we take, must be informed by the facts on the ground and support direct diplomacy that can save lives,” she said.

The U.S. veto, which voided the resolution submitted by Brazil, came after the council rejected on October 16 a Russia-backed resolution on Israel-Gaza war, which called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages, aid access and safe evacuation of civilians. Only five countries – China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia and the United Arab Emirates – voted in favor. Four countries – France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – voted against and six abstained, they are Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Israel-Gaza war creates an “utter catastrophe” in humanitarian situation, U.N. says

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New York, October 17 – Fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip in the last 10 days has killed thousands of people and displaced over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza who cannot escape bombs and missiles, a U.N. official said, describing the humanitarian situation as an “utter catastrophe” as casualties and destruction are mounting.

Joyce Msuya, a U.N. assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said in a briefing that the death toll in the current conflict has already exceeded that of the 7-week conflict in 2014 between the two sides. More than 2,800 Palestinians have been killed, over 10,850 injured and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble.

Israeli authorities have confirmed that 1,300 Israelis have been killed and more than 4,100 injured while nearly 200 people are kidnapped by Hamas. Msuya said the captives must be “treated humanely; hostages must be released immediately.”

She said 15 staff of the U.N. relief organization in Gaza and five from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have been killed and U.N. premises in Gaza are among those damaged by the war.

“As hostilities escalate, these numbers will only rise, and an already dire humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate,” Msuya said. “It is now estimated that as many as 1 million people have fled their homes to other parts of Gaza. In reality civilians have nowhere to go—nowhere to escape the bombs and missiles, and nowhere to find water or food, or to escape the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.”

“As civilians are packed into an ever-smaller area, the essentials they need to survive—shelter, water, food, power and medical care—have all but run out.”

Msuya said the U.N. will continue to engage with the fighting parties and governments with influence to find ways to bring and deliver humanitarian supplies in Gaza and allow U.N. and NGO personnel enter and exit the strip.

 “We will continue to demand respect for international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected and humanitarian relief must be facilitated, as international humanitarian law demands. We urge all countries with influence to insist on respect for the rules of war and the avoidance of any further escalation and spillover,” she said.

 U.N. Security Council rejects Russia-backed resolution on Israel-Gaza war. The U.N. Security Council, which has not taken any action since fighting erupted, rejected a Russian-backed resolution that called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages, aid access and safe evacuation of civilians.

The 15-nation council took a nighttime vote on the resolution on October 16 and only five countries voted in favor. Those countries are: China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Four countries – France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – voted against and six abstained, they are Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland.

The council’s voting rules call for nine countries to vote in favor to pass a resolution, provided there is no veto from any of the five permanent members – the U.S., Russia, United Kingdom, France and China.

Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the U.N. who introduced the draft resolution to the vote, blamed the “selfish intention of the western bloc” for the council’s failure to adopt the document. “We are extremely concerned by the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the very high risk of the conflict spreading,” Nebenzia said.

But Western countries in the council said they rejected the resolution because it failed to denounce Hamas. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the Russian draft resolution “ignored Hamas’ terrorism and dishonored victims.”

“By failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalizes innocent civilians. It is outrageous, hypocritical and indefensible,” she said. “We cannot allow this Council to unfairly shift the blame to Israel and excuse Hamas for its decades of cruelty,” she said.

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